How to Make Eggnog

• Also try: Mahalo's Guide to Eggnog

Introduction

• Homemade holiday eggnog is a tasty treat, whether you're making it for an office party or for New Year's. We've assembled the best instructions available for making your own eggnog, so read on, prepare and enjoy!

What You'll Need

• The ingredients listed make approximately 12 servings. Feel free to double or halve the recipe as needed.

Ingredients

• 6 Eggs
  • If you buy pasteurized eggs, you don't need to worry about salmonella—the pasteurization will have killed the bacteria. If not, the USDA recommends using a cooked eggnog recipe for safety.

Eggs... (Photo by Vangelis Thomaidis)

• 3 cups Milk
  • The higher the fat content, the creamier (and more caloric) your eggnog will be. Most recipes say to use whole milk, but if you have health or diet concerns, your eggnog will still be delicious with 1%!
• 1 cup milk, half and half or light cream
  • Again, choose the dairy product that works best for you. Cream or half and half will be richer, but also much more caloric.
• Alcohol—only if desired. If you do not add alcohol, you may wish to have extra milk on hand to thin your eggnog.
  • Standards include dark rum, brandy, bourbon, or cognac. You may also choose to experiment with something like kahlua or Irish cream.
  • For this recipe we'll use 1/2 cup dark rum, with 1/4 cup brandy.
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract (if not using alcohol)
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup Sugar (according to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup heavy Cream (optional)
  • Folding whipped cream into cooked eggnog gives it a thicker consistency. If you prefer not to, don't worry—it'll still taste great.
  • For traditional eggnog, the whipped cream is can also be used an optional garnish. You may want to sweeten this whipped cream with one teaspoon of sugar.
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional garnish)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon (optional garnish)

Tips for Your Ingredients

1. Keep eggs refrigerated until you use them.
2. Don't wash eggs after you purchase them; the USDA advises that doing so removes the protective coating that manufacturers apply, and could increase bacterial growth.
3. For an extra-special touch, try freshly-grated nutmeg.

Cooked Eggnog

• For this recipe, you need to cook the eggs as if you were making custard. You'll need about 40 minutes cooking time, and at least four hours to chill. Making this at least a day ahead will give you plenty of time to cool your eggnog, and may improve the eggnog's taste.

Equipment

Milk... (Photo by Yucel Tellici)

• Saucepan
• Bowl
• Mixer (to beat eggs)
• Whisk
• Cooking thermometer
• Sieve
• Blender (optional, may be used to smooth eggnog)

Make Your Eggnog

1. Warm 3 cups of milk on stove over a low heat, to just under a boil.
2. While milk is heating, beat eggs.
   • Alton Brown advises thoroughly beating the eggs to emulsify them before mixing in sugar; otherwise you will get a lumpy texture.
3. Add sugar to the eggs, a little at a time, until it's thoroughly whisked-in.
4. Whisk in salt.
5. Add warm milk to the egg mixture, slowly stirring it in.
   • Doing this will gradually warm the eggs, so you don't accidentally curdle them.
6. Bring egg and milk mixture to the stove.
7. Cook over a low heat until the temperature reaches 160°F.
   • At this point it will coat the back of a spoon.
8. Take off heat.
9. If the mixture has bits of cooked egg, strain it through a sieve. If still too grainy, putting it in a blender will smooth the texture.
10. Add in 1 cup of milk, half and half or light cream and stir.
11. Slowly stir in the alcohol.
    • If not adding alcohol, stir in the vanilla extract.
12. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
    • Chilling the eggnog overnight will mellow the alcohol's taste.
13. Just before serving the eggnog, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.
14. Fold the whipped cream into the eggnog, mixing it in gently so the cream doesn't lose its airiness.
    • Remember, adding the whipped cream is optional.
15. Garnish with nutmeg and/or cinnamon.

Microwaved Eggnog

• If you don't have time for the stove, use the microwave to make tasty eggnog. Check out the American Egg Board's instructions here.

Traditional Eggnog

• You should be able to whip up this recipe in approximately 30 minutes.
• Please remember that the USDA advises against eating unpasteurized raw eggs.

Equipment Needed

and Sugar... (Photo by Sanja Gjenero)

• 2 Bowls (3 if you don't want to wash a bowl before making whipped cream)
• Mixer
• Whisk

Make Your Eggnog

1. Separate egg yolks and whites.
2. Beat egg yolks.
3. Mix most of the sugar into the yolks, keeping a spoonful in reserve.
4. Add salt.
5. Slowly stir in alcohol, if desired.
   • Add the vanilla extract if not using alcohol.
6. Add in 3 cups of milk.
7. Add in one cup of milk, half and half, or cream.
8. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks.
9. Mix in one teaspoon of sugar.
10. Beat the egg whites until they form hard peaks.
11. Fold egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
12. Pour eggnog into glasses.
13. If desired, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.
14. Blend in one teaspoon of sugar.
15. Garnish the eggnog with the whipped cream.
    • If you'd prefer a thicker eggnog, you can also fold in the whipped cream.
16. Sprinkle cinnamon and/or nutmeg on top.

Quick Variation

• This will make delicious eggnog without the need to separate eggs. You can fold in whipped cream for thicker nog.

Make Eggnog! (Photo by LastClick)

1. Beat the eggs until they're frothy.
2. Mix in the sugar and salt.
3. Slowly stir in the alcohol or vanilla extract.
4. Mix in the milk, and half and half or light cream if adding them.
5. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until it forms soft peaks.
6. Fold cream into egg mixture.
7. Garnish with nutmeg and/or cinnamon.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Aged Variation

• Some recipes, such as this one and this one suggest that aging eggnog for at least three weeks improves its flavor. If making this, the alcohol ceases to be optional and you'll probably want to double the amounts mentioned above.

1. Beat the eggs until they're frothy.
2. Mix in the sugar and salt.
3. Slowly stir in the alcohol.
4. Cover loosely and place in the refrigerator.
   • Suggestions for covering: a bowl loosely covered with plastic wrap or a pitcher with a loose cap.
5. Wait three weeks.
6. After the long wait, beat cream until it forms soft peaks.
7. Whip in vanilla extract and one teaspoon of sugar.
8. Stir cream into egg mixture.
9. Garnish with cinnamon and/or nutmeg.

Resources for How to Make Eggnog

• USDA: Fact Sheets: Focus on Shell Eggs
• NPR: A Frothy, Festive Toast with Alton Brown
• Lifehacker: Make Your Own Holiday Eggnog
• Lifehacker: The Best Eggnog Recipe - Now with More Rum
• Wikipedia: Eggnog
• Food Network: Fold Batter  
• University of Minnesota, Extension: Eggnog, Making it Safe
• Chowhound: How Long Can I Keep Homemade Eggnog?
• Chowhound: Old but Not Lethal

Cooked Eggnog Recipes

• Holiday Kitchen: Egg Nog Grog Video
• Cook's Illustrated: Holiday Eggnog Recipe  
• Grandma Lewis's Egg Nog
• Epicurious: Eggnog Recipe
• AllRecipes: Amazingly Good Eggnog | Luscious Eggnog
• American Egg Board: Classic Cooked Eggnog
• Food and Wine: Homemade Eggnog

Traditional Eggnog Recipes

• Food Network: Alton Brown Eggnog Recipe  
  • Also has instructions for a cooked version
• Salon: All eggnogged up and nowhere to go
• Wikihow: How to Make Eggnog
• Cyril K. Collins: Eggnog Recipe
• NPR: Dad's Eggnog Recipe
• Chowhound: Best Eggnog
• AllRecipes: Eggnog Extreme
• Food Network: Mama's Eggnog  
• Martha Stewart: Eggnog
• NPR: An Eggnog Recipe from Barbara Allison
• All Recipes: Eggnog Recipe | Eggnog from Scratch | Frothy Eggnog
  • Simple recipes that do not require you to separate egg yolks and whites.

Alternate Eggnog Recipes

• AllRecipes: Sugar-Free Eggnog
• AllRecipes: Eggless Eggnog
• BBC Food: Chocolate Eggnog with Brandy

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