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The Best Creamy, Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog

A tall glass of creamy, yellow homemade eggnog topped with a dusting of cinnamon, sitting on a sunlit wooden table.
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Make rich, velvety homemade eggnog from scratch. This classic holiday drink recipe is easy to follow and results in a creamy texture far better than store-bought versions. Includes instructions for making it spiked or non-alcoholic.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish
  • Optional: 1 cup bourbon, dark rum, or brandy

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.
  3. Temper the eggs: Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling.
  4. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
  5. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170°F). Do not let it boil. This step cooks the eggs safely.
  6. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and ground nutmeg.
  7. If making the alcoholic version, stir in your choice of bourbon, rum, or brandy now.
  8. Pour the eggnog through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any small cooked bits.
  9. Cover the bowl and chill the eggnog in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until it is very cold and thick.
  10. Serve the rich velvety eggnog cold, garnished with freshly grated nutmeg.

Notes

  • For a non-alcoholic easy holiday recipe, simply omit the spirits in step 6.
  • If you prefer a thinner consistency, reduce the heavy cream slightly or add a splash more milk before chilling.
  • For the creamiest homemade eggnog, use high-quality, full-fat dairy products.
  • You can substitute maple syrup for granulated sugar if you prefer a different sweetness profile.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://blissbatter.com/homemade-eggnog-recipe-from-scratch/