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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!
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! For a fun flavor twist, try my Pumpkin Spice Eggnog recipe!
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.
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.
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.
Don't miss my Eggnog French Toast!
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Homemade Eggnog
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 a minute or so, 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
This is my second time making this and it is so good! I made homemade whip cream with it and it literally tastes like ice cream!!
Can I ask how you made whipped cream from
This? Wouldn’t the added milk and ingredients to the cream make the eggnog not able to whip up into a fluffy whip cream? Ty! 🙂 I’d love to learn
She made whipped cream to accompany the drink.
You add the whipped cream to top it off at the end when your put it in your glass.
If you’d like eggnog flavored whipped cream you can add eggnog syrup or extract instead of vanilla to your whipping cream
Ummm, it’s exactly the same recipe for an ice cream base that NYT Cooking uses. Unfrozen nutmeg ice cream.
That’s because the custard for homemade ice cream is the same as the custard for egg nog, pudding, custard pie.
I made this eggnog for Christmas Eve. It is out of this world delicious!
Oh. My. Word. So delicious and so easy! As others have said…I’ll never buy eggnog again! Thank you so much for sharing!
Oh wow!!!! This is awesome!!!! My husband loved it!!
Turned out perfect. Thanky
this is my favorite go to recipe for homemade egg nog! Simple and delicious! I make it year round for my 3 year old grandson who loves it! Reading other reviews i will now make an angel food cake with a doubled batch of egg nog to use the egg whites. I had just dumped mine down the drain when i read to do this! Enjoy everyone, you will not be disappointed.
How do you make such Good eggnog?
I will show you one day.
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times for my son and grandkids. They love it!! Actually I double the recipe cuz the original recipe is gone in just a couple of minutes —- and am then left with 12 egg whites which is EXACTLY what it takes for a yummy angel food cake which I then send along with the eggnog. Works out great if you’re worried about what to do with the egg whites.
Eggnogy as I like! Perfect for any time of the year
Simple, easy, delicious eggnog!! Thank you
Try it in a hot cup of black tea for breakfast! My new favorite!
OH MY GOD!!!!! I will NEVER drink store bought egg nog again!!! I can’t believe how much better yours is!! I’m a 65 year old man who loves cooking and spending time in the kitchen but for some reason never thought of trying this…. wow….amazing!!! Thank you Lauren!!!
My mom would use the egg whites and beat them with a little sugar and cream of tartar and make a delicious meringue. She would spoon the meringue on top of the heated egg nog and and serve warm with whiskey or spiced rum. It was delicious!
My concern was the same, a waste of egg whites. I know you can make meringue with them, but can you store them either before or after making the meringue?
I do use all the egg, and it turns out so yummy! Love this recipe. We use it in coffee all year long.
Egg whites freeze really well! I collect them for a few months and then use them when I have enough for whatever I wanted to make- almond cake, angel food, lemon meringue pie, a lot of European cookies use egg whites, too.
My mother made egg nog back in the 1950s. She used a stand mixer (B4 blenders were made) used the entire egg, heavy cream, sugar & vanilla extract. Mixed it cold for at least 10 minutes. She never put booze in it but I used peppermint schnapps when I grew up.
When u say, mixed it cold, does that mean she never cooked the eggs? Cuz the only part of this recipe I don’t like, is wasting the egg whites. I would rather use whole eggs, but I know if I do it with this recipe, I will screw it up. On the other hand, drinking raw eggs makes me a little nervous as well. By u adding the schnapps, the alcohol kills any bacteria that may make u sic. I have had samonila twice, and I don’t ever want to experience that again, so ya, the raw eggs scare me a bit, but if yr Mom did it, it works, and u get more, cuz yr using the whole egg….now u got me wondering, have u tried this recipe yrself, or do u stick with yr Ma’s old faithful?
I usually make a swiss meringue so not to waste the whites.
You could also make the recipe from the website with 3 or 4 whole eggs instead of 6 yolks, I’ve seen come custards made this way and I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with eggnog
If I’m not mistaken the bacteria comes from the outside of the egg shell when cracked it gets mixed in causing you to get sick. If you soak the eggs in 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart water for 10 minutes it will kill any bacteria present and you should be fine as long as the egg is fresh. Alcohol content would have to be greater than 60% to kill the bacteria. That’s why hand sanitizer is minimal 60%.Good luck.
Egg shell is porous. Do not put an egg in bleach!
NEVER BLEACH! Linda is correct..Egg shells are porous and bleach will get to inside. Fresh laid eggs don’t need washing.
Wash hands before cooking 😉
I can wait to try to make this recipe but also can’t use white sugar.. I’m hoping Monk or Coconut sugar might not ruin the taste. I also like “ not so sweet anything” so I always go “ halfsies” with anything calling for sugar..
You are correct about bacteria on the shell. But using bleach is a bit dodgy. Food grade hydrogen peroxide is recommended.
How about making egg white sandwiches for breakfast the day you are going to make the egg nog? Thats what I do 3egg whites for each sandwich. If you have left over egg whites cook them for sandwiches and then refrigerate or freeze depending on how long it will be before you are going to use them.
Freeze the leftover egg whites in an ice cube tray Once frozen, put in freezer in ziplock bag and use as you need them
i buy davidsons eggs. they are pasteurized in the shell. it seems to make everyone feel a bit better about consuming raw eggs (although everyone eats cookies dough raw!) I usually have to google ‘Davidson’s Pasterurized Eggs: and call around to find them but it’s worth the drive every year!!