Eggnog is a tradition worth trying and keeping, homemade! The richness of this authentic eggnog recipe is lightened with a big puff of whipped meringue and whipped cream. You can go non-alcoholic, too.

Homemade eggnog, rich and creamy and heavily spiked, has always for some reason seemed out of reach come Christmas and New Year’s at home. The Christmas Eve of my mother’s cherished childhood involved midnight mass, then brunch, presents, and an eggnog her mother made that was so special, my Mom closed her eyes in the telling. Yet she never made it or even tried. I have always wanted a big punchbowl of this festive holiday drink, which is so much better than store-bought!

What is Eggnog?

You may wonder, does eggnog actually have eggs in it? Yes, it does! Eggnog is a creamy drink with eggs, dairy, and sugar as the primary ingredients. It’s traditional for holiday gatherings, and often spiked with alcohol. It tastes like a drinkable custard, almost like soft ice cream spiced with nutmeg.

Although many opt for store-bought eggnog from the grocery store, it doesn’t even compare to this recipe. Trust me, my creamy homemade version has nothing on those store-bought cartons!

Notes about the Ingredients

• Light rum. Although you can skip it to make non-alcoholic eggnog, it really does cut the richness. You can also use whiskey, bourbon, or brandy.
• Sugar. Eggnog is sweet, dessert-like in its richness. Granulated sugar or cane sugar are optimal; brown sugar is a fine substitute
• Eggs. Of course! The egg yolks are cooked on the stove along with the rum and sugar, so they are safe to consume. The egg whites are whipped separately to fold together with the egg yolk mixture.
• Heavy cream and whole milk. The cream and milk together make this recipe so decadent and over the top delicious!
• Spices. You can use either ground nutmeg or cinnamon, or both.

Expert Tips

Cooking the egg: when cooking the egg yolks with the milk be sure to stir constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very thick, 2–3 minutes. Don’t overcook the egg yolks. It’s essential that you cook the yolks in a water bath with the rum and sugar while stirring constantly only until egg mixture thickens. We want to temper the eggs, rather than cook the eggs which can cause them to curdle.

Chill out: be sure to get the egg mixture cold all the way through. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or set the bowl in an ice bath to cool it quickly. Also, keep the heavy cream cold until you whip it. For easy and quick whipping, chill the bowl and the beaters of your mixer in the fridge, too!

Whipping egg whites: this can be tricky, but only insofar as you don’t want to overbeat them. Egg whites won’t whip properly if the bowl they’re in isn’t squeaky clean. Before using it, give your bowl a wash and a wipe before whisking the egg whites.

Folding: Fold the whipped cream and cold egg yolk mixture into the whipped whites, and stir in the milk (use cold milk, not hot milk!).

How to Make Eggnog without Alcohol

For non-alcoholic eggnog, you can skip the rum without any substitute and follow the recipe as is. Temper the egg yolks with sugar and 1 cup of milk until the mixture is thick before chilling it in the fridge.

How to Make Eggnog without Heavy Cream

If you want to make eggnog without cream, it’s important to note that you’ll end up with a less-creamy, thinner holiday drink. You can substitute half and half, or skip any type of cream and whipping, and follow the rest of the instructions as they are. Taste and add more milk to your liking. 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. Whisk he mixture well before adding the whipped egg whites.

Storage

This eggnog is best the day it is made. To store, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two day (don’t freeze it). Give a stir or a good shake before serving to make sure the ingredients haven’t separated, and serve with some fresh spice dusted on top.

Make ahead

No time to make it on the day you’re serving it? No worries! While you can make the eggnog a day or two ahead of time, you can also make just the egg yolk mixture in advance and chill, with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, for up to two days. When you’re ready to serve, whip up the whipped cream, the egg whites, and assemble with the prepared yolk mixture.

What to serve with it

Enjoy eggnog with other tidbits! Try something semi-sweet alongside, such as my date nut bread recipe, stuffed dates, or sticky date cake. Eggnog is so good with Barazek Sesame Cookies, sesame cookies that are less sweet than other cookies and great with the richness of the eggnog.

Drinking Raw Eggs Safely

I have always wondered, is it safe to consume raw eggs in eggnog? Although the traditional eggnog recipe uses raw eggs in the eggnog mixture, it’s best to be on the safe side when considering if you’ll consume raw egg and either temper the eggs, or use pasteurized eggs. The FDA recommends using pasteurized eggs to avoid food poisoning from Salmonella bacteria.

Variations

• Coconut eggnog. Swap the rum for Malibu, a coconut flavored liqueur, for a tropical twist. Top servings with some toasted coconut flakes and a touch of allspice. 
• Coffee eggnog. Need a little caffeine boost? Or simply love anything coffee flavored? Add a splash of chilled coffee to your eggnog just before serving.
• Vanilla eggnog. Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste to the cream before whipping to add depth of flavor.
• Pumpkin spice. Swap the nutmeg or cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice instead!
• Eggnog french toast. If you end up with some leftovers, you can make french toast using eggnog instead of milk the next morning.

More Holiday Drinks

• A holiday favorite at our house is a Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktail, colorful and delicious.
• Try making Orange Blossom Gin Fizz, a light and beautiful drink
• For a stronger, simple drink, check out the Amaro Cocktail
• The St. Germain Cocktail is a floral favorite with Elderflower liqueur
• If you’re in the mood for a classic, crisp daiquiri, try my Hemingway Daiquiri recipe
• My sister Peggy’s Bloody Mary is a favorite for holiday brunch