Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies

Hands-on Time: 20 min.; Total Time: 46 min.

Yield: Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 chai tea bag
• 1 (17.5-oz.) package sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons eggnog, divided
• Parchment paper
• Cinnamon sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove tea leaves from tea bag; discard bag.

2. Stir together tea leaves, cookie mix, butter, egg, and 2 Tbsp. eggnog until well blended.

3. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten dough slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in cinnamon sugar.

4. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 10 minutes).

5. Whisk together powdered sugar, nutmeg, and remaining 2 Tbsp. eggnog until smooth. Spoon over cooled cookies.

Note: We tested with Tazo Chai Organic Black Tea.

Christmas Eggnog Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 12 egg yolks
• 5 cloves, whole
• 4 cups milk
• 4 cups cream
• 3 cups light rum
• 1+ ¾ cups sugar
• 2+ ½ teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• ¾ teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Directions:

In a saucepan over low heat, blend the milk, cinnamon, cloves and half a teaspoon of the vanilla essence.
Keep stirring while mixture heats, and remove from heat just before boiling point.
In a bowl, mix together the sugar with all those egg yolks.
Make sure you whisk them well so that they're light and fluffy.
Gently and a little at a time, pour in the milk mixture while continuing to whisk.
Transfer mixture back into your saucepan over a medium heat while continuing to stir.
Keep stirring until your eggnog mixture starts to resemble custard.
Never let the mixture to reach boiling point!!
Pour and strain the mixture into a jug, making sure to remove the cloves.
Stand jug in the fridge for an hour or two.
Gently stir in the cream, light rum, remaining vanilla and ground nutmeg.
Put back into the fridge overnight.
Serve in cups with a little extra ground nutmeg, cinnamon or baking cocoa sprinkled lightly on top.