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serving a glass of chilled eggnog
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Easy Homemade Eggnog

A simple homemade eggnog, without tempering or complicated steps. Gently heated, chilled until cold and creamy, and ready to serve when you want classic eggnog without the carton!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chilling4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1-½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, whipped cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Whisk egg yolks:

    Place the egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk until well blended, lighter in color, and creamy.
    6 large egg yolks, ⅔ cup sugar
    whisking egg yolks with sugar for eggnog
  • Add liquids:

    Whisk in the cream, milk, ground nutmeg and cloves, and salt until blended.
    1-½ cups heavy whipping cream, 3 cups whole milk, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 pinch salt
    adding milk to eggnog
  • Simmer:

    Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and slowly warm. Once the mixture is warm, increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160-165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately take off the heat.
    cooked eggnog
  • Strain:

    Allow the eggnog to cool for 10-15 minutes until it stops steaming, stirring from time to time. Stir in the vanilla extract.
    If you’re using alcohol, stir it in now.
    ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    adding vanilla to eggnog
  • Chill:

    Place the eggnog in the fridge until completely chilled - at least 4 hours is best.
    Serve with whipped cream, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and cinnamon sticks, if you like.
    ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, whipped cream
    serving eggnog in glasses

Notes

Heat carefully: Make sure you stick to medium-low and medium heat to avoid scrambling the eggs! Do not heat the mixture longer than necessary, or again, the eggs may scramble/curdle.
Alcohol: If you want to add alcohol, start with 1-2 fluid ounces. Add more to taste. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is one of the most popular choices for eggnog.
Chill time: Chilling the eggnog for at least 4 hours helps it thicken properly. If you’re in a hurry you can serve it sooner - just know it won’t be as thick. If you want to keep a film from forming on top of your eggnog, you can cover it with plastic wrap directly on the surface before chilling it.
Spices: You can add a dash more ground nutmeg, or even ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the eggnog if you’d like. But don’t overdo the spices, or they will overpower the taste of the drink. It's better not to use whole cloves or cinnamons sticks here to ensure even whisking