The combining of raw eggs and alcohol is a long-standing winter tradition. Nogs go back to merry old England. The idea of mixing eggs with alcohol and spices is a very old world thing and the original varieties were hot drinks involving beer and raw eggs. The chilled eggnog that we enjoy today didn’t become popular until the mid-19th century.

When it comes to eggnog you have several choices — most follow a basic formula: eggs are mixed with sugar, milk or cream, and liquor. You also have the choice between brandy, whiskey, or rum, no liquor at all. And there are even egg-free and dairy-free options. No matter which one you choose, take one sip of one of the homemade eggnogs below and you’ll never go back to the store-bought version! With these recipes, you’ll make the best eggnog at home for Christmas and holiday parties. They’re all rich, creamy, and oh so egg-y.

Homemade Eggnog

INGREDIENTS

12 eggs
1 1/2 cups Bourbon (3/4 pint)
1/2 cup Cognac (1/4 pint)
1/3 cup Dark Rum (1/6 pint)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Separate the eggs. Place the yolks in your mixing bowl. Check out this 3-Bowl Method for an easy way to do this step. Cover the whites and refrigerate or freeze until needed.
Add the sugar to the yolks and whisk by hand or with a mixer until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and lightened to a lemon-yellow color.
Add the salt, milk, cream, and liquor (if using, be sure to stir while adding). Whisk until combined.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If you are adding the liquor, this mixture will last for several weeks in the fridge. If aging for longer than a few days, transfer the eggnog to a sealed glass container or a mason jar.
Just before serving, whisk the reserved egg whites in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer at high speed until they form stiff peaks. For best results, place your bowl and whisk/beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Transfer the beaten egg whites to the bowl with the eggnog and gently fold or stir the whites into the base. Some of the egg whites will also float to the top, like cappuccino foam.

Raw eggs: This recipe contains raw eggs. Use very fresh, organic eggs if at all possible. Be aware that consuming raw or undercooked eggs can increase your risk for certain food-borne illnesses, especially if you have a medical condition.

TIPS:
The more liquor you add, the longer the eggnog will keep — non-alcoholic eggnog will save you 100 calories per serving but it should be consumed within 1 day. Eggnog with liquor will keep for several days to several weeks, depending on the amount added. The mixture must be at least 20-percent alcohol and aged at least 3 weeks to benefit from the pathogen-killing properties of the booze. There are several tales online of delicious eggnogs that have been aged for a year!

Even richer eggnog: Feel free to play with the proportions of whole milk to cream, keeping the total dairy the same. Using more heavy cream will make your eggnog thicker and creamier. Boozy eggnog will also continue to thicken in the fridge as it ages.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 16
Per Serving: 262 calories; protein 7.3g; carbohydrates 23.4g, 8% DV; fat 9g, 12% DV; cholesterol 142mg, 47% DV; sodium 121mg, 5% DV.

DIRECTIONS FOR EGGNOG WITHOUT RAW EGGS:

Use the same ingredients listed above.
Whisk eggs, sugar, and salt together in a large saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk until well combined. Using a candy thermometer, cook mixture over low heat while stirring constantly, until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 165°F (this can take up to 15 minutes).
Stir in 2 tsp vanilla and nutmeg. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours and up to 2 days.
Just before serving, whip cream with powdered sweetener and remaining vanilla into soft peaks and gently fold into the egg mixture. Add 1 oz liquor or liqueur to each glass and pour eggnog over. Stir gently and sprinkle with grated nutmeg

The use of a good thermometer is important. You need to know the exact temperature of your mixture while you are whisking it as raw eggs are cooked at 160°F (71°C), your mixture must reach at least that temperature. But don’t go over 170°F to 175°F or your eggs while start to curdle and your eggnog will be much too thick.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 16
Per Serving: 262 calories; protein 7.3g; carbohydrates 23.4g, 8% DV; fat 9g, 12% DV; cholesterol 142mg, 47% DV; sodium 121mg, 5% DV.

Save on Calories and Carbs:

Swap out the dairy milk for unsweetened nut milk or hemp milk.
Swap out the sugar for a good low carb natural sweetener. Swerve is a good one that measures just like sugar, but you can use whatever your favorite sweetener is as this homemade eggnog doesn’t require a certain sweetener for consistency.
Switch out the whole milk and use coconut whipped cream in place of the whipping cream for a dairy-free version.

Nutrition Facts
Switching out the milk and sugar will save you almost 100 calories and over 20g of carbohydrates while only adding about 30mg of sodium and dropping the protein to 4.7g.

Rockefeller Eggnog

At Rockefeller University, the Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology has been making a raw-eggs-and-alcohol eggnog for at least 60 years. It calls for leaving the egg, sugar, cream, spices, and alcohol mixture in the fridge for about six weeks. They usually make it about a week or so before Thanksgiving, sip it to cheer Thanksgiving, and then finish it at the Christmas party. The recipe they use comes from Dr. Rebecca Lancefield, a microbiologist who joined Rockefeller University in 1918 and was associated with that institute throughout her long and outstanding career. Here is the original Dr. Rebecca Lancefield’s recipe that they use. I was surprised to see there is no whole milk in it.

INGREDIENTS

12 eggs
1-quart heavy cream
1-quart light cream
1-quart bourbon
1-pint rum
sugar to taste (1/2 to 3/4 Lb) (1 1/8 cups to 1 2/3 cups)
nutmeg to taste

DIRECTIONS

Beat eggs, add bourbon and rum slowly with stirring to prevent precipitation of egg proteins.
Add the light cream with mixing using a large spoon.
Add the sugar to taste with mixing, then nutmeg last.
In a separate bowl beat heavy cream ’till peaks
Add to the egg/bourbon/rum – mix into rest.
Leave standing at least overnight with the lid slightly ajar in the refrigerator. Serve after 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Depending on your preference you may want to use 1-quart rum and 1-pint bourbon.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 16
Per Serving: 700 calories; protein 6.7g; carbohydrates 24.5g, 9% DV; fat 44g, 56% DV; cholesterol 272mg, 91% DV; sodium 90mg, 4% DV. This recipe is not for the faint of heart. Give it a try if you dare! With 43mcg, it does give you 214% of your daily Vitamin D needs.

When it comes to eggnog you have several choices — most follow a basic formula: eggs are mixed with sugar, milk or cream, and liquor. And there's even egg-free and dairy-free options. No matter which one you choose, take one sip of one of the homemade eggnogs here and you'll never go back to the store-bought version! Be sure to whip up an extra batch to make an eggnog pie and some eggnog whipped topping, too! #ThirstyThursday #Recipe #Holiday #Homemade #Eggnog #HolidayRecipe

Check out more recipes on Sweet Southern Savings.

Bellemain 6 Oz. Whiskey Glasses

Lead-free crystal
Tulip shape for optimum nosing and tasting
Captures and focuses complex aromas
Short, heavyweight base for stability
Dishwasher safe

Product Description:
Take your whiskey appreciation to the next level with the glass shape preferred by the world’s leading connoisseurs and producers. This set of 6 whiskey glasses is the perfect gift for the knowledgeable or aspiring whiskey enthusiast.

Tulip Shape Brings Out Whisky’s Best
The shape of the glass can help or hinder your ability to savor a whiskey’s true depth, complexity, and character. This incurving glass reveals every nuance of color, “legs”, body, taste, and aroma. With a capacity of 6 oz., it’s ideal for 2 oz. sampler servings at serious whiskey tasting events as well as your next party at home.

Designed for Advanced Nosing
Whiskey aficionados dislike the straight-sided whiskey tumbler because it lets aromas escape before they have a chance to develop. On the other hand, the tulip shape contains the aromas within its “balloon” while allowing just enough room at the top for your nose.

Lead-Free Crystal
Treat your guests to the clarity and elegance of fine crystal, without the health concerns of lead content. And for your convenience, Bellemain whiskey glasses are dishwasher safe.

Stable, Heavyweight Base
While some whiskey glasses with curved bottoms tip over easily, the Bellemain’s design features a short, weighted foot that gives you added security.

I received the opportunity to review a set of Bellemain 6 Oz. Whiskey Glasses recently. They arrived quickly and very securely packaged. When I opened the box the first thing that caught my eye was the clarity of the glass. These glasses look and feel like they should cost significantly more than they do.I showed the Whiskey Glasses to my boyfriend who is the “whiskey expert” in the family. Our neighbor and him wasted no time trying them out. They both liked the weight and feel of the glasses. They also decided that the Bourbon they were drinking tasted better in the Bellemain Whiskey Glasses than in the rock glasses they normally drank it out of.

I would recommend these Bellemain 6 Oz. Whiskey Glasses to anyone wanting a quality glass to take your whiskey appreciation to the next level.

Below are two recipes that I want to make at my next party. They sound awesome! Do you have a favorite drink? What is it?

Jack O’ Lantern

This mixed drink that is perfect for any season, but the garnish, in particular, makes it a perfect addition to any Halloween menu.

Ingredients:
2 ounces Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
1/2 ounce Lucid Absinthe
Orange Bitters
2 Sugar Cubes
Carved orange for garnish

Preparation:
For the garnish: Using a paring knife or peeler, carve a Jack O’ Lantern face into the peel of an orange, leaving the white pith intact while removing the orange skin. Cut a circle into the pith around the face. Carefully remove the peel circle from the orange. Make a small slit in the bottom of the circle so it may rest on the glass rim.
For the drink: Pour absinthe into an old-fashioned glass and swirl it around to coat the inside of the glass. Place the two sugar cubes into a mixing glass and saturate with a few drops of orange bitters. Muddle the cubes until crushed. Add whiskey and ice and stir well. Strain into the absinthe-rinsed glass over fresh ice cubes. Place the garnish on the rim and serve. Recipe found HERE

The Retox Cocktail

“It’s like an alcoholic version of the Master Cleanse diet!” — the cleansing regimen of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper that celebrity types often turn to for detoxing.

Ingredients:

6 oz. bourbon
2 tbsp. medium maple syrup
2 tsp. extra light maple syrup
2 droppers full of maple bitters
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. maple sugar
seltzer to fill

Preparation:
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Mix the first five ingredients with the ice in the shaker. Mix the cayenne and maple sugar in a bowl, and pour the contents onto a dessert plate, spreading them out in a wide circle. Wet the rim of a rocks glass; roll the rim in the cayenne mixture to coat. Fill the glass halfway with ice. Strain 1/3 of the bourbon mixture into the glass, and top it off with soda water. Stir. Repeat for two more drinks. Recipe found HERE