Easy Eggnog Recipe (Without Eggs) (2024)

FAQs

Easy Eggnog Recipe (Without Eggs)? ›

Blend 2 cups milk, sugar, pudding mix, rum-flavored extract, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger in a blender on medium-high speed until smooth; pour into a pitcher. Stir remaining 3 cups milk into mixture. Refrigerate eggnog until thickened, at least 1 hour. Stir well before serving.

If you are really looking to knock out some calories, consider purchasing soy nog or rice nog. These alternatives to regular eggnog contain less fat and nearly half the calories of regular store-bought eggnog. Vanilla chai tea is also a great holiday alternative for those with non-dairy diets.

Eggnog is traditionally made with eggs, egg yolk, sugar, milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract. It's often spiked with brandy, rum or other liquor, and topped with freshly grated nutmeg and/or cinnamon sticks.

Heavy cream will make your eggnog thicker and creamier. Boozy eggnog will also continue to thicken in the fridge as it ages.

It can, and I've never looked back. Shaking eggnog with ice dilutes it just a little. This helps turn the volume down on its inherent sweetness and thins it so it's not tacky thick, and viscous. It gets your eggnog nicely chilled too, which helps the store-bought stuff taste less sticky sweet.

Making your own eggnog will spare you the additives found in store-bought varieties but a traditional recipe will be similar in calories and fat. You can lighten things up using low fat dairy products and going light on the sugar.

"While culinary historians debate its exact lineage, most agree eggnog originated from the early medieval" British drink called posset, which was made with hot milk that was curdled with wine or ale and flavored with spices. In the Middle Ages, posset was used as a cold and flu remedy.

If you're vegan (or dairy-free or egg-free), traditional eggnog is off-limits. Luckily, lots of non-dairy milk companies have released their own holiday nog blends and the nutrition numbers look a little more impressive than the classic drink.

Most plants keep producing eggnog through New Year's, and start dumping their unsold product in January. Although associated with the holidays, eggnog doesn't need to be seasonal. Dairy plants could produce small batches of eggnog off-season for hard-core nogheads, but they don't because it's not cost-effective.

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.

Why does aged eggnog taste better? ›

The idea? Make a batch of eggnog and let it age for at least three weeks in the refrigerator before drinking. The rest period supposedly drives off eggy taste while giving the other flavors a chance to meld. At the same time, the alcohol has a chance to kill any potential pathogens in the mix.

The reason eggnog can age despite its dairy content is twofold. One half is that contamination of American dairy products is, thankfully, quite rare. The other is that alcohol inhibits bacterial growth. In pre-pandemic times, you may have joked that “alcohol kills everything” while sharing co*cktails in a crowded bar.

It's important to constantly stir the custard to keep the proteins in motion as they rise in temperature between 140-170ºF (60-77ºC) and begin to coagulate. This gentle coagulation will thicken the sauce, but if it isn't kept in motion the protein can take on a grainy texture, so keep stirring!

It will thicken as it cools. If you want a thinner, completely smooth consistency, you can add the entire mixture to a blender with 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk and blend until smooth. Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, and fresh whipped cream, if desired. Store homemade eggnog in the fridge for up to one week.

Homemade eggnog has a custardy texture (a dozen eggs, remember). But instead of adding more expensive eggs, food manufacturers rely on additives like this seaweed extract to thicken their beverage to a familiar consistency. This ground-up endosperm of the guar bean is used here as another thickener.

Whiskey – I typically use Crown Royal, but use what you like or keep on hand. Other Alcohol – You can switch up the ratios based on your personal preferences; feel free to swap in others like bourbon, Cognac, scotch, or brandy, as well. And how about a little peppermint schnapps for a festive flavor?!

In fact, eggnog can be substituted into most recipes that call for a good portion of milk – see what options you like best! Add it to beverages: Surely, if you're an eggnog fan, you've tried Starbucks' featured holiday latte.

Most storebought eggnogs are about the same consistency as buttermilk, which makes it very easy to substitute one for the other to give a cake (for instance) some holiday flavor. When substituting eggnog for regular milk, you may need to add in a few additional tablespoons because it is thicker.

Basically eggnog, while fatty, isn't quite creamy enough to hold peaks on its own. That means you'll need about 1/2 cup eggnog for every cup of heavy cream. Even that will change slightly depending on the consistency of your nog.

Spirits to use: Bourbon or a mix of brandy and bourbon, traditionally, but feel free to use rum here.