Homemade Eggnog

Name: Homemade Eggnog (In 5 Minutes!)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 4 large eggs; ½ cup maple syrup; 1 ½ cups milk (dairy or dairy-free); 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream); ⅓ cup brandy or bourbon; ⅓ cup rum; 1 teaspoon nutmeg; ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks for garnish

by Lisa Bryan

194 Comments

Updated Dec 14, 2023

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Homemade eggnog is a holiday favorite that’s ultra-creamy, perfectly spiced, and spiked for a good time. And this foolproof version comes together in less than 5 minutes with just a blender – no whisking involved!

With holidays revolving around nostalgic things, a classic eggnog is a must. It’s delectably creamy, has a hint of spice, is slightly boozy, and screams winter wonderland in one chilled cup.

Eggnog has a magical way of setting the tone for a cozy night in. It brings a little extra fun to our get-togethers, and helps us get through some of that holiday stress. And this recipe in particular will help alleviate holiday stress, because it’s incredibly easy to make. It takes less than 5 minutes in your blender!

What Is Eggnog?

Thanks to the colonial United States adopting “eggnog” from the British, this cozy cocktail has become a major holiday tradition. It started off as a combination of frothy eggs, milk, and ale, with the addition of spices or honey. Over the years, the boozy part has ranged from expensive bourbon to moonshine, but I personally prefer brandy and rum.

Regardless, eggnog is a symbol of celebrating prosperity and health. Making it the perfect cocktail to enjoy during the holidays. Because there’s nothing better than toasting to life with good friends and family by your side!

Eggnog Ingredients

Although this recipe uses eggs, it doesn’t taste like eggs, trust me! The eggs are essentially turned into a custard, and once it’s blended with milk, spices, and alcohol, all you’ll taste is a deliciously creamy cocktail.

Eggs: I recommend using pasteurized eggs. See my note on tempering the eggs below.
Maple Syrup: My favorite option for a sweetener.
Spices: A blend of nutmeg and cinnamon is like Christmas in a cup!
Alcohol: Bourbon, brandy, and rum are ideal choices. I use a mix of alcohols, but if you have only one, that’s fine too.
Milk: Any type of milk works, whether it’s dairy or dairy-free, such as almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.
Heavy Cream: An essential for making this extra creamy. But if you’re keeping it dairy-free, coconut cream works great.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

Drinking Raw Eggs Safely

You might be thinking “are raw eggs safe to drink?” According to the FDA, the risk of salmonella can be an issue, especially for older adults and those with weaker immune systems. And while traditional eggnog does use raw eggs, it’s best to be on the safe side and temper the eggs.

This recipe uses pasteurized eggs (which is recommended by the FDA), in addition to tempering them in the blender. Yes, you can temper the eggs in your Vitamix! All you need is four minutes plus the friction of the blades in a high-powered blender, and your your eggs will reach a safe temperature of 160°F. You can verify it yourself with an instant read thermometer – it’s awesome.

How To Make Eggnog From Scratch

Are you ready for the easiest eggnog recipe you’ll ever make? All you need is five minutes. Just blend, chill, and serve!

Blend the eggs. Add the eggs and maple syrup to a high-powered blender, like my favorite Vitamix, and blend for exactly 4 minutes. Yes, exactly 4 minutes and not a second more.

Blending eggs and maple syrup for eggnog.

Add the remaining ingredients. In goes the milk, heavy cream, alcohol, and nutmeg. Then blend for another 10 seconds.

Let it chill then serve. Pour the eggnog into a sealed container and refrigerate it until it’s nice and chilled. This will help the flavors meld together and it will thicken up as well. Once it’s cooled, give it another stir, pour it into glasses, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top and serve!

Tips For The Best Eggnog

Don’t blend past 4 minutes. This is VERY important. When tempering your eggs, make sure not to go past 4 minutes as this will cause the egg mixture to cook and start to curdle. You want to reach 160°F, but not go over it. Additionally, if you’re not sensitive to raw eggs and you’re using pasteurized eggs, you can blend for just 2-3 minutes for a creamy consistency.
No need to use good alcohol. Because this cocktail is mixed with sugar and cream, there’s no need to use premium alcohol.
Use coconut cream for a non-dairy cream. To maintain a creamy texture without heavy cream and full-fat milk, blend your favorite non-dairy milk with coconut cream. Coconut cream is much thicker, richer, and will give you the right amount of creaminess.

How To Store This

If you’re not drinking the eggnog right away, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 4 days.

When you’re ready to enjoy it, pour it into glasses, and place the pitcher back in the fridge to keep it chilled. Or you can place it in an ice bucket if you’re serving at a party.

Tasty Eggnog Variations

While a classic eggnog is my favorite way to enjoy this recipe, there’s a few fun ways to spruce up the flavors.

Pumpkin Spice: Blend in 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice for just the right amount of spice.
Sea Salt & Caramel: Stir in a teaspoon of salted caramel sauce and a sprinkle of salt in each cup.
Mexican Inspired: For tequila lovers, mix in Mezcal, crème de cacao, and top it off with cocoa powder and cinnamon.
Non-Alcoholic: This recipe tastes just as delicious without alcohol. Simply omit it and continue the recipe as is.

Want to turn this drink into a dessert? Whip up my eggnog chia pudding or eggnog overnight oats! It’s delicious, especially with a dollop of whipped cream.

More Holiday Drinks

Make a batch of these drinks to rev up the holiday spirit! But don’t forget to accompany them with good food – so be sure to check out my list of the best Christmas recipes.

Kick off the holiday season with glasses of creamy eggnog! A few sips of this will surely get you into the spirit if I do say so myself. If you end up making this for friends, family, or just yourself – let me know how it turned out in a comment below!

Homemade Eggnog (In 5 Minutes!)

4.95 from 75 votes

Prep: 5

Total: 5

Servings: 5 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

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Description

Homemade eggnog is a delicious holiday cocktail that's ultra creamy, perfectly spiced, and spiked for a good time. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to make! Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen.

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

Add the eggs and maple syrup to a high-powered blender and blend for exactly 4 minutes on high speed. Make sure to use a timer.
Add the milk, heavy cream, brandy, rum, and nutmeg. Blend for an additional 10 seconds just to combine.
Pour the eggnog into an airtight container and refrigerate until it's chilled.
When ready to serve, give the eggnog a stir before pouring. Then garnish with cinnamon sticks or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

Nutrition

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: blender eggnog, Eggnog, eggnog in a blender, Eggnog Recipe

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Recipe originally published December 2020, but updated to include new information.

About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.