TO RECIPE SAVE RECIPE

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

‘Tis the season for this festive and easy Homemade Eggnog Recipe, served chilled with cinnamon garnish and poured into your favorite mug. Then if you fancy a spiked Christmas eggnog cocktail, simply add your favorite brandy or bourbon, and enjoy!

A cup of homemade eggnog in a moose cup garnished with a cinnamon stick.

The holiday season is full of indulgences you may not choose to have every day. After all, it is the perfect time of year to create moments with family and friends while sipping a delicious beverage and reflecting on the year.

Christmas Eggnog is one of those holiday tradition must-haves in my house. An easy eggnog recipe is a perfect addition to your upcoming holiday party, don’t you think?

For more yummy drink recipes to add to your holiday spirit, try my recipe for an iced Blackberry Wish Cocktail or a cup glass of Biscoff Cookie Butter Latte. An Easy Wassail Hot Cider or Easy Cranberry White Grape Christmas Punch are other delicious ones too!

Let it be said this is not merely your traditional eggnog recipe. You can start with the store-bought eggnog, but this homemade version just tastes so fresh and so delicious that once you try it, you may never go back.

Ingredients

  • Large Egg Yolks: You’ll only need the yolks from the raw eggs. And remember to follow the directions for warming the eggs to avoid the risk of salmonella.
  • Sugar: Sugar and spice and everything nice; this recipe has it all.
  • Milk & Heavy Cream: Whole milk and heavy whipping cream in a beverage are pure creamy heaven!
  • Vanilla Extract: Holiday cooking is just not the same without vanilla!
  • Spices: I usually only use nutmeg and omit the cloves; however, some people love ground cloves in eggnog. I also prefer to go light on the spices, but you can adjust them to your taste.
  • Optional Cocktail Version: As is, this classic eggnog is a non-alcoholic eggnog recipe. But feel free to your choice of Brandy or Bourbon to this creamy drink eggnog mixture!
Ingredient image of items needed for eggnog recipe.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Spiked Version: If you want to spike the eggnog, add in 2 to 3 ounces of bourbon and brandy. You can also use dark rum or whiskey. This amount will not overpower the eggnog. You can also serve the alcohol on the side as a mix-in so people can add it or leave it off.
  • Mocktail: If you want a spiked flavor without alcohol, add a little rum extract.
  • No Moose Glasses? Instead of a mug, serve it in your favorite martini glass rimmed with a cinnamon sugar mix or colored sugar and a mason jar for the kids!

How To Make Christmas Eggnog Cocktail

✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!

Step 1 | Mix the Eggnog Base

Start by separating the egg yolks from the egg whites. I usually save the whites in a sealed container for another delicious recipe that calls for whipped egg whites or an egg white omelet in the morning.

Place the yolks into a large mixing bowl and beat with the electric mixer or a hand mixer until creamy. Then measure and add in the sugar slowly and continue to beat the mixture. It will become a frothy consistency after a few minutes. Then set that bowl aside.

Collage image showing steps to whip egg yolks and sugar together.

Step 2 | Heating the Creamy Beverage

Take out a medium saucepan and measure and pour the milk in, adding the ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and vanilla.

Stir and heat those ingredients on medium/medium-low just until warm, whisking continuously. The mixture should be very warm but not boil. 

Then remove the saucepan of spiced warm milk from the heat and place it on a cooling rack or trivet. Now, slowly, very slowly, pour the spiced milk a little at a time into the egg mixture. Whisk the entire time you are pouring it into temper the eggs, and slowly warm them to avoid curdling—we aren’t making scrambled eggs here!

Adding warm milk and spices to egg mixture.

Step 3 | Back onto the Stove

Once the egg mixture and the milk are combined, pour the mixture from the mixing bowl back into the saucepan. Place the saucepan back on medium heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon. 

Again, do not let the cream mixture boil—only heat it until warm. You will know it is ready when you see little bubbles of milk on the back of the wooden spoon. 

Alternatively, if you have a thermometer, the temperature should reach 160°F—then you can pull it off the stove.

Step 4 | Add the Final Ingredients

Remove the saucepan from the stovetop and back onto the cooling rack to finish. Now it is time to measure and add in the heavy cream and stir.

In the mood for a spiked eggnog cocktail? This is where you can pour in the brandy or bourbon of your choice.

Then grab a sieve and strain the mixture to remove any curdled bits and place the creamy beverage mix into the refrigerator for one hour or overnight.

Collage image adding cream and alcohol if desired to eggnog mixture; then running through a sieve.

Tips

  • Use a candy thermometer to ensure that the final mixture cooks those raw eggs to 160°F.
  • Stir and whisk almost constantly.  You want the egg yolks and sugar incorporated well.  You don’t want the milk mixture to burn or scorch to the bottom of the pan, and you sure don’t want egg curdling and having pieces in your creamy custard mixture. 
  • For best results, chill overnight, so the flavors incorporate and intensify.

Step 5 | Pour and Garnish

Pour your delicious beverage into a cute mug, like this festive glass moose, garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and perhaps a cinnamon stick, and serve chilled. Ooh, maybe I’ll try a scoop of vanilla ice cream next time!

Pouring homemade eggnog with a silver ladle into a glass cup.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can you make this eggnog cocktail ahead of time?

Yes, in fact, it is preferred to make it and chill it overnight to the flavors have time to intensify.

Can this beverage be served warm?

Sure, I’ll admit, it sounds like a good drink on a cold night. You can warm it up or serve it immediately.

What other flavors would mix well with this cocktail?

You could try adding peppermint extract and stirring with a peppermint stick or a candy cane. And you may want to top the entire beverage with a hearty spoonful of homemade whipped cream!

Also, I would imagine almond extract would work well, but I have not tried that one. Then you could add in some Amaretto for a boozy eggnog version. Let me know what you think!

What to Serve with Spiked Eggnog for Christmas

You can serve up an entire helping of holiday joy with this creamy eggnog recipe and a warm cookie! Try some of these to accompany your yummy cocktail.

Which is the best holiday drink? I suppose it is a matter of personal taste because I love them all for different reasons!

An overhead shot of a cup of eggnog on a wooden table with festive Christmas decor.

Storage

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Eggnog may be frozen for up to six months in an airtight freezer-safe container. For best results, freeze eggnog in a container with a little extra room (about 1/2-inch of space from the top) to allow for expansion during freezing.

Other Holiday Recipes

Hungry for more easy, home-cooked, delicious recipes?

Sign up for my free recipe club to get family-friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing daily meal-time inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Homemade Eggnog Recipe FB
Recipe
5 from 11 votes

(click stars to rate)

Homemade Eggnog Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Nikki Lee
Pin Print Rate Recipe Save
'Tis the season for this festive and easy Homemade Eggnog Recipe served chilled with cinnamon garnish and poured into your favorite mug.

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • ½ to 1 cup granulated sugar, I use ½ cup
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg, (if you like more use 1 teaspoon)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves, (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon , for garnish

Spiked Version (optional)

  • 1 ounce brandy
  • 1 ounce bourbon

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks on high until the yolks become a little paler (lighter) in color, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the granulated sugar slowly while continuing to beat on high until the egg mixture gets frothy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
  • Pour milk into the saucepan and add the ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and vanilla. Heat on medium/medium-low heat until warm, whisking continuously.  The mixture should very warm but not boil. 
  • Remove the warm milk from the heat and slowly, very slowly pour (a little at a time) into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.  This will temper the eggs and slowly warm them to avoid curdling.
  • Once the egg mixture and the milk are combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan.  Place the saucepan back on medium heat.  Stir continuously with a wooden spoon.  Do not let the mixture boil.  Heat until warm.  It’s ready when you see little bubbles of milk on the back of a wooden spoon. If you have a thermometer, the temperature should be 160°F.
  • Remove from heat and add the heavy cream and stir. If you would like spiked Egg Nog, add the brandy and bourbon.  Stir.
  • Pour the Egg Nog through a sieve to remove any curdled bits (if needed) and place into the refrigerator overnight to chill and flavors to intensify; or for at least 1 hour to cool.
  • Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve chilled.   

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving Calories: 306kcal (15%) Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) Protein: 7g (14%) Fat: 22g (34%) Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 238mg (79%) Sodium: 51mg (2%) Potassium: 183mg (5%) Fiber: 0.2g (1%) Sugar: 22g (24%) Vitamin A: 961IU (19%) Vitamin C: 0.3mg Calcium: 151mg (15%) Iron: 1mg (6%)

Nutritional Disclaimer

Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

©️Soulfully Made

Did You Make This?I love to see what you made! Tag me @soulfullymade_ and hashtag #SoulfullyMade
Pin Recipe Tag on Insta Share on Facebook Leave Review

Please share

Nikki Lee author of Soulfully Made in the kitchen serving cupcakes.

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, I’m Nikki Lee. Here at Soulfully Made you will find delicious, home-cooked, easy recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RATE THIS RECIPE




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

7 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    This brings back so many childhood Christmas memories! I will be making this for our Christmas Eve party in a few weeks. I can’t wait to share this recipe with my family.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Never thought I’d be making my own eggnog but am SO glad I took a stab at it! It always intimidated me but this was so easy to follow and my goodness, it’s just so much better than store bought!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I was just going to get my favorite eggnog from the store for a party, but not anymore! This was so simple, thick, tasty and delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    I never knew that homemade egg nog was so MUCH better than store bought. Thanks for all the tips and instructions for making egg nog — it was delicious!

    Reply