Sweet and creamy, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, this Traditional Eggnog is a great drink for Christmas or anytime you want a sweet pick-me-up!
In my opinion, eggnog should be thick and sweet. It should be delicious and flavorful, even when alcohol is added. It should be creamy, with lots of flavor, either spiced (think cinnamon and nutmeg) or mellow (think vanilla).
This Traditional Eggnog is a classic spiced eggnog. It’s flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg and made extra creamy with heavy cream.
If you want a more mellow flavored (but still sweet) eggnog, check out my Copycat Southern Comfort Eggnog.
Either way, get ready for a creamy cup of Christmas Cheer!
Traditional Eggnog Ingredients
Egg Yolks: Yolks give this drink an extra boost of richness.
Sugar: This eggnog is extra-sweet to balance out any added liquor. Consider adding less sugar if you plan on drinking this eggnog straight.
Heavy Cream: Also called “heavy whipping cream”. Do not substitute for light cream or half-and-half.
Milk: Any milk will work, but the higher the fat content, the richer the final product. I recommend at least 2% milk. Whole would be even better!
Vanilla
Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Can you think of a more Christmas-y combination of flavors?
Salt
Toppings: Optional toppings include whipped cream and ground cinnamon.
Alcohol: Completely optional, but this recipe is sweet and creamy even when mixed with a splash of “holiday spirits”. Try adding whiskey, bourbon, brandy, spiced rum or Bailey’s!
How to Make Traditional Eggnog
In a medium bowl, mix the sugar with the egg yolks. Be sure your bowl has extra room since you will need to add the hot milk when you temper the yolks.
In a medium saucepan, mix heavy cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
Temper the egg yolks by slowly drizzling in about 1/2 of the hot milk while whisking constantly. Be sure not to get too much in at once or you risk hard-cooking the yolks. (Learn more about tempering below.)
After 1/2 of the hot milk mixture has been added to the yolks, add the yolk mixture into the saucepan while whisking.
While whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until your mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or 160°F. Don’t worry, this step goes quickly.
The eggnog will thicken more as it cools.
If your eggnog ends up being thicker or thinner than you wanted, see below.
You’ve tempered your eggs to be sure you don’t have any lumps in your eggnog, but just to be safe, run it through a fine mesh strainer as you pour it into your glass jar or other container.
Cover and refrigerate. Check the consistency when it cools.
Later tonight, relax on the couch with a cup of delicious eggnog. You earned it. You worked hard today. Take some time for yourself. And if you’re feeling generous, share a glass with someone you love.
What Does “Temper” Mean?
When you add eggs, or in this case, egg yolks, to a hot mixture but want them to stay liquid, you must “temper” them. If you skip this step, the yolks will curdle, resulting in a strange egg drop soup instead of a smooth eggnog.
To temper, add a small amount of hot liquid to mixed egg yolks while whisking. The hot liquid slowly heat up the yolks, but not to the point where the eggs would cook hard. By the time the temperature is raised to cooking levels, the yolks have been diluted with the milk, so it won’t cook and harden the same as eggs normally would.
To watch a 1-minute video on how to temper eggs, click here.
How to Store Homemade Eggnog
Store tightly covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. I love keeping mine in a quart-sized mason jar.
Stir before serving to mix up any delicious spices that settled to the bottom.
Can I Freeze Homemade Eggnog?
Yes, it is safe to freeze homemade eggnog up to 6 months. Be sure to leave at least 1/2” – 1” headspace on top for expansion.
Thaw overnight in the fridge. Stir well before serving.
Can I Add Alcohol to Traditional Eggnog?
You bet! Because this eggnog is extra sweet and creamy, it doesn’t get watered down in flavor or consistency when you add alcohol!
Classic additions include whiskey, bourbon, brandy, spiced rum or Bailey’s.
Which alcohol do you add to your eggnog? Comment below!
Troubleshooting
Eggnog is Too Thick
Don’t worry! This is an easy one to fix! In a blender or with an immersion blender, simply add a drizzle of milk a tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Want to skip the blender? Add a splash of milk and stir vigorously in your jar.
Eggnog is Too Thin
If you like a really thick eggnog, here’s an easy fix for you! After your eggnog has cooled completely, gently stir in some whipped cream. It’ll fix things in seconds!
What to do with Leftover Egg Whites
It would be wasteful to throw away 6 egg whites! Here are a few suggestions for how to save them!
Breakfast: Save them to make a delicious breakfast of omelettes or scrambled eggs. Since I’m not a fan of scrambled egg whites, I add 2 whole eggs to the bowl of egg whites. It’s just enough to make them taste like regular scrambled eggs.
Dinner: Scramble them up and add them to fried rice for dinner!
Dessert: Make a meringue-topped pie, meringue cookies, or make royal icing to top your favorite sugar cookies!
Comment below with your favorite way to use up leftover egg whites!
Happy Nogging!
Traditional Eggnog
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- candy thermometer (recommended)
- mesh strainer (recommended)
- immersion blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch salt
- whipped cream for topping (optional)
- extra cinnamon for dusting on top (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar.
- In a medium saucepan, mix heavy cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stirring often, bring to a very slight simmer over medium heat.
- Temper egg yolks by drizzling the hot milk mixture into the bowl of yolks and sugar while whisking constantly. Use a ladle to make drizzling easier. After adding about ½ of the hot milk mixture, pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan while whisking.
- Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until slightly thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon (160°F on your candy thermometer), 2-3 minutes. Do not bring to a boil.
- Strain eggnog through a mesh strainer to remove any bits of egg. Cover and refrigerate.
- If desired, blend until smooth using an immersion blender.
- Stir before serving to mix up any spices that have settled to the bottom. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, if desired.
- For an adult beverage, add alcohol to each cup to taste.
Notes
- Be sure to use heavy whipping cream. Do not substitute for light cream or half-and-half.
- This eggnog is extra sweet to balance out any added liquor. If you plan to drink this eggnog without alcohol, consider decreasing the sugar to 1/2 cup.
- If you love cinnamon, increase the amount to 1/4 teaspoon.
- If you don’t have a candy thermometer: At 160°F, the eggnog should coat the back of a spoon.
- Consider adding the following liquors: Whiskey, Spiced Rum, Brandy, Bailey’s.
- Save your egg whites to make an egg white omelette or whisk with 2 whole eggs for scrambled eggs, either for breakfast or with fried rice. Alternatively: use them for meringue cookies or pie or royal icing for sugar cookies.
What’s your favorite way to drink eggnog? Comment below!
Want to try a new spin on a traditional classic? Check out my Copycat Southern Comfort Eggnog here!
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