Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog Recipe - The House & Homestead (2024)


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Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog Recipe - The House & Homestead (1)I’ve been wanting to try making homemade eggnog for a while now. In fact, I’ve been wanting to try making it myself ever since I realized you could make such things at home.

But, like many things, it’s just one of those projects that’s been pushed to the back burner because life is just too crazy busy to make everything from scratch all the time. Amiright?

My philosophy is to take things one step at a time… Learn how to do one thing well and then move onto the next. Often what I find is that when I finally get around to learning a new skill or how to make a new recipe or project from scratch, it’s actually really easy and takes very little time to do. But I don’t overwhelm myself with pressure to do it all perfectly right away.

So anyway, homemade eggnog was one of those things that took me a couple years to finally try making at home myself. And lo and behold, it’s so easy I now wonder why I didn’t start making it years ago.

I know, however, that slow and steady wins the race, especially when it comes to homesteading and making things from scratch. There are endless skills and recipes to learn when you’re aspiring to make as much as possible yourself, and each year and season is a chance to learn just a little bit more.

Next Christmas I’ll tackle something else, but this year it’s eggnog, and now that I’ve learned how easy it is to make it from scratch, plus the fact that it tastes better than store-bought and is better for you, means I will pretty much always make it from scratch from here on out. And once you try it, I’m sure you’ll feel the same. And then you’ll be inspired to take on another from-scratch recipe or homesteading skill. It’s a slippery slope!

But for now, let’s talk about eggnog for a minute…

What is eggnog anyway?

Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog Recipe - The House & Homestead (2)

When I started researching recipes for homemade eggnog, I came across a few different recipes and some interesting information about how eggnog came to be the infamous holiday drink it is today.

The general consensus is that eggnog originated in England in the 17th Century and was made with eggs, milk and some sort of alcohol (aka. “nog”).

It was originally made with sherry or brandy, but when eggnog reached America it was typically spiked with rum because rum was easier to come by. Eventually some people started substituting American whiskey.

Nowadays we can drink eggnog with or without alcohol, but traditionally eggnog was always an alcoholic drink that wealthy folks (who could afford milk and eggs and alcohol) would use to toast to their prosperity.

I found at least one source that claims eggnog was created by mixing alcohol with eggs and milk earlier in the season when egg and milk production was at a high. The alcohol was used to preserve the dairy products so that they could be consumed during the winter months when egg and milk production was low.

This certainly makes some sense, but I couldn’t find many other sources to verify this theory. What we know for sure is that eggnog used to be made with a few simple, all-natural ingredients and it didn’t come from a carton on the store shelves.

In fact, I’d advise you to steer clear of the eggnog on store shelves if for no other reason than to avoid all of the additives and processed ingredients typically found in commercially-produced eggnog: ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, modified milk ingredients and carrageenan (thickener) used in place of natural ingredients like organic sugar, whole milk and yes, even eggs, so that it’s cheaper to produce.

No thanks. I’d rather make it myself from natural, organic ingredients I know and trust.

How to make homemade eggnog

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When it comes to making eggnog from scratch nowadays, there are a few different options.

First of all, you can spike it with alcohol or not. I don’t spike ours when I first make it because our two-year-old drinks it too, but my husband and I have been known to add rum when pouring into our own glasses;)

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Second, when it comes to making eggnog, my preferred way is to use raw eggs and cold milk and cream. I love the flavour and I love that it can be made fresh and enjoyed right away. The only caveat to making eggnog “cold” with raw eggs is the risk (albeit low) of salmonella poisoning.

It’s true that raw eggs can harbour the salmonella bacteria that make us very sick, but truth be told, it’s much more rare than many people think and the risk is even less when using fresh eggs from free range chickens from organic farms (which I always recommend using, whether you raise your own laying hens or purchase eggs from a local farm).

Store-bought eggs carry a higher risk of salmonella because they typically come from factory-farmed chickens that were raised in unsanitary conditions.

So if making your eggnog with raw eggs, I advise you to only use fresh eggs from healthy chickens and a source you trust.

We don’t have our own chickens (yet), but we get our eggs from friends who have a small flock of free range laying hens. So I can vouch for the fact that I make my eggnog with raw eggs and no one in our family has gotten sick.

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If you’re still feeling iffy about using raw eggs or you’re using store-bought eggs, I recommend heating your eggnog slowly on the stovetop until it reaches 160ºF (the minimum temperature needed to kill salmonella bacteria).

I’ve made it both ways and both are good, but when I cooked my eggnog, it got a little bit lumpy (like custard) despite my best efforts to heat it slowly and whisk constantly to avoid this.

I also had to wait a few hours for it to cool down in the fridge before serving, so that was another downside. But when it was cool enough to serve, I simply ran it through a blender to smooth out the lumps and it tasted great in the end!

The choice is yours. I recommend going raw if you can, but it’s just a couple extra steps to heat it up and then cool it down if you would rather cook it first.

Don’t forget to mix in some nutmeg to give your nog that signature holiday taste. Mix with rum, brandy or whisky if adding alcohol and garnish with extra nutmeg (fresh grated is always best!) and a cinnamon stick.

There you have it! Homemade eggnog with all-natural ingredients and no additives whatsoever. And it takes less time to whip up than it takes to run to the grocery store for a carton.

Cheers!

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P.S. Want more homemade, homegrown, homestead goodness? Subscribe for FREE to Modern Homesteading Magazine, a monthly online magazine full of useful tips, recipes and inspiration to help you produce more of what you consume and live an all-natural, made-from-scratch, self-sufficient life, wherever you are!

Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog Recipe - The House & Homestead (7)

Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog Recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg + more to garnish
  • Cinnamon stick and alcohol of choice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Separate egg yolks and egg whites. Set egg whites aside.
  2. Beat the egg yolks and the sugar until smooth. Add the milk, cream and nutmeg and beat together until smooth and well combined.
  3. You can either serve your eggnog just like this and use your egg whites for something else (omelette perhaps?), OR you can beat your egg whites until they solidify and form stiff peaks, then fold them back into your eggnog mixture to make it extra light and fluffy.
  4. To serve, pour alcohol of choice over ice (if using), pour eggnog overtop and grate a little fresh nutmeg on top. Garnish with a cinnamon stick to make it look extra pretty.
  5. Enjoy responsibly! (Eggnog hangovers are not fun).

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Old-Fashioned Homemade Eggnog Recipe - The House & Homestead (2024)

FAQs

What is the best alcohol to put in eggnog? ›

Choose The Right Spirit

While brandy is the most traditional alcohol to pair with eggnog, according to traditional recipes, you can also use a mixture of dark rum and Cognac. If you like your eggnog with more of a kick you can also add bourbon, but we recommend sticking to rum and Cognac to preserve the 'nog's flavors.

What's the difference between classic and old fashioned eggnog? ›

The difference between the two varieties is that “old fashioned” eggnog is creamier and more strongly spiced than “classic,” Darigold spokesperson Erin Byrne said. “Classic” eggnog has 6% butterfat and is spiced with nutmeg, whereas “old fashioned” eggnog has 7% butterfat and is spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger.

Why you should be careful with that eggnog? ›

Refrigerated eggs with clean, uncracked shells can still be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees F to kill bacteria such as Salmonella that may be present. If your eggnog recipe calls for raw eggs, it may not be safe.

How long should you keep homemade eggnog? ›

How Long Does Eggnog Last
  1. Non-alcoholic eggnog: Consume within 1 day.
  2. Eggnog with 1/2 to 1 cup liquor: Refrigerate for several days.
  3. Eggnog with 1 1/2 cups liquor: Refrigerate for several weeks in a sealed glass container or mason jar, where it will continue aging and thicken up quite nicely.

What do you call eggnog with alcohol? ›

"Tom and Jerry is a form of hot eggnog [cocktail] that was once popular." The Tom and Jerry was invented by British journalist Pierce Egan in the 1820s, using brandy and rum added to eggnog and served hot, usually in a mug or a bowl. It is a traditional Christmastime cocktail in the United States.

What's a good brandy to put in eggnog? ›

For the brandy eggnog, Korbel VS was the brand of choice, and it produced a perfectly balanced drink. This eggnog had a nice sweetness in every sip, which paired admirably with the creamy egg base.

What makes eggnog unhealthy? ›

Traditionally made with eggs, cream, milk, and sugar, no one would say that eggnog is a healthy drink. Even a small serving can pack significant amounts of calories, fat, saturated fat, and added sugars. And then there's the fact that homemade eggnog made with raw eggs can be a food-poisoning risk.

Why does my stomach hurt after drinking eggnog? ›

Eggnog is made with 'heavy' ingredients that, eaten in exclusion of anything else, might cause stomach distress,” registered dietitian Barbara Ruhs said. “Cream is full of fat and that takes longer to digest.

Is it OK to drink eggnog everyday? ›

Eggnog may not be considered a "health food," but the drink does have some nutritional benefits including certain vitamins and protein. Traditional eggnog is also high in sugar and fat, and for that reason, it's best to drink in moderation as a dessert.

How to tell if eggnog is spoiled? ›

The Food and Drug Administration suggests consuming commercial eggnog within three to five days of opening a carton, and you should drink homemade eggnog within two to four days of making. If you're unsure whether eggnog has gone off, give it a whiff, and check for these signs: lumpy texture. spoiled milk smell.

Does eggnog get better with age? ›

The unanimous verdict: Alongside a fresh batch, which tasted comparatively boozy and harsh, our aged nog went down more smoothly. To age your favorite eggnog recipe, be sure to use 1 1/2 ounces of 80 proof liquor for every egg, and leave out the dairy until serving.

What are the ingredients in Old New England eggnog? ›

Made with Imported Brandy, smooth Blended Whiskey, Imported Rum, Kentucky Bourbon and crafted with the finest fresh dairy ingredients. Select spices and sweet pumpkin have been added for an unforgettable holiday flavor.

Is Crown Royal good in eggnog? ›

Egg-cellent Eggnog Tips

Rum – I like dark rum in eggnog (Myers's is what I usually buy), but spiced rum would also be fabulous. Whiskey – I typically use Crown Royal, but use what you like or keep on hand.

Does eggnog curdle with alcohol? ›

Though rare, there is the potential that eggnog will curdle when it's mixed with alcohol. That's typically due to too much acid interacting with the dairy.

Does vodka go well with eggnog? ›

The eggnog white russian cocktail is perfect for the holiday season! Coffee liqueur mixed with vanilla vodka and eggnog and topped with freshly grated nutmeg is the perfect treat and oh-so festive!

What alcohol is in White Claw? ›

The beverage is made from a blend of seltzer water, a gluten-free malted alcohol base, and fruit flavor. The alcohol base (termed "beer base" in customs rulings) is composed of 51% sugar, smaller amounts of yeast and nutrients, water, and trace amounts of "malted gluten-free grains".

References

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