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    See More:   Copycat Recipes Desserts Gluten-Free Holiday Meals Raising Foodie Kids

    Last Modified: Feb 27, 2024 by Tara Gerner 2 Comments

    How to Make Eggnog Without Alcohol

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    The holiday season just wouldn't be the same without a glass of decadent & smooth homemade non-alcoholic eggnog. Grab this classic, old-fashioned, creamy nonalcoholic homemade eggnog and impress your friends and family this year! Once you taste this homemade cooked eggnog recipe with no alcohol, you'll never buy eggnog from the store again!

    a close up of the top of a glass of eggnog, with a cinnamon stickPin

    Eggnog is my all-time favorite drink. I rejoice when it appears on the grocery store shelves in November, and I gladly purchase it all through the holiday season.

    However.

    Eggnog is super expensive. I thought I could save some money if I learned to make it at home, so I did.

    But! I discovered that the flavor of homemade eggnog is WAY better than the store-bought eggnog (and I thought that stuff was amazing!).

    I was a bit hesitant to feed my kids raw eggs, so I came up with a homemade eggnog recipe that was cooked to reduce the likelihood of food-borne illness. I just couldn't with the raw eggs.

    This classic eggnog recipe is creamy and thick and rich, and as I said above, I wanted to enjoy it with my kids, so I left out the alcohol. I have included a note below about how you can make a grown up version if you're into that.

    homemade eggnog without alcohol in a mason jar glass with a cinnamon stickPin

    What you'll need to make homemade eggnog without alcohol

    Equipment

    This recipe requires mostly standard kitchen equipment: a whisk, a saucepan, and measuring cups and spoons. However, it will also require a candy thermometer as you'll want to make sure that the eggnog reaches a high enough temperature to cook the eggs.

    Ingredients

    homemade eggnog ingredientsPin

    See printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

    • Large eggs - Try this once with the whole eggs; I think you're going to like it. But if you want to make it thicker and richer, separate the eggs and use 6 whole eggs (egg whites plus yolks) and 6 egg yolks (no whites).
    • White sugar
    • Whole milk - Don't skimp here. You need the fat in the whole milk. Also, I've only ever made this with dairy milk. I don't know how (or even if) it would turn out with non-dairy milk.
    • Ground nutmeg
    • Ground cinnamon
    • Vanilla bean paste or an equal amount of vanilla extract -  I have switched over from using vanilla extract to using vanilla paste almost exclusively.
      Vanilla extract is an alcohol-based liquid with the consistency of water. To make it, vanilla beans are soaked in alcohol for a long time (many months). There are no actual vanilla beans in extract.
      Vanilla paste on the other hand is a combination of highly concentrated vanilla extract, crushed up vanilla beans, and a binder (which can be either xanthum gum or corn syrup, read the label). It is the consistency of Elmer's glue. The reason I prefer vanilla paste is that, aside from having actual vanilla beans inside, the paste has a richer, more bold flavor, and it has no alcohol taste to taint the flavor if you are heavy handed with it (as I often am).
    • Heavy cream - This is sometimes called heavy whipping cream.
    • Table salt
    • Cinnamon or nutmeg for serving

    How to make eggnog without alcohol

    INSTRUCTIONS 

    1. Combine eggs and sugar in a medium glass bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
      whisk together the eggs and sugarPin
    2. Transfer egg yolk mixture to a saucepan and stir in whole milk, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Heat egg mixture over medium-low heat while stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent the milk from scorching or the eggs from scrambling. As the mixture heats up, it will thicken slightly.
      add the spices to the eggnog mixture in the saucepanPin
    3. When the hot milk mixture reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer, remove from heat and slowly whisk in the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Do not boil the eggnog!
    4. Cool slightly before tasting. Add more sugar or spices, if desired, before transferring to an airtight container.
    5. Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
    6. Place in the refrigerate to chill for a minimum of 6 hours but preferably overnight.
    7. Serve in mugs and garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or a sprinkling of nutmeg or cinnamon.
    a side view of homemade eggnog without alcohol in a mason jar glass with a cinnamon stickPin

    Do you have to cook egg-nog?

    No, traditional eggnog recipes are not cooked at all. They also typically use only the egg yolks and not the whites.

    The eggnog you buy at the store is pasteurized to kill any bacteria that may make you sick.

    The reason that I cook my eggnog is to make it safer; the CDC says that eggs cooked to 160ºF should be safe for consumption. (Although there is still a slight risk of salmonella, so use your best judgement and consume at your own risk.)

    For an uncooked version of eggnog, simply whisk together the eggs sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until well combined.

    Can I thin this eggnog if it's too thick?

    I personally love that this recipe has the consistency of melted ice cream, but you can thin it if you prefer. Simply add a spoonful or two of whole milk or heavy cream to thin the eggnog.

    What kind of alcohol goes into eggnog?

    If you wanted to make a grown up eggnog beverage, you could add 1 cup of dark rum, brandy, whiskey, bourbon.

    a mason jar filled with eggnog without alcohol and topped with a cinnamon stickPin

    What should I serve with eggnog?

    I like eggnog with everything! There is never a bad time for it!

    Eggnog, being a sweet drink, goes really nicely with desserts like Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake, Praline Pumpkin Pecan Pie, and Pecan Pie.

    It's also really nice with sweet breakfast foods like Pumpkin Pie Pancakes, a German Pancake, or Baked Apple Pecan Pancakes.

    How long does homemade eggnog last?

    Store bought eggnog lasts a long time because it has been pasteurized and also because it typically contains preservatives.

    Homemade eggnog doesn't last as long, but you can get a good idea of how long to keep it based on the expiration dates on your milk and cream. Whichever of those dates is the sooner is the one that you should go by.

    If you're not sure about expiration dates, I wouldn't recommend keep homemade eggnog more than 3-4 days. And of course, always store in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Recipe

    a close up of homemade eggnog without alcohol in a mason jar glass with a cinnamon stick

    Homemade Eggnog Without Alcohol

    The holiday season just wouldn't be the same without a glass of this decadent & smooth homemade non-alcoholic eggnog. Grab this classic, old-fashioned, creamy nonalcoholic homemade eggnog and impress your friends and family this year! Once you taste this homemade cooked eggnog recipe with no alcohol, you'll never buy it from the store again!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Cooling time 6 hours hrs
    Total Time 6 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 275 kcal

    Equipment

    • Candy thermometer

    Ingredients
      

    • 12 large eggs
    • 1¼ cups sugar
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
    • 1 cups heavy cream
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 dash cinnamon for serving

    Instructions
     

    • Combine eggs and sugar in a medium glass bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
    • Transfer mixture to a saucepan and stir in whole milk, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Heat egg mixture over medium-low heat while stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent the milk from scorching or the eggs from scrambling. As the mixture heats up, it will thicken slightly.
    • When mixture reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer, remove from heat and slowly whisk in the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract.
    • Cool slightly before tasting. Add more sugar or spices, if desired, before transferring to an airtight container.
    • Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.
    • Refrigerate overnight or until thoroughly chilled.
    • Serve in mugs and garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or a dash of nutmeg.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keyword Christmas, eggnog
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      5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    1. Tierra says

      July 17, 2022 at 4:13 pm

      If you wanted to make pumpkin eggnog, how would you change the recipe?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        July 23, 2022 at 7:36 pm

        You could try adding a little bit of canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling), like a quarter of a cup. Add more after tasting if you think it needs it.

        Reply

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