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.
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