Holiday Eggnog

Tired of the same old holiday eggnog from the supermarket carton? Try this easy recipe for the popular Christmas punch, an old-fashioned eggnog made from scratch.

Sure, you can buy that carton of eggnog from the dairy shelves of your local supermarket.

If you want to give yourself, your family, and friends a taste of the true holiday spirit, however, try making eggnog from scratch.

Homemade eggnog doesn’t take too much time. And the flavor can’t compare to that prepackaged product. Better still, you’ll get great bragging rights, assuring your guests as you ladle them another mug that, yes indeed, you did make this eggnog yourself.

Tips for Holiday Eggnog Success

While the recipe is pretty easy, please bear in mind a few simple suggestions to make sure your eggnog comes out as good as possible:

• Use quality dairy ingredients. Make sure the eggs, milk, and cream are absolutely fresh. Don’t worry about the dangers of drinking raw eggs, though; this recipe cooks the eggs.
• Use quality spirits. You can pretty much use any dark spirit. Its flavor will shine through, so select good brands. Harsh-tasting spirits will yield harsh-tasting eggnog.
• Cook gently. To ensure that the eggs thicken the drink without curdling, cook over very gentle heat and keep a close eye on the mixture.
• Break out the punch bowl. A good-sized heatproof punch bowl is the ideal vessel for presenting your eggnog. If you don’t have one, look for good-quality, reasonably priced sets from retail kitchenware stores or online stores.
• Serve warm or cold. You can enjoy eggnog fresh off the stove or chilled. If serving it warm, consider investing in a set of double-wall heat-resistant glasses, which will keep the eggnog longer at optimum drinking temperature while protecting revelers’ hands.
• Grate that nutmeg by hand. A generous dusting of nutmeg is one of the signatures of great eggnog. Now’s not the time to use powdery old ground nutmeg from the spice rack. Buy whole nutmegs and an inexpensive nutmeg grater, both available from brick-and-mortar or online shops, and grate a dusting over the punch bowl and each cup or mug just before serving.
• Warn your guests that there’s alcohol in the eggnog! Eggnog can sneak up on you. So let guests know what’s in it, and be a responsible host by limiting consumption if necessary—or arranging designated drivers. Consider making up a separate batch of the same recipe with double the milk and no spirits for those designated drivers, teetotalers, or the kids. (Also, have plenty of good, strong, freshly brewed coffee on hand to serve later in the party!)

Old-Fashioned Holiday Eggnog

Makes 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups good-quality bourbon, brandy, cognac, or dark rum
• 3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar just until well blended.
2. Place the pot over very, very low heat and cook, whisking nonstop, just until the mixture is warm, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue whisking while you slowly pour in the brandy, rum, orange liqueur, and vanilla; then, still whisking, pour in half of the cream. Raise the heat just slightly and continue cooking, stirring frequently with the whisk, until the mixture is good and hot but has not yet started to boil, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the rest of the cream and immediately transfer the mixture to a heatproof punch bowl.
4. Serve the eggnog warm, if you like. If you’d prefer it cold, cover the punch bowl and chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
5. To serve, ladle the eggnog into individual double wall mugs or glasses or regular punch cups, mugs, or glasses. Freshly grate a little nutmeg over each serving.

Try it for your holiday party, and share a classic cup of Christmas cheer!

Homemade Holiday Eggnog

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds