Egg Nog Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

FILLING

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
• 1-2 teaspoon milk
• 1-2 drop yellow food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt & nutmeg until combined. Cover & chill dough for approximately 1 hour or until firm & easy to handle.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease a cookie sheet.

3. 3

   Whisk egg whites until foamy. Shape dough intol 1" balls; dip in egg white then roll in walnuts. Place 1" apart on greased cookie sheet.

4. 4

   With the handle of a wooden spoon, make a 1/2" indent in the center of each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes or until center of cookies are set. Remove cookies from sheet & cool thoroughly on wire racks.

5. 5

   For the filling, combine butter, confectioner's sugar, rum extract & enough milk to make a smooth frosting. Add food coloring if desired. Place frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip & pipe into indents of each cookie.