My Homemade Bourbon Eggnog will keep you warm and cozy during the holidays! Rich, creamy, spiked with bourbon, and perfectly seasoned with winter spices, it's the ultimate festive treat. Skip the store-bought version and discover your new favorite eggnog recipe!
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Bourbon Eggnog is great to drink on ice or in my White Christmas Cocktail. You can't beat my Christmas Gin Cocktail for a refreshing and light holiday drink.
Believe it or not, the star ingredient in eggnog is eggs, and it should have a custard-like consistency.
Many have bad memories of eggnog tasting like old melted ice cream spiked with cheap brandy. But trust me, this Christmas Eggnog is delicious! One sip, and you'll be hooked on its rich, festive flavor.
Instead of going the traditional route and using Brandy or Rum, I went with Bourbon, and it's my favorite.
I went heavy on the warming spices because I wanted my eggnog to taste like Christmas! So many recipes only use a small amount of nutmeg, but we grated the whole seed.
If you are looking for a great Christmas mocktail check out my Non alcoholic Mulled Wine spiced with mulling spices to keep you cozy throughout the holidays!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Christmas Warming Spices. Eggnog is seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Bourbon is delicious. After you try this recipe, you'll ditch the rum and brandy and stick with bourbon.
- Make it non-alcoholic. If you don't like spiked eggnog, leave the booze out.
- It's a great holiday cocktail. Enjoy this easy eggnog recipe or my Pumpkin Espresso Martini for a festive drink.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here is a visual overview of the Bourbon Eggnog Ingredients and some helpful substitutions. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
See recipe card for quantities.
Bourbon
Choose a good quality bourbon that you like to drink. I went with Russell's Reserve Aged for 10 years. Using ¼ cup of Bourbon is the right measured amount of alcohol and is just mellowed by the cream.
Use Rum or Brandy if you don't like the taste of Bourbon or Whisky. Leave the booze out completely for a non-alcoholic version.
Eggs
The main ingredient in nog is eggs. Some recipes use whole eggs, but we separate the eggs and use only the yolks for a creamy custard-like consistency. You can reserve the egg whites and whip them with some sugar for a cool topping.
For an egg-free version, use equal parts heavy cream to milk and combine everything with a whisk.
Milk
Make sure to use Whole Milk since it's higher in fat and will yield a creamy custard.
Heavy Cream
One of the last steps is to whisk heavy cream into the custard or Creme anglaise mixture to give it that Eggnog consistency.
Vanilla
You can use ½ a vanilla bean or a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Spices
A combination of Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nutmeg are used. I went heavy on the Ginger and Nutmeg because I wanted the eggnog to taste like Christmas.
Sugar
The right amount of sugar was added to sweeten the custard and make it taste delicious.
Variations
- Pumpkin Eggnog: Add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree.
- Eggnog Latte: Combine 4 ounces of brewed espresso, ½ cup of eggnog, and 2 tablespoons of steamed milk.
- Eggnog Desserts: Incorporate eggnog into your favorite desserts and baked goods! Try it in Eggnog Waffles, cookies, cheesecakes, or quick breads for a festive twist.
- Eggnog Coffee Creamer: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground cloves.
How To Make Homemade Eggnog
I've provided step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the complete printable instructions and ingredient quantities, please scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. When separating eggs, I like to crack them into a bowl first and gently lift out the yolks with my fingers. This method helps prevent breaking the yolks. Once separated, I transfer the yolks to a separate bowl.
Step 2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is pale and thick. You can do this by hand or use a KitchenAid mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Step 3. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a simmer, removing it from the heat just before it begins to boil.
Step 4. Temper the egg yolks by gradually whisking in one ladle of hot milk at a time to gently raise their temperature. Repeat this process 3-4 times, then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
Step 5. Add in your vanilla bean or vanilla extract. Place over low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Do not boil. Cook until the custard coats the back of the spoon when you run your finger through it. To be more precise, cook the custard until it reaches 175°F - 180°F.
Step 6. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the custard through it to remove any cooked egg bits and the vanilla bean.
Step 7. Stir in the heavy cream and spices, then set the bowl over an ice bath to cool the mixture down.
Step 8. Stir in the bourbon and give the mixture a final whisk. Chill it over ice, then transfer the eggnog to 32-ounce mason jars. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
Chef Tips
- To avoid broken egg yolks, crack all the eggs into one bowl and fish the yolks out with your fingers.
- For a cool presentation, whip egg whites with sugar for a meringue topping.
- Tempering involves gradually adding hot milk to the egg yolks to prevent them from scrambling. Add one ladle of hot milk at a time, whisking constantly, until the mixture feels warm.
- When using a vanilla bean, split it down the center lengthwise and use the back of your knife to scrape out the vanilla.
- When the custard reaches 175°F - 180°F, take it off the heat to prevent overcooking.
FAQ's
Eggnog is a classic holiday drink, especially popular around Christmas. Homemade eggnog is made with a rich, cooked custard, flavored with warming spices, and often spiked with your favorite spirit.
Traditionally, eggnog is spiked with Rum or Brandy, and Bourbon is delicious too.
If a recipe doesn't include eggs, it's not eggnog! Authentic eggnog is a cooked custard made with eggs. It's similar to making crème anglaise, the custard base used in ice cream.
Store eggnog in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for later use. Eggnog freezes well-just give it a good shake after thawing to restore its smooth texture.
I like to serve mine in a whisky glass over ice and garnished with freshly grated nutmeg. A nice addition is a little whipped cream on top of your eggnog for a garnish.
More Holiday Cocktails
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📖 Recipe
Bourbon Eggnog Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ vanilla bean or 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder
- 1½ teaspoon ground nutmeg freshley ground
- ¼ cup Bourbon
- 1½ cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Separate egg yolks and whisk them in a large bowl with sugar until pale in color and thick, 1-2 minutes.
- Heat the milk until it reaches a simmer. Gradually temper the eggs by slowly ladling in the hot milk, a little at a time, whisking continuously, until the milk is fully incorporated into the egg yolk mixture.
- Add vanilla bean.
- Stir for 10-15 minutes over low heat until thickened or reaches 175°F - 180°F with an instant-read thermometer.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the custard through it to remove any cooked egg bits and the vanilla bean.
- Place on an ice water bath.
- Add cinnamon, clove, ginger powder, nutmeg, bourbon, and heavy cream.
- Serve with ice in desired glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Notes
- To avoid broken egg yolks, crack all the eggs into one bowl and fish the yolks out with your fingers.
- For a cool presentation, whip egg whites with sugar for a meringue topping.
- Tempering involves gradually adding hot milk to the egg yolks to prevent them from scrambling. Add one ladle of hot milk at a time, whisking constantly, until the mixture feels warm.
- When using a vanilla bean, split it down the center lengthwise and use the back of your knife to scrape out the vanilla.
- When the custard reaches 175°F - 180°F, take it off the heat to prevent overcooking.
Nutrition
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
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Mike Cleavenger says
You will never buy store-bought eggnog again after trying this recipe.