Homemade Egg Nog

There is no drink that is more in the holiday spirit than egg nog. Today I am going to be making it from scratch. I know you can pick up the pre-made stuff from 7-11 to the pharmacy, but this stuff is 100 times better. I have only had the pre-packaged egg nog till today and the prepackaged stuff does not even compare. I hated the store bought egg nog, actually I was thinking about not even trying to make it. In the end I did and I am completely surprised with the results. I like egg nog. Let me say that again, I love egg nog. Who knew. Granted it takes a few steps to make homemade egg nog, but it is totally worth it. Plus this recipe includes bourbon. The egg nog at the corner store does not have bourbon in it, does it? Take that corner store egg nog, this egg nog is better.

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

Grate 1 tsp of fresh nutmeg. You can use the pre-grated stuff, but fresh is the best.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

While the milk mixture is cooking, beat the egg yolks with a stand mixer until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. (If concerned about raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs from your grocery store.)

Pro tip: Use the edge of a bowl to crack eggs—you’ll get a cleaner break for easier separation.

Remove from heat and gradually temper the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. To temper, slowly pour the hot milk into the whipped eggs while continuously mixing. You want a smooth mixture, not scrambled eggs.

Return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160°F. Use a candy or kitchen thermometer to verify temperature.

Remove from heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a mixing bowl, and refrigerate to chill.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture. Use a large bowl—this step gets awkward at first, but keep mixing until smooth. (Trust me, I made a mess with a medium bowl and nearly lost the bourbon.)

Chill and serve with whipped cream, fresh nutmeg, and an extra pour of bourbon if you’re dreading the holidays.

Homemade Egg Nog

Classic bourbon-spiked eggnog made from scratch—100 times better than store-bought. Creamy, rich, and perfect for holiday gatherings.

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Prep Time 15 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 day d 6 hours hrs

Total Time 1 day d 21 hours hrs

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Cocktail

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces bourbon more if desired
• 1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg grated
• 4 egg whites

Method

 

1. Grate 1 tsp fresh nutmeg (pre-grated works but fresh is best).
2. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg. Bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. While milk mixture cooks, beat egg yolks with a stand mixer until light in color. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until completely dissolved.
4. Temper the eggs: Slowly pour hot milk mixture into whipped eggs while continuously mixing. Return everything to pot and cook until mixture reaches 160°F.
5. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon. Pour into medium mixing bowl and refrigerate to chill.
6. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
7. Whisk egg whites into chilled mixture using a large bowl. Mix until smooth.
8. Chill and serve with whipped cream and nutmeg.

Notes

Recipe from Alton Brown. Uses raw eggs—opt for pasteurized eggs if concerned about food safety. Tempering is crucial to avoid scrambled eggs. Use a large bowl for folding whites to avoid spillage (trust me on this one). More bourbon optional for those dreading the holidays.

— Rex