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I don’t know about you but I can’t think of anything more nourishing and soul-satisfying than a creamy, rich cup of homemade eggnog during the holidays.
Growing up my family always had eggnog together on Christmas eve. Of course, we were just getting it from the supermarket. That means we were also getting this ultra-pasteurized horror show of chemicals:
Mmmmm, nothing says eggnog like a little Red 40 and Yellow 5 & 6, right? Throw in a little guar gum, some carageenan, high fructose corn syrup and mono and diglycerides and boy oh boy… just like Grandma used to make!
That’s Hood brand eggnog. They seem to have a monopoly on the eggnog in supermarkets around here. Needless to say, they’re about as far away from homemade eggnog as it gets.
So when my friend shared with me his homemade eggnog recipe, I knew I had to try it.
But it sounded almost too simple. So I asked Lord Google for some variations.
Of the 26,900,000 search results, the ones I read involved varying degrees of whisking, heating, mixing, thickening and thus…time. One site declared it would take at least an hour.
So I said screw it. I decided to just try my friends’ super simple recipe.
It was the most delicious eggnog I’ve ever had.
And it took me all of about five minutes.
Here’s just about all you need:
Whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, vanilla extract and maple syrup.
That’s it! Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves can also be added. Add some rum, bourbon or any liqueur of your choice for an adult version.
Ideally you want raw milk and cream but if you can’t access it, get the best quality dairy you can in stores. Look for organic, grass-fed and non-homogenized milk and cream.
Here are the ingredients for about 4 servings:
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
8 egg yolks from pastured chickens
1-2 TBSPs vanilla extract (find vanilla extract here)
2-4 TBSPs real maple syrup (find maple syrup here) or honey (find honey here)
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick (find cinnamon here)
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (find nutmeg here)
bourbon, brandy, rum, other liqueur to taste (optional)
Directions:
Put all ingredients in blender and blend for 20-30 seconds.
That’s it! A nice froth will form on the top which adds a nice finishing touch.
Notes:
You can add the spices and alcohol to taste afterwards
2 TBSPs of maple syrup is just perfect for me. Add more if you want it really sweet.
Of the five minutes, half of it will involve separating the egg yolks from the egg whites. To do this quickly and painlessly:
Crack the eggs and pour off the egg white into the other half of the shell. I spent years butchering egg yolks by trying to do this with a fork or spoon before I learned this simple time-saving tip.
Save the egg whites! They freeze very well and can be used in many baking recipes. Some crunchy-minded folks use them for skin and hair care as well.
Now let’s take a closer look at that egg yolk:
Look at the gorgeous, deep orange color. I get these beauties every week at my local farmers market.
And that beautiful, rich color is what will give your eggnog it’s characteristic yellow color.
Like this:
Notice the nice frothy top. Top it off with a little cinnamon for a perfect finish.
Or serve in your favorite holiday mug.
Voila!
Homemade eggnog in five minutes.
How easy is that?
Craig Fear is the creator of Fearless Eating and the author of three books, The 30-Day Heartburn Solution, Fearless Broths and Soups and The Thai Soup Secret. After years helping clients with digestive issues, Craig decided to pursue writing full-time. He intends to write many more books on broths and soups from around the world! Click here to learn more about Craig.
