Enjoy the rich, smooth, and creamy classic taste of deliciously sweetly spiced holiday eggnog made easily from scratch at home (without the worry of using raw eggs).
The holidays are a time for traditions. One of those traditions for many is the smooth frothy treat of eggnog. At my house, my youngest son would drink eggnog each and every day of the year, if he could. And that really isn’t an exaggeration!
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Buying as much eggnog as I have got me wondering if I could make it myself. And if it was easy enough to do, would my son like it? I am happy to report that this recipe gets 2 thumbs up from him.
Does Eggnog Have Raw Eggs?
Typical eggnog does contains raw eggs. Many homemade eggnog recipes still call for using raw eggs. Adding alcohol to raw egg eggnog prevents bacteria and salmonella from developing.
The egg base mixture in my eggnog recipe is gently cooked to a temp of 160F, making it safe for consumption without it being necessary to add the alcohol. Of course, you can certainly add it if you want.
How to Make Homemade Eggnog
It is much easier to make eggnog from scratch than you might think. I always believed it was something that couldn’t possibly taste as good as the store-bought version, but I find it to be much richer and full of flavor.
Ingredients:
12 eggs
1¼ cups sugar
4 cups whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups half & half
Garnish:
Whipped cream
Cinnamon sticks
Nutmeg or cinnamon
Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a heavy saucepan and stir in the whole milk, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and cinnamon.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir the evaporated milk and half & half until combined. Set it aside.
Heat the egg mixture over medium-low heat while stirring constantly to prevent the milk from scorching. When mixture reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer, remove from heat and slowly whisk in evaporated milk mixture.
Cool slightly before tasting. Add more sugar or nutmeg, if desired, before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate overnight or until thoroughly chilled. Garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, and a dash of nutmeg and/or cinnamon, if desired.
This recipe is for non-alcoholic eggnog. I usually keep it kid-friendly in my house but add alcohol per glass when the mood strikes me. Feel free to add your choice of bourbon, rum, brandy, or whiskey to jingle your bells!
For some other great holiday drinks, check out:
Peppermint Hot Cocoa
White Chocolate Peppermint Martini
Cranberry Moscow Mule
Skip the store-bought eggnog this season and enjoy this sweet holiday favorite made from scratch instead. You’ll love how rich and creamy it is, and just how easy it is to make.
Have you tried this Homemade Eggnog? Let me know in the comments below.
Homemade Eggnog
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- 2 cups half & half
Garnish
- Whipped cream
- Cinnamon sticks
- Nutmeg or cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a heavy saucepan and stir in whole milk, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir evaporated milk and half & half until combined. Set aside.
- Heat egg mixture over medium-low heat while stirring constantly to prevent the milk from scorching. When mixture reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer, remove from heat and slowly whisk in evaporated milk mixture.
- Cool slightly before tasting. Add more sugar or nutmeg, if desired, before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate overnight or until thoroughly chilled. Serve in mugs and garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, and a dash of nutmeg and/or cinnamon, if desired.