Homemade Eggnog
Homemade eggnog is easy to make at home with 6 basic ingredients and it’s so much better than store-bought eggnog! Whether you enjoy it as is or with other mix-ins, eggnog recipe is a must-have addition to your holiday traditions.
Eggnog is a favorite tradition in our house every Christmas season. As soon as it hits store shelves in November, we can’t resist bringing it home. We definitely do not make it from scratch nearly as often as we should, because it really is so easy. The flavor is far superior to store-bought, and it’s sooo rich, thick, creamy and delicious!
This is a traditional eggnog recipe, so it’s essentially a mixture of milk, cream, eggs, and sugar, with plenty of freshly grated nutmeg and vanilla. Spike it if you want, or drink it as-is!
Table of Contents
- Eggnog ingredients you'll need
- How to make homemade eggnog
- Serving suggestions and mix-in ideas
- FAQs
- More holiday drink recipes
- Get the recipe
Eggnog ingredients you’ll need
Here’s everything you need to make this homemade eggnog recipe. Find the full recipe at the end of this article in the recipe card.
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Granulated sugar
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt
How to make homemade eggnog
This recipe involves cooking the eggs so they are completely safe to enjoy; no raw eggs here! But don’t worry, the process is simple.
- Heat milk and temper eggs. Whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in bowl, and heat some of the milk in saucepan until steaming (but not boiling). Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking. This is called “tempering” and it slowly heats the eggs so they’re smooth and combined with the other ingredients, without becoming scrambled eggs.
- Cook mixture over the stove. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Use a thermometer to make sure it reaches 160°F if you want.
- Strain into jar or pitcher. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any egg lumps, leaving it silky smooth.
- Add more milk, heavy cream, nutmeg and vanilla. Add everything to the pitcher or jar and stir until combined.
- Chill completely. Store the eggnog in the fridge before serving. The flavor gets better with time so for the most delicious eggnog, prepare it a day before you plan to serve it!
- Add mix-ins if you want. See below for suggestions, and enjoy!
Serving suggestions and mix-in ideas
While you can certainly enjoy this homemade eggnog as-is, there are both “spiked” alcoholic and family-friendly options for turning your homemade eggnog into a delicious cocktail or mocktail.
The ratio of eggnog to mix-in is completely up to you, but I usually aim for 1:1. You can add them to individual servings, or to a larger pitcher or punch bowl.
Boozy eggnog additions:
- Rum or spiced rum
- Brandy
- Whiskey or bourbon
Non-alcohol eggnog additions:
- Ginger ale
- 1 or 2% milk
- Lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7-up (this is how I drank it as a kid!)
FAQs
This recipe is very heavy on the dairy! But I imagine you can swap the milk and cream out for your favorite dairy alternatives.
Absolutely! Cinnamon and cloves are other options if you want a heavier spiced eggnog. Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of ground spices along with the grated nutmeg, depending on desired flavor. (You can also add whole cloves and cinnamon stick to the hot milk mixture and strain them out.)
Homemade eggnog should always be stored in the fridge where it will keep for up to 3 days. Adding alcohol to eggnog will keep it for 5-7 days, as alcohol is a preservative.
More holiday drink recipes
Get the recipe
Homemade Eggnog
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups whole milk (1 quart, about 1 liter), divided
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (250 ml)
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg , fresh if possible
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For serving (optional)
- 1-2 cups Rum, whiskey or brandy (see Notes section for more mix-in suggestions)
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt.
- In a medium saucepan, warm 2 cups of the milk over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges, stirring occasionally. Do not bring to a boil.
- Add warmed milk to the egg mixture in a small stream while whisking constantly until completely combined.
- Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat to 160°F while whisking constantly, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and strain with a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher. Stir in remaining milk, heavy cream, nutmeg and vanilla.
- Chill completely before serving. Homemade eggnog will keep for about 3 days in the fridge, or longer if you add alcohol to it before storage.
- Serve as-is or add alcohol or other mix-ins as desired (see Notes section for suggestions).
Notes
- For a stronger nutmeg flavor, increase nutmeg to 1 ½ teaspoons. You can also add ¼-½ teaspoon cinnamon and cloves if you want a more heavily spiced eggnog.
- Boozy eggnog additions: Rum or spiced rum, brandy, whiskey or bourbon.
- Non-alcohol eggnog additions: Ginger ale, 1 or 2% milk, lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7-up (this is how I drank it as a kid!)
I’ve used this recipe for a few years now and it never disapoints. I always add bourbon as my family and friends love the taste of this eggnog. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s almost time to do this years bottle.
Thank you for that feedback, Arthur! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe.