Eggnog
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Whip up some holiday cheer with this irresistibly rich, creamy, and decadently boozy eggnog recipe!
Eggnog is a creamy and rich blend of milk, cream, sugar, and eggs, spiked with rum, bourbon, or brandy—think of it as a boozy, drinkable custard that’s a holiday season favorite, especially at Christmas and New Year’s Eve gatherings. It has its roots in medieval Britain, where it began as a warm, milky ale punch. Over time, it crossed the Atlantic, gaining popularity in the American colonies due to the abundance of dairy products and rum. Unlike many traditional recipes that use raw eggs, I opt for gently cooking them—because honestly, who relishes the thought of sipping on raw eggs? If your eggnog experience is limited to the store-bought variety, prepare for a real treat. Homemade eggnog is leagues ahead in flavor and richness—the store-bought versions, while convenient, simply don’t compare!
“Outstanding! You gave me courage to try this for the first time! So happy NOT to have to drink raw eggs! Smooth as silk after heating yolks and putting it through the sieve…Have a wonderful holiday and thanks for our new tradition. 🎉🎄”
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE EGGNOG
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, add the egg yolks, cream, sugar, and salt.
Whisk to combine
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a gentle boil.
Remove the milk from the heat and, whisking constantly, slowly pour it into the yolk mixture to temper.
Whisk until fully combined.
Return the milk-yolk mixture to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook gently, whisking constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened and reaches between 160°F-165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes; do not let boil.
Set a fine mesh strainer over a large clean bowl. Pour the eggnog through the strainer into the bowl.
Add the rum, nutmeg, and cinnamon to eggnog mixture.
Whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
Ladle the eggnog into glasses.
Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired.
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Eggnog
Whip up some holiday cheer with this irresistibly rich, creamy, and decadently boozy eggnog recipe!
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup dark rum (bourbon or brandy can be substituted), plus more if desired
- Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cream, sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a gentle boil.
- Remove the milk from the heat and, whisking constantly, slowly pour it into the yolk mixture to temper. Return the milk-yolk mixture to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook gently, whisking constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened and reaches between 160°F-165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes; do not let boil.
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a large clean bowl. Pour the eggnog through the strainer into the bowl. Whisk in the rum, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
- Ladle the eggnog into glasses and top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 3/4 cup
- Calories: 300
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 117 mg
- Cholesterol: 194 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Never liked eggnog until I tried this one. Delicious!!
Delicious and so easy. I’ll never buy the grocery-store version again – there’s no comparison!!
I love eggnog but not the thought of drinking raw eggs, so I was really happy to see this recipe. I omitted booze so people could decide on whether/how much. It was a little sweet for my taste, will reduce sugar next time. I also overdid it on the nutmeg – I only had fresh and wasn’t sure how much to use. It did not thicken for me at all, though I cooked several minutes and to 165, but it was still delicious. Will definitely be making this again!
What a timely post not only because of the season but also because eggnog is $9 a container. This recipe is so good I have already made it twice. I did make a lower fat version exchanging the heavy whipping cream for 1 can of coconut milk, and exchanged whole milk for 2%. I can only imagine the thickness changed but the flavor remained just like the real thing. The amount of rum was just right and not over powering, and I loved the fact the eggs are cooked. Thank you for another great recipe Jenn. I never imagined I would make homemade eggnog until I saw your post! Thank you again and Happy New Year! ❤️
Happy holidays Jenn! I made this delicious eggnog on Christmas Eve for a Christmas brunch. We loved it! I made it non-alcoholic and carried the Myers dark rum for individual splashing. The eggnog was thinner than store bought eggnog. Did I cook it correctly? I followed your instructions to a T.
Thank you for ALL of your recipes! They have all been five stars for me! :o)
Hi Kim, It should be as thick or thicker than store-bought. Next time try cooking it a bit longer. You can also fold in the whip cream topping for a thicker consistency.
I will! Thank you Jenn! I love you and your website ❤️🥰
First time making eggnog at home and I can’t believe how easy it is! This is dessert in a glass. Very rich, perfectly balanced, creamy, and very festive. I made it with Brandy and added a splash more than the recipe called for after it had cooled. So, so good.
Outstanding! You gave me courage to try this for the first time! So happy NOT to have to drink raw eggs! Smooth as silk after heating yolks and putting it through the sieve. I then added 2/3 cup of bourbon and 1/3 cup of dark rum! A little kick but not too much. I hated to waste the egg whites so i beat them to stiff peaks and folded into the nog. It fluffed it up a little. Have a wonderful holiday and thanks for our new tradition 🎉🎄
This is sooooo delicious.
I am always stopped short of using recipes that leave me with a lot of egg whites after using a lot of egg yolks. My family and I LOVE egg nog and I’m wanting to try this recipe, but six egg yolks and then the “leftover” six egg whites….. Other than meringue, what do you do with all of those egg whites??
Thanks for all the great recipes.
Annie
Hi Annie, You’re not alone! Here are some ideas for using up your egg whites. Hope you find it useful and enjoy the eggnog if you make it!
Hi,
I always freeze them in ice cube trays if I don’t have an immediate use for them. That way I can pull out later for cake, or whatever that just calls for egg whites and not the yolk :0)
I’m wondering if one could add the rum before heating to remove alcohol, but keep flavor for those on meds?
Sure, that will work. Enjoy!
Any non-alcoholic modifications you suggest if I want to omit the rum?
Hi Debbie, It’s fine to just leave it out. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, we’ve only ever had store bought eggnog. I’m very tempted to try this recipe but would like to make it non-alcoholic. What would you suggest? Can I just eliminate the 1/3 cup of spirits?
Many thanks, MPW
Yep perfectly fine to leave it out 🙂