After hosting a successful party and all the guests have gone home, sometimes you just want to curl up with a good book and a comforting, creamy drink.
How about our Overnight Homemade Eggnog?
Enter: a mug of rich, decadent eggnog!
Homemade eggnog is simple, easy to make, and features a delicious blend of creamy milk and warming spices that’s sure to make you sit back and close your eyes to savor each sip.
We’re going to teach you how to make eggnog at home and give it a delicious punch with some select spices to create the ultimate holiday comfort drink.
Let this special drink rest overnight so the flavors meld!
When you buy a carton of eggnog from the grocery and check out the ingredients list, you’re probably going to see mysterious ingredients such as guar gum and carrageenan.
Yeah, making eggnog at home is super simple and you can make them with ingredients that you can find in any supermarket.
No need for the store-bought stuff that also has a ton of sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup!
The classic eggnog recipe calls for eggs, sugar, nutmeg, whole milk, and heavy cream. Yes, that’s it! Chances are, you probably have these ingredients in your fridge and pantry already.
Is homemade eggnog safe?
Traditionally, eggnog is made from raw eggs. Consuming raw eggs does carry the risk of getting food-borne diseases such as salmonella. Thus, you should use pasteurized eggs if you want to make traditional eggnog.
Usually the alcohol in traditional eggnog kills any bacteria that might be present, but for alcohol-free eggnog, you my choose to temper the eggs before bottling.
How long does homemade eggnog last?
Eggnog with alcohol ages for up to a year as long as it stays chilled. Alcohol-free eggnog made at home is best consumed within one week.
This is our favorite aged eggnog recipe: Alton Brown’s Aged Eggnog.
Why is eggnog only sold around Christmas time?
Most people only drink eggnog around the holidays, particularly during Christmas. Historically, eggnog was once the drink of British royals, when the wealthy would drink a beverage made from warm milk and eggs flavored with expensive spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg and spiked with brandy or sherry to prevent it from spoiling.
When the drink made its way to America, the liquor of choice became rum, and during the American Revolution, rum was difficult to find.
The scarcity of the liquor made it a “special” drink that people could only find/afford during the holidays when they wanted to indulge.
These days, you can generally find store-bought eggnog during the holidays, but you can easily make a homemade version whenever you’re craving for a rich, indulgent drink.
Our CookingChew Cooking Tips
1. Lighten Up your drink
If you want an airy, light version of eggnog, you can separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Whip the egg whites separately until they become airy and fold the egg whites into the eggnog mixture.
2. Temperature is key
If you want to make homemade eggnog safely and properly, you need to use a candy thermometer to reach the correct temperature during cooking.
The temperature is important because it allows you to get that desired consistency for your finished product and it kills any bacteria in the raw eggs.
Homemade Non-Alcoholic Eggnog
If you love creamy and rich eggnog, this recipe allows you to make this decadent drink at home any time of the year! No more waiting around for the holidays to get your hands on this delicious beverage.
This recipe deviates a little from the classic recipe because you cook the raw eggs, eliminating the risk of salmonella.
Homemade eggnog recipe
If you love creamy and rich eggnog, this recipe allows you to make this decadent drink at home any time of the year! This recipe deviates a little from the classic recipe because you cook the raw eggs, eliminating the risk of salmonella.
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 1 ¼ c. sugar
- 4 c. whole milk
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 1 t. ground nutmeg
- ¼ t. cinnamon
- ¼ t. ground cloves
- 2 c. evaporated milk
- 2 c. half and half
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer egg mixture into saucepan and stir in whole milk, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves.
- In a separate glass bowl, combine evaporated milk and half and half. Stir until well-combined.
- Heat egg mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent milk from scorching. Place candy thermometer into egg mixture.
- When mixture has reached 160⁰F, remove saucepan from heat immediately.
- Slowly whisk in evaporated milk mixture, stirring constantly to ensure smooth consistency.
- Allow to cool slightly before tasting. Add more sugar or spices, to taste before transferring to airtight container.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Serve chilled in mugs. Garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or additional dash of nutmeg or cinnamon.
Don’t Skip the Aging Process
Refrigerating the homemade eggnog overnight allows the flavors of the drink to really meld together, so don’t skip it! Trust us, it’s worth the wait.
Give it an Adult Twist
If you want to give your homemade eggnog a boozy twist, you can add liquor such as rum, cognac, or bourbon.
Serve it Chilled or Warm
Do you want your eggnog warm? Yes, you can serve it warm!
You can put your eggnog in a microwave-safe mug and pop it into your microwave for 30 seconds on medium. Warm eggnog will, well, warm you up!
Whether you serve it chilled or warmed, this delicious drink is going quickly going to be a household favorite if you love creamy drinks.