Eggnog Pecan Cookies

I'm generally a pretty darn positive person. Sunny little optimist, that's me! But sometimes even I take a hit from the Doubt Monster. Especially when it comes to the things I love most: my life as wife and mother, and this blog! It may seem silly that my blog is that high on the list, but it really represents all the things that make me the happiest. Food, sharing food, and "the little things". The problem is, food blogs are a dime a dozen these days! Heck, they're a dime a hundred! They're all over the place! And crazily enough, people are getting famous off these things. Really, no kidding famous! So many of these fabulous food blogs are literally works of ART. And those bloggers work hard for those gorgeous pictures! But sometimes I can't help but feel a little discouraged when I look at them. Compared to their pictures and fancy ingredients, who would want to look at mine? Compared to their give-aways and networking, who is ever going to find my little blog fun and interesting?

I think most of us have had times when we felt "less-than". Whether we're comparing ourselves to others, to our as-yet-unachieved goals, or even to our own pasts, we feel like we just don't measure up. We're not as good as "that other". Who would care about us? Well guess what. SOMEONE cares, I guarantee it. Someone thinks you're completely awesome. Most likely quite a few someones! Friends, neighbors, children, spouses and significant others, cousins, grandparents, parents, co-workers... Heck, I think you're awesome! I'm not just saying that. If you like my blog enough to be reading it, then we've got to have something in common, and I bet we'd be great friends! Everyone has something to give, something special, something to contribute to life that no-one else can! My pictures may not be as gorgeous as I would like, but my food is yummy, and there is no one quite like ME out there. At least 200 of you think I'm spiffy. :) So rejoice in YOU, and go get a hug from whoever it is that thinks you're the greatest thing ever. And if you can't find them, drop me a line, and we'll be friends! Cuz I bet you're pretty spiffy too!

Eggnog Pecan Cookies (inspired by Shopgirl)
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup sugar
6 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup eggnog
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2-3 Tb eggnog

Whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, salt, spices, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream together your sugar and butter till fluffy. Add your egg and beat well, till smooth. Add vanilla and eggnog and mix till smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients and pecans until combined. You will have a very soft dough. Cover and refrigerate your dough for at least an hour.

When you're ready to bake, remove your dough and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/line your cookie sheets with parchment paper (I recommend the latter). Set aside. (I like to toast my pecans on my cookie sheets in the oven while it's preheating. Just for a few minutes!)

Drop cookie dough by spoonfuls (or if it has stiffened enough, gently roll into small balls) onto your prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until the edges just barely start to brown. Let cool completely before glazing. To make the glaze, just whisk together the eggnog and powdered sugar. Add another Tb or two of eggnog if your glaze is too thick. Drizzle cookies generously!

 Eggnog, of course, is my very-close-second holiday flavor. (Pumpkin is third. Sorry pumpkin!!) These cookies are ALL eggnog! (With some crunchy toasty nuts to make things interesting)

 Softer than the average chocolate chip cookie, but not quite light-and-fluffy-cakey, I actually loved the texture of these cookies. They're lightly sweet, plenty eggnoggy, with and extra hit of sugar in that glaze. Just about perfect!

Add them to your holiday treat list, if you're a fan of eggnog at all. (Not everyone is. Crazy people. Though I'm sure they say the same about me and cilantro... Anyway.)  You can always skip the nuts if they aren't your thing!