Warmly spiced eggnog is made extra creamy with the addition of heavy cream and egg yolks. This is a Boozy Eggnog that’s made with both dark rum and brandy for flavor and warmth, and I opted to gently cook the mixture so you don’t have to worry about consuming raw eggs.
Homemade eggnog is the coziest drink for sipping throughout the holiday season, and it’s SO much better than anything you can buy at the store!
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This Is the Only Eggnog I Drink During the Holidays!
Confession: I freaking love eggnog. I grew up with quarts of it in the fridge every year, and now I put it in my coffee, I drink it by the glass, I incorporate it into desserts — the list goes on.
Hi, my name is Jenny and I’m an eggnogaholic (but only at Christmastime).
If you’re an eggnog hater, this recipe will convert you! It’s just that good and is so much better than the store bought stuff. Plus, it’s boozy. It’s really hard to go wrong here.
This is the creamiest, freshest tasting eggnog that’s warmly spiced with a blend of grated nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and vanilla bean paste. You won’t ever want to go back to store bought after you taste my version!
Jenny’s Tip: Cook Your Eggnog to Kill Any Bacteria
The traditional way of making eggnog is to blend the raw yolks with milk/cream, sugar, and spices, then fold in whipped egg whites to help thicken it. The booze is what keeps the bacteria at bay in raw eggnogs.
If I’m being honest, I really don’t have a problem consuming raw eggs. But for the sake of making this hard eggnog recipe inclusive, I’ve decided to gently cook the eggnog so that it’s safe for everyone.
This way, if alcohol isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy your homemade eggnog sans booze!
The Main Ingredients
- Whole milk + heavy cream. Full-fat dairy products are a must in this eggnog recipe if you want it to taste rich, flavorful, and creamy. I prefer using a blend of whole milk and heavy cream so the eggnog doesn’t end up being either too thick or too watery.
- Spices. I like to use both ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks for a well-rounded cinnamon flavor, plus ground cloves, whole star anise, and freshly grated nutmeg.
- Vanilla. Use either two whole vanilla beans that have been cut down the middle and scraped to remove their flavorful seeds, or a good-quality vanilla bean paste.
- Granulated sugar. 3/4 cup sugar sweetens the eggnog without making it sickly sweet.
- Egg yolks. 8 egg yolks make for the richest, creamiest eggnog. Save the whites to make an egg white scramble or waffles the next day.
- Brandy. I prefer making my eggnog with brandy as the main alcoholic component, because it’s naturally sweet and doesn’t weigh down the ‘nog.
- Rum. A healthy splash of dark rum adds warmth without overpowering the flavor of the brandy.
How to Make Boozy Eggnog at Home
Jenny’s Tip: Homemade eggnog thickens and develops even more flavor as it sits in the fridge and ages. Because of this, I strongly suggest making your batch of boozy eggnog a day or two before you plan on serving it.
- Steep the spices. Add the milk and cream to a saucepan along with the vanilla and spices. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (milk scorches easily, so don’t crank up the heat to speed this up) and then set aside to steep for about 30 minutes.
- Cook the eggs to kill any bacteria. I first like to heat the milk mixture back up, then add 3 to 4 ladlefuls to the egg yolks to temper them (i.e. prevent them from scrambling) when I add them to the saucepan. Let the eggnog cook gently for a few minutes.
- Add the alcohol. Remove the eggnog from the heat and stir in the brandy and rum.
- Strain through a mesh sieve. I always strain mine into a heat-proof storage container so I can pop it straight into the fridge to chill.
Storage Tips
If you made your eggnog with brandy and rum as instructed, it will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container, noting that it will thicken further as it ages.
If you omitted the alcohol but still cooked it, your eggnog should last 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
Remember that alcohol is an amazing preservative, so that’s why hard eggnog lasts so much longer than non-alcoholic eggnog!
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know. Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Holiday Cocktails to Make
- Festive Holiday Sangria
- Cranberry Old Fashioned
- Irish Coffee
- Spiced Mulled Wine
- Fizzy Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
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Boozy Eggnog Recipe (Cooked)
Ingredients
Eggnog
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 2 vanilla beans)
- 1/2 nutmeg, freshly grated (plus more for topping)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup dark rum
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
Instructions
- Steep the spices. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, vanilla paste or beans, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon, cloves, anise and half of the ground nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer, remove from the heat, and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
- Temper the eggs. After 30 minutes, warm the milk mixture back up over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale yellow in color. Ladle a small amount of the warm milk into the egg yolks and sugar while whisking constantly. Repeat 3-4 times until the egg mixture is warm. The goal is to temper the eggs so that they don't scramble when they're added to the remaining milk.
- Gently cook the eggnog. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk while whisking constantly. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat while whisking constantly until the eggnog has barely thickened.
- Add the alcohol. Remove from the heat, whisk in the brandy, rum and remaining nutmeg.
- Strain and chill. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a heat proof container and transfer to the fridge until cold. The eggnog gets better with age, so it's best served the next day.
- Make the whipped cream. Whisk the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until thick. Top the eggnog with whipped cream and more freshly grated nutmeg, then serve.
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