You wont believe how easy and DELICIOUS homemade Eggnog is, and this recipe really is the best! Thick and creamy with the perfect mild flavor and hint of nutmeg. You’ll never buy store-bought eggnog again!

A cup of homemade eggnog served with whipped cream on top and a cinnamon stick, with holly berries, pinecones and another glass of eggnog in the background.

Eggnog

I absolutely love eggnog! I have nothing against store-bought eggnog–we have it all the time in our fridge this time of year–but this homemade eggnog recipe is truly what dreams are made of! If you’ve ever thought you didn’t like it, you just have to try it made from scratch.

Several years ago I sought out to make homemade eggnog. My first attempt was not a success and left my husband cringing. Let’s just say that the completely “raw egg” method of making eggnog is just not for me.

I pressed forward, determined to succeed, and ended up loving this recipe from Cuisine at Home. I used ground nutmeg instead of fresh, because I always have ground on hand. I also ignored their ice-water bath suggestion and just refrigerated it instead.

The end result was liquid gold, and it’s become our family’s favorite eggnog recipe ever since! Seriously, this homemade recipe will “WOW” even the biggest eggnog snob!

Overhead photo of two cups of eggnog with cinnamon sticks, pine, holly berries and pinecones.

This eggnog recipe is thick, sweet, creamy and smooth, with the perfect flavor.   It doesn’t contain alcohol (if you’d like to add some, read on for my suggestions), but we are non-alcohol drinkers at my house, and I wanted an eggnog recipe my kids can enjoy too.

How to make eggnog:

Start by whisking the egg yolk and sugar together in a small bowl.  Then, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cream, milk, salt, and nutmeg and stir the mixture until it just reaches a simmer.  Next temper the eggs by adding small spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the egg mixture.

Side by side process photos for making eggnog including a saucepan with cream next to a a bowl with eggs and sugar, and the other photo with the simmered cream being mixed into the egg yolks bowl.

Stir each spoonful and once most of the hot mixture has been added, add the entire mixture back to the saucepan.  Continue cooking and whisking for just another minute or two until it barely thickens. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Then remove it from the heat and add the vanilla.  Refrigerate the eggnog mixture until chilled.

Side by side photos of a saucepan with egg nog and then the eggnog being poured into a cup.

We like to serve it with a some whipped cream and an extra little dash of cinnamon and nutmeg on top.

What type of alcohol goes in eggnog?

If you would like to add alcohol to your eggnog, choose a drink with a high alcohol concentration to help counterbalance the sweetness of the eggnog.  Common choices of alcohol to add to eggnog include brandy, rum, bourbon or whisky.

Overhead photo of two cups filled with eggnog with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick and a spoon lifting a spoonful of eggnog from the cup.

Don’t miss my Eggnog French Toast!

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Recipe

A cup of homemade eggnog served with whipped cream on top and a cinnamon stick, with holly berries, pinecones and another glass of eggnog in the background.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 25 minutes
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Ingredients
  

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ground cinnamon , for topping
  • alcohol optional, see note

Instructions
 

  • Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and creamy.
  • In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, milk, nutmeg and salt. Stir often until mixture reaches a bare simmer. 
  • Add a big spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding a big spoonful at a time, to temper the eggs. 
  • Once most of the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan on the stove. 
  • Whisk constantly for just a few minutes, until the mixture is just slightly thickened (or until it reaches about 160 degrees F on a thermometer). It will thicken more as it cools.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, and alcohol*, if using.
  • Pour the eggnog through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher or other container and cover with plastic wrap. 
  • Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools. If you want a thinner, completely smooth consistency, you can add the entire mixture to a blender with 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk and blend until smooth.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, and fresh whipped cream, if desired.
  • Store homemade eggnog in the fridge for up to one week.

Notes

Alcohol: If you want to add alcohol to your eggnog, start with ¼ cup brandy, bourbon, rum or whisky added at the same time as the vanilla, or after cooling the eggnog. Add more to taste, if desired. 
Yield: about 4 cups

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 246mgSodium: 58mgPotassium: 155mgSugar: 20gVitamin A: 960IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 0.5mg

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was delicious on its own! The second time I made this I tweaked the recipe a little. I added sweetened condensed milk in place of the sugar (one small can) and added 1/2 of a tsp of cinnamon with the nutmeg. It was positively DIVINE! I can’t wait to share it with friends and family over the holidays, though now I feel like I can drink this throughout the year! Yea it’s THAT GOOD! Thank you for sharing this recipe 10/10 for me!

  2. 5 stars
    SOOOOOOO Good!!! I made a few batches, well past the acceptable “Holiday” season. If you haven’t tried this eggnog, make it tonight and you’ll never go back to store brands again!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this for my son-in-law. He is the only one in the family to like eggnog until now. I liked it because it was made with our farm fresh eggs!

  4. 5 stars
    Making this for the second time right now, it is very simple & tastes great. However instead of straining the entire finished product, I strained the egg yolks which was a lot easier to get the chunky membrane off the yolk. My only other tweak would be to let the product completely cool b4 adding alcohol so that the alcohol doesn’t steam off.

  5. 5 stars
    Our family gives this eggnog recipe 10 Stars! It is our new Christmas must have at Christmas dinner. My only quibble is that you have to quadruple the recipe for there to be enough for my large family. (Serving 7 to 8 people per meal) That’s a lot of eggs! Good thing we have chickens.

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