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This easy eggnog recipe is the BEST holiday drink! It’s creamy, rich, and completely delicious – perfect for all of your holiday parties.
Even though it’s freezing outside, there are a few cold drink recipes that I like to enjoy during the holidays—like Frozen Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Milkshakes, and eggnog!
We Love Homemade Eggnog!
Can we just all agree that homemade eggnog is better than any store-bought eggnog?
This non-alcoholic eggnog (no rum, brandy or bourbon) is a favorite drink with lots of my family members.
Here’s why we love it:
- Simple. Just mix up a few straightforward ingredients!
- Quick. It has a quick prep time of only 15 minutes.
- SO much flavor. It’s fresh and with delicious spices it tastes almost like a melted ice cream.
- Perfect for celebrations. It’s basically Christmas in a cup (but we love it for Thanksgiving too)!
We do have that FAB Eggnog Milkshake too!
Simple Ingredients!
- eggs – using pasteurized eggs is your safest bet to prevent salmonella, but it hasn’t been proven that raw egg whites do not contain salmonella.
- sugar
- milk – Use whole milk for the creamiest texture.
- vanilla extract
- ground nutmeg or freshly grated
- salt
- heavy cream – The more fat the dairy contains the creamier this eggnog will be. Half and half or more whole milk may be used instead.
How to Make Eggnog
- PREP. Place a medium metal or glass mixing bowl in the refrigerator to be used later.
- EGG WHITES. In another medium bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff. Fold in ¾ cup sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Set aside.
- MILK MIXTURE. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until they turn a lemon-yellow color. Mix in remaining ¼ cup sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Then whisk in milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- COMBINE. Remove the chilled bowl from the refrigerator. Pour in heavy cream and whip until soft peaks form.
- CHILL. Add the egg white mixture and the whipped cream to the egg yolk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir together. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.
Eggnog Tips
This traditional eggnog recipe starts with the best ingredients.
- Toppings. Top with Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, cloves, or extra nutmeg.
- Separating eggs. Cold eggs separate more easily. Vacillate the yolk between the two shells and allow the whites to drip into a bowl (you can also see our tutorial here on how to separate eggs).
- Serving hot or cold. Eggnog is traditionally served chilled but can be heated in a saucepan over medium heat, stir constantly and don’t boil or heat it up in the microwave.
- Use eggnog to make: Eggnog Bread, Eggnog French Toast, Eggnog Cookies.
storing Info
- STORE. Do not store this best eggnog recipe for longer than 24 hours. It’s best chilled after a couple of hours. Keep it covered in an airtight container in the fridge.
- FREEZE this homemade eggnog recipe in an airtight freezer container, leaving a little room for the liquid to expand when it freezes.
For more Drink Recipes:
Easy Eggnog Recipe
This easy eggnog recipe is the BEST holiday drink! It's creamy, rich, and completely delicious – perfect for all of your holiday parties.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs separated
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 6 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- dash of salt
- 1 cup heavy cream chilled
Instructions
- Place a medium metal or glass mixing bowl in the refrigerator to be used later.
- In another medium bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff. Fold in ¾ cup sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until they turn a lemon-yellow color. Mix in remaining ¼ cup sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Then mix in milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- Remove the chilled bowl from the refrigerator. Pour in heavy cream and whip until soft peaks form.
- Add the egg white mixture and the whipped cream to the egg yolk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir together. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.
Video
Notes
Make ahead of time. Eggnog is best when chilled for a couple of hours before serving. Keep it covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
STORE. Do not store this best eggnog recipe for longer than 24 hours. It’s best chilled after a couple of hours. Keep it covered in an airtight container in the fridge.
FREEZE this homemade eggnog recipe in an airtight freezer container, leaving a little room for the liquid to expand when it freezes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 364kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 178mg, Sodium: 125mg, Potassium: 354mg, Fiber: 0.03g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 912IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 264mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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how many does this serve?
This recipe serves about 12.
We had this kind of eggnog all the time when I was a child, but since then there is so much concern about the raw eggs. Should I be concerned?
I don’t worry too much about it, in this, but it’s honestly a personal preference 🙂
How long will this eggnog keep in the refrigerator?
Ours is gone so fast, so I am not exactly sure how long it will last. We prefer fresh, so I wouldn’t keep longer than a couple days. But, you can also freeze it in an airtight freezer container, leaving a little room for the liquid to expand when it freezes.
This was really really easy to make I Added a bit of cinnamon as well. It was really good!
I love eggnog! Thank you for this recipe. I’ve always bought it before but not this year!
It wouldn’t be the holidays without this tasty drink. A must have for every party.
So tasty and so easy to make! We love it and make it all season long!
I’ve never made homemade before this and it was so delicious! I don’t think i’ll ever be able to go back to store bought!
My hubby thanks you! He can’t get enough eggnog all winter long! It was so much better than store bought & now he wants me to keep ingredients on hand, so he can have it anytime!
Did you kNow you can make a great tasting eggnog at home? If Eggnog is your drink you need to give this a try.
This eggnog recipe is incredibly special. the holidays just aren’t the holidays without it. thanks for sharing
I agree!! You are so welcome!