Super Easy Homemade Eggnog - The Best Recipe (2024)

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This homemade easy eggnog recipe is a creamy and delicious drink that is perfect for the holidays. It takes just a few minutes to whip up and is naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey. This is a healthy, from-scratch version the whole family will love.

Super Easy Homemade Eggnog - The Best Recipe (1)

I’m not sure why eggnog is always reserved for the holiday season. I generally sip a glass on or around Christmas Eve, or if I’m really thinking ahead, I’ll have a glass on the evening we put up our Christmas tree.

Two glasses tops, then I’m back in the year long sabbatical for the next glass of Christmas Eve eggnog. It makes me wonder: should year round eggs mean year round eggnog?

Is this one of those traditions we were never meant to keep?

Custard pie, for instance, tends to be a holiday dessert. One that your grandma or great-grandma used to make, your parents loved it, and now it doesn’t make the menu anymore.

Having our own chickens, I’ll occasionally find myself with a surplus of eggs. Needing no coaxing, I’ll dig out my favoritecustard pierecipe, which I’ve begun making any time of year now. I’m clearly a trend setter – maybe a rule breaker.

I do love classic eggnog. It’s cheap, it’s simple, it’s super delicious – especially when you’re making it from scratch. Which, if you’re feeling bold and planning to introduce eggnog to any of the months outside of November or December, you’ll definitely need to learn how to make your own.

I just don’t see the local grocery store stocking it, and it’s simply not as good anyway.

It tastes really heavenly when homemade, plus you’re getting a fresh batch, and you’re avoiding the extra ingredients that are prolonging the shelf life of the store-bought version.

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Recipe Highlights:

Super easy:This easy recipe can be made in just a few minutes with mostly ingredients found in the pantry or fridge.

Tasty: There is no comparison. Creamy, delicious homemade eggnog beats out the one from the grocery store any day. It has all the traditional flavors and consistency of this classic holiday favorite.

Simple ingredients: All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this nourishing, healthy, and creamy drink.

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Tips For Making Homemade Eggnog

  • Making your owneggnog at home takes some focus. You don’t want to be distracted while trying to make it, or you may end up with curdled eggs. Ask me how I know.
  • If you don’t have maple syrup or honey, you could use regular ol’ sugar.
  • To reduce your risk of salmonella poisoning, make sure to heat your eggnog mixture to 160 degrees. Or if you want to make this recipe in less than 5 minutes, then I’d recommend buying pasteurized eggs that way you don’t have to cook the eggs. Both are acceptable ways to reduce the risk. (source)
  • You can make this dairy free by swapping out the half and half and milk with a dairy free alternative, like coconut or cashew milk. It cannot be made vegan, though, because it contains eggs. However, eggs are not dairy.
  • If for some reason you have any leftover eggnog, turn it into an eggnog latte. Seriously so good and so easy. The perfect holiday drink for Christmas morning.

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FAQ:

How long does homemade eggnog last?

It will last about 2-3 days in the fridge, whereas store-bought eggnog can last as long as 5-7 days in the refrigerator after opening.

What alcohol goes with eggnog?

While we always make this alcohol free, you can definitely add some. Brandy is the most common alcohol added to this holiday drink, but you could also use rum or bourbon.

Can eggnog be frozen?

I’ve read some places that suggest you can freeze eggnog for up to 6 months. I’ve not personally tried this myself. If you try it, you will want to leave a few inches of head space to allow for expansion. No one wants exploded eggnog all over the freezer.

What makes eggnog so thick?

The heavy cream helps thicken up the drink a bit, but the real magic happens when you cook the eggs. The proteins in the eggs also help thicken up the drink.

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Ingredients:

Half and half– Gives it an extra rich creaminess.

Whole milk– Helps balance the half and half while adding richness.

Honey– Naturally sweeten this recipe using honey or maple syrup. Regular sugar would also work.

Salt– Brings out all of the flavors. I like to use sea salt.

Eggs– Whole eggs. No separating needed. If you want to make this recipe super fast, then use pasteurized eggs.

Vanilla extract– Make your own or purchase realvanilla extract. You could also add a hint of rum extract.

Nutmeg– Use a microplane to grate fresh nutmeg (best option), or buy already grated nutmeg.

Tools you may need or find useful:

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How To Make Super Easy Eggnog

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In a blender, add all of the ingredients. If you use pasteurized eggs, you can just blend up the ingredients and be done. If using raw eggs, then make the cooked version and heat up the eggnog mixture until it reaches 160 degrees to make sure it is safe to consume.

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Blend until smooth and creamy.

Transfer the egg mixture to a medium saucepan.

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Place over medium-low heat. Whisk frequently until it reaches 160 degrees F. You don’t want to leave this unattended, as it can easily heat up too much and too quickly and curdle the eggs.

Once it hits temperature, serve warm or transfer the hot mixture to an airtight container (be careful not to burn yourself) and place in the fridge for a few hours to cool.

Enjoy. I like to add some homemade whipped cream, sprinkle of cinnamon or sprinkles, and a cinnamon stick to be a little extra festive.

Or turn this into an eggnog latte. Super delicious.

Other delicious holiday recipes:

  • Vegan Fudge: Easy Decadent Dessert
  • Creamy Custard Pie: Easy Dessert Recipe
  • Lace Cookies With Pumpkin Spice
  • How To Make Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Gluten Free Pie Crust Recipe: Quick Pie Crust Recipe

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back, comment on the post, and give it a5 star rating! Please and thank you.

Super Easy Homemade Eggnog - The Best Recipe (11)

Eggnog

This super easy eggnog recipe is a creamy and delicious drink that is perfect for the holidays. It takes just a few minutes to whip up and is naturally sweetened.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy eggnog recipe, homemade eggnog

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 365kcal

Author: Libby

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups half & half
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • dash of salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg plus more for garnish

Instructions

  • In a blender, add all of the ingredients. If you use pasteurized eggs, you can just blend up the ingredients and be done. If using raw eggs, then make the cooked version and heat up the eggnog mixture until it reaches 160 degrees to make sure it is safe to consume.

  • Blend until smooth and creamy.

  • Transfer the egg mixture to a medium saucepan.

  • Place over medium-low heat. Whisking frequently until it reaches 160 degrees F. You don't want to leave unattended, as it can easily heat too high and curdle the eggs.

  • Once it hits temperature, serve warm or transfer the hot mixture to an airtight container (be careful not to burn yourself) and place in the fridge for a few hours to cool.

  • Enjoy. I like to add some homemade whipped cream, sprinkle of cinnamon or sprinkles, and a cinnamon stick to be a little extra festive.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 390mg | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @ablossominglife or tag #ablossominglife!

Super Easy Homemade Eggnog - The Best Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What liquid is best to mix with eggnog? ›

While brandy is the most traditional alcohol to pair with eggnog, according to traditional recipes, you can also use a mixture of dark rum and Cognac. If you like your eggnog with more of a kick you can also add bourbon, but we recommend sticking to rum and Cognac to preserve the 'nog's flavors.

What makes eggnog taste better? ›

Shaking eggnog with ice dilutes it just a little. This helps turn the volume down on its inherent sweetness and thins it so it's not tacky thick, and viscous. It gets your eggnog nicely chilled too, which helps the store-bought stuff taste less sticky sweet.

What are the ingredients in eggnog? ›

A traditional holiday drink dating back hundreds of years, eggnog is made with eggs (hence the name), milk, cream, spices like nutmeg and vanilla, and fortified with rum, whisky, and/or brandy.

How to thicken homemade eggnog? ›

To thicken the mixture, add a cornstarch slurry. Thoroughly combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup cool water. Add this mixture at the end of cooking the egg yolks, sugar, and rum in the bowl over the simmering water bath. Whisk until thickened then proceed with chilling.

What alcohol is most used in eggnog? ›

Eggnog is typically made with rum, brandy or bourbon, and Brown likes to start with a combination of dark rum and cognac. But there's no need to go premium; he recommends using an affordable, high-proof VS cognac. The higher alcohol level will cut through the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients.

What's the best brandy for eggnog? ›

For the brandy eggnog, Korbel VS was the brand of choice, and it produced a perfectly balanced drink. This eggnog had a nice sweetness in every sip, which paired admirably with the creamy egg base.

How long will homemade eggnog last? ›

Cover and refrigerate.

The more liquor you add, the longer it will keep — non-alcoholic eggnog should be consumed within 1 day; eggnog with 1/2 to 1 cup of liquor will keep for several days; and eggnog with 1 1/2 cups of liquor will keep for several weeks and continue aging and thickening quite nicely.

Why you should be careful with that eggnog? ›

Refrigerated eggs with clean, uncracked shells can still be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees F to kill bacteria such as Salmonella that may be present. If your eggnog recipe calls for raw eggs, it may not be safe.

How to jazz up egg nog? ›

Eggnog Bar
  1. Eggnog.
  2. Spirits: rum, bourbon, whiskey, and/or brandy.
  3. Whipped cream.
  4. Syrup: caramel and/or chocolate.
  5. Spices: nutmeg, cinnamon (sticks and ground), and/or pumpkin spice.
  6. Crushed gingersnap cookies or red-hot candies, or cinnamon sugar for rimming glasses (optional)
Dec 6, 2023

What is the difference between nog and eggnog? ›

There's holiday nog made with milk and eggs but can't be called eggnog because of added booze, for example. Same goes for nog made of dairy alternatives, like almond or soy milk. But straight up milk and cream with no eggs—well, that's considered to be poor cousin of the real deal.

What is American eggnog made of? ›

Today, eggnog is usually made of some combination of eggs (either just the yolks or the yolks and the whipped egg whites), sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, and sometimes booze.

What is in Evan Williams egg nog? ›

Evan Williams Egg Nog

Our Original Southern Egg Nog is made with smooth Kentucky Bourbon and real dairy cream.

What can I add to eggnog to make it taste better? ›

Bonus Additions for Store-Bought Eggnog
  1. nutmeg.
  2. cloves.
  3. cinnamon.
  4. pumpkin pie spice.
  5. apple pie spice.
  6. pure vanilla extract.
  7. almond extract.
  8. coffee.
Apr 3, 2022

Can you overcook eggnog? ›

Undercooked eggnog will be thin and watery; overcooked custard will curdle. The difference is a matter of only a few degrees. For perfectly smooth eggnog: Pour through a sieve before chilling.

Why are there chunks in my eggnog? ›

When you refrigerate the eggnog made with cream it solidifies and gets chunky. A tip for separating the milk from the water, put the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Then open the can from the bottom, and pour out the water to use in another recipe, you'll be able to easily scoop out the thickened milk.

What pairs best with egg nog? ›

Rum is the classic alcohol to splash in a glass of eggnog. This pairing is so iconic that rum is often listed in many traditional eggnog recipes. If you'd like to add rum to your mugful, opt for a golden or dark rum.

What mixer goes with eggnog? ›

The three most common boozy eggnog mix-ins are brandy, rum, and bourbon.

What is the best way to drink eggnog? ›

Eggnog is usually served cold, but you may choose to heat it, especially if you're coming in from making snowmen or ice skating. And you can spike eggnog with a splash of brandy, rum or your spirit of choice, but it's also delicious simply spiked with vanilla or cinnamon.

What booze to put in hot chocolate? ›

Adding a splash of alcohol like rum, brandy, or whisky can transform your hot chocolate into a truly indulgent and sophisticated drink.

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