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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!!
So I followed everything and watched your video a couple times before trying this out. Made it mid day, and now 8pm my time. Been in the fridge chilling, but it didnt thicken. Im wondering what I did wrong to lack that? Its delicious. But I dont get how I messed it up. Chilling over night? Maybe thicker by morning 🌄?
So glad you enjoyed the flavor. If it didn’t thicken much it usually means the mixture didn’t cook quite long enough before you chilled it. It should coat the back of a spoon pretty well. It won’t thicken a lot in the fridge but it may feel a little richer by morning. You can also whisk in a splash of cream before serving.
Instead of granulated sugar, can you substitute honey?
Yes you can use honey. Just keep in mind it will add a little flavor and extra sweetness, so start with a bit less than the sugar amount and adjust to taste. Warm it with the milk so it dissolves well. Hope you enjoy it!
Does this recipe scale up well or do you have to make it in separate batches? Planning on making it for a holiday party where we need more than just four cups.
It scales up nicely. Just be sure to use a big enough pot so you can whisk comfortably and cook it slowly until it coats the back of a spoon. Larger batches can take a little longer to thicken so keep an eye on it.
The egg nogg was very good. I made a double batch. I did whip up the egg yokes and folded it into mixture because I didn’t want to waste them. I did add 1/4 tsp cinnamon into mixture. It made half gallon and I needed more. so I add half and half to it and made a gallon. added 1 tsp xanthium gum. Everyone loved it
How long will it last in the fridge? (Assuming we don’t drink it all on the first day🤪)
It keeps well for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving.
Can you use almond milk instead of regular milk?
You can use almond milk but the texture will be a bit thinner and not as creamy. It still tastes great though. Keep the heat low and watch it closely since non-dairy milks can curdle more easily.
Do you continue to keep the cream mixture on a simmer as you mix it with the egg yolks? I’m concerned that as you remove more and more of it from the pan, the remaining amount will burn.
Great question! You should turn the heat off (or reduce it to very low) once the cream mixture reaches a bare simmer and before you start tempering. This prevents burning while you’re ladling the hot mixture into the eggs.
This is a winner! So creamy and delicious. I made it alcohol-free for the kids, and with rum for the adults. It was a huge hit. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
can I use stevia
Stevia’s tricky in cooked recipes like this it doesn’t dissolve the same way sugar does and can leave a weird aftertaste. You could try it, but honestly I’d go with half the sugar instead or maybe a different sweetener like monk fruit if you’re trying to cut back. Sugar helps with the texture too, not just sweetness!
We use condensed milk instead of milk, whipped cream, salt and we definitely add vodka and rum. Powder sugar instead of granulated one. No cooking is needed. So good!
Is that all you use or do you use what you mentioned in addition to the rest of the recipe? I’m all for trying some good modifications!
That’s your recipe not Lauren’s .