Homemade eggnog is a holiday favorite that’s ultra-creamy, perfectly spiced, and spiked for a good time. And this foolproof version comes together in less than 5 minutes with just a blender. No whisking involved!
Why You’ll Love This Eggnog
If there’s one holiday cocktail I look forward to the most, it’s this homemade eggnog. As much as I love a festive sangria, a cinnamon-spiced glass of eggnog just sets the tone for a cozy Thanksgiving or Christmas night with friends and family. And once you taste how fresh and creamy this version is, you’ll never reach for any store-bought versions again—promise! Here are a few more reasons to love it:
- It’s really simple. All you need are 6 ingredients for the best eggnog you’ll ever have.
- It’s made in 5 minutes. Yes, just 5 minutes! Simply blend everything together and you’re done.
- You can customize it. Whether you make my classic version, a non-alcoholic version or add different spices, I’ve got some fun ideas below.
What Is Eggnog?
Eggnog may have British roots, but once the colonial United States embraced it, this cozy cocktail became a much-loved holiday tradition. It started off as a combination of frothy eggs, milk, and ale, with the addition of spices or honey. Over the years, the boozy part has ranged from expensive bourbon to moonshine, but I personally prefer brandy and rum for a warm, festive flavor. No matter how you make it, eggnog has always symbolized celebration and good health, which feels just right for the holidays.
Eggnog Ingredients
- Eggs: I recommend using pasteurized eggs (and see my note on tempering below).
- Maple Syrup: My go-to natural sweetener for just the right amount of warmth.
- Spices: A cozy mix of nutmeg and cinnamon is basically Christmas in a cup!
- Alcohol: Bourbon, brandy, or rum all work beautifully. I like a mix, but using just one is totally fine.
- Milk: Use whatever you love, including dairy or dairy-free milks like almond, oat, or cashew milk.
- Heavy Cream: This is what gives eggnog its signature richness. For a dairy-free option, coconut cream works great.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How To Make Eggnog From Scratch
Step one: Add the eggs and maple syrup to a high-powered blender (I use my Vitamix) and blend for exactly 4 minutes. Not 3½, not 4½, exactly 4 minutes to temper the eggs properly. I recommend setting a timer.
Step two: Pour in the milk, heavy cream, alcohol, and nutmeg. Blend again for about 10 seconds to bring everything together.
Step three: Transfer the mixture to a sealed container and pop it in the fridge until it’s fully chilled. This helps the flavors meld, and the texture thicken slightly. When you’re ready to serve, stir it, pour it into glasses, and dust the tops with cinnamon or nutmeg. Let the party start!
My Special Tips
- Don’t blend past 4 minutes. This is VERY important. If you blend for too long, the eggs can overheat and curdle. You want them just tempered and no higher than 160°F. If you’re comfortable with pasteurized eggs and don’t need the full tempering, you can blend for just 2 to 3 minutes for a creamy texture.
- No need for fancy alcohol. Because this cocktail is mixed with sugar and cream, there’s no need to use premium alcohol.
- Use coconut cream for a non-dairy cream. If you’re skipping the dairy, blend your favorite non-dairy milk with coconut cream for that thick, luxurious texture.
Drinking Raw Eggs Safely
If you’re wondering, “Wait… are raw eggs safe to drink?” you’re not alone. The FDA notes that Salmonella is a risk, especially for older adults or anyone with a compromised immune system. And while traditional eggnog is made with raw eggs, I like to take the safer route and temper them.
This recipe uses pasteurized eggs (which the FDA recommends) and tempers them right in the blender. Yep, your Vitamix can actually do the tempering for you. After four minutes of blending, the friction from the blades brings the eggs to a safe 160°F. You can even double-check with an instant-read thermometer—it’s awesome.
Eggnog Variations
- Pumpkin Spice: Blend in 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice for a cozy, autumn cocktail.
- Sea Salt & Caramel: Stir in a teaspoon of salted caramel sauce and a sprinkle of salt in each cup. Sweet, salty, and amazing.
- Mexican Inspired: For tequila lovers, mix in Mezcal, crème de cacao, and top it off with cocoa powder and cinnamon.
- Non-Alcoholic: Skip the alcohol entirely and follow the recipe as written. It’s still wonderfully creamy and festive.
- Want to turn this drink into a dessert? Whip up my eggnog chia pudding or eggnog overnight oats! It’s delicious, especially with a dollop of whipped cream.
Storage Tips
Store leftover eggnog in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving, then pour what you need into glasses and pop the pitcher back in the fridge to keep everything cold. If you’re serving guests, I like placing the pitcher in an ice bucket.
More Holiday Drinks
- Hot Chocolate: The ultimate family favorite holiday drink.
- Pomegranate Margarita: My favorite festive twist!
- White Christmas Sangria: This one looks amazing on a table.
- Pumpkin Spice Latte: The fall drink no one can resist.
If you try this homemade eggnog recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups milk (dairy or dairy-free)
- 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- ⅓ cup brandy or bourbon
- ⅓ cup rum
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks for garnish
Instructions
- Blend eggs and maple syrup. Add the eggs and maple syrup to a high-powered blender and blend for exactly 4 minutes on high speed. Make sure to use a timer.
- Add everything else. Add the milk, heavy cream, brandy, rum, and nutmeg. Blend for an additional 10 seconds just to combine.
- Chill. Pour the eggnog into an airtight container and refrigerate until it's chilled.
- Serve. When ready to serve, give the eggnog a stir before pouring. Then garnish with cinnamon sticks or a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: Store leftover eggnog in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
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This recipe was originally published December 2020, but updated to include new information and photos for your benefit!
OMG!! THIS is Devine! I’ve never had egg nog that tasted sooooo good! Will never go back to store bought! I enjoyed it as a non alcoholic drink while the rest of my family added some bourbon. We all enjoyed the best egg nog ever! I’m off to make my second batch. It’s so easy to make (I think I might enjoy it all throughout the year – not just at Christmas). :)
Glad this homemade eggnog was such a hit, Becky!
I would like this a bit sweeter, should I add a bit more maple syrup or will the flavours develop in a few hours or next day
Thanks
You can always add a bit more maple syrup if you’d like.
This came out phenomenal! My husband is a huge egg nog fan! He gave this a 10 out of 10! I actually made 2 batches. One with the milk and heavy cream, and the other with coconut milk and coconut cream! Both are equally delicious, and so easy to make! First time making homemade. This is so much better than store bought! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Hi Shannon – Happy to hear you both loved this homemade version!
I made this with Honeyville Whiskey Barrel syrup instead of maple, which added a great complexity of sweetness. Also, I used a Magic Bullet blender, which only brought it to 140° after four minutes, so I put it in a pot to heat on the stove. Mistake. I impatiently heated it too quickly, which curdled a bit on the bottom, so I ended up re-blending half of it and then straining it into a container to cool. Nevertheless, it was delish! Sprinkled fresh-ground nutmeg on top.
Glad this still worked out in the end, Rick! And yes, be careful about overheating the mixture.
I make this eggnog but I adjust the ingredients before the alcohol to make a quart. Then to the quart of eggnog, I add 2/3 cup of brandy, 1/3 cup of rum and 1/3 cup of creme de cocoa. Absolutely wonderful.
Love that you added some creme de cocoa to it!
This comes out rather good, not to heavy not too sweet, a little whipped cream on top and its very good.
So happy you enjoyed it, Ron! Happy holidays!
Thanks Lisa, I just made this and it is perfect!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Cheers
Deb
I’m so happy you loved it, Deb! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.
Hello, do you blend it on high for four minutes?
Yes, you blend it on high. Enjoy!
Well well well…………this is officially Eggnog Heaven! I recently made this for a gathering of 80 people and people were RAVING about it!!!!!! Best. Eggnog. EVER.
Lisa, you’re incredible – thank you!
Yay, I’m so thrilled to hear you and your guests all loved it! Thanks so much, Trina!
We normally drink our egg nog hot, that is the way my grandmother made hers. I want to adopt some of your methods/ingredients and as I have a vitamix blender, is the drink ready to go without being chilled?
Hi Vicki – yes, you can drink this hot or chilled. It’s delicious either way!
Hi if I want to put less alcohol in it, should I add more milk
Hi Selena – you can just omit the alcohol and keep the other proportions the same. Enjoy!
THE BEST!!!
Glad you’re loving this eggnog recipe, Cynthia!
Do you use whole egg for this recipe?
And what setting on the vitamix for that 4 min ?
Hi Dacia – yes, you use whole eggs in this recipe. And I turn the setting to high, in order to temper the eggs. Hope you enjoy it!
Best recipe!
Glad you’re loving this homemade eggnog!
Game changed…best egg nog recipe….easy..simple..tasty
Yay, I’m happy you love it, Amy!
I made this recipe using just whole milk (not cream), and it was delicious without the higher calorie count. So quick and easy! Will definitely make again.
Hi Marian – I’m glad you enjoyed this eggnog recipe with whole milk!
This is one of those recipes that are hard to share but want every one to try it because it’s so good!
Haha, I agree! ;)
This looks amazing! Way better than the store bought stuff with all the extra ingredients.
Hi Kelly – yes, homemade eggnog is so much better than packaged store-bought versions, and with a much cleaner ingredient list. Enjoy!
Super Good
Especially when using coconut milk!!
Luv
Luv
Luv it !!
Wonderful! I’m happy you love it, Janeen!
Love this recipe!
It’s my first time making this and I am surprised how delicious it is. I’m from Taiwan so I’ve never heard of eggnot before. So happy I found this recipe :)
So glad you loved your first ever eggnog, Selena!
So much better than store bought egg nog! Definitely a recipe to save!
Glad you love this homemade eggnog recipe, Melody!
This is the BEST eggnog, I can’t tell you how excited I was to figure out how quick, easy and healthy I could make this! I love eggnog, but the heavy cream and sugar combo does not make me feel good. The coconut milk version of this is amazing and I love how fast it comes together! Thanks Lisa!
Hi Lindsay – I’m so happy to hear you’re loving this homemade eggnog recipe with coconut milk!
So I am wanting to make this recipe but I do not have a Vitamix, but I do have a Ninja mixer do you think that would be powerful enough to temper the eggs.
Such a great recipe! I make this regularly for my 5 kiddos, year round (sans the alcohol). We do halve the amount of maple syrup as we found it too sweet for our taste but otherwise, it’s perfect. 10/10!
Aw, happy to hear the kiddos love this eggnog recipe, Prudence!
I made this last year in my Vitamix – my first time making egg nog from scratch and it was delicious! As in, OMG where has this been all my life delicious. I can’t believe I put up with the lousy store-bought stuff for so long. Lisa’s directions made me feel better about the whole raw egg situation. The very specific instructions are a huge help. There are a lot of recipes out there for egg nog, but like the rest of Lisa’s recipes, this stands out above the rest. I can’t wait to make it again this year!
Nothing beats the freshness of homemade eggnog! Excited to see this in your kitchen for the holidays, Liz!
Just discovered your site today & am so encouraged to find someone who shares my nutritional values! Keep up the Excellent Recipe designing
Welcome to the Downshiftology community, Cynthia!
Can anyone speak to using a blendtec blender to temper the eggs? TIA
Can it be made without the rum?
Hi Sylvia – yes, it can. See my tips in the post above.
I make this eggnog every Christmas (minus the alcohol), and it is such a hit! I actually don’t have a vitamix, so I use my Ninja blender, and it has never been an issue.
Glad this works out great with your Ninja blender, Jessica!
Unfortunately, I’m not lucky enough to own a Vitamix. Can this be prepared in a regular blender and if so, do I need to process it longer? TIA!
Hi Kelly – A regular blender might not be powerful enough to temper the eggs to the right temperature (as the blades don’t spin as quickly with a smaller motor). But you can always try, and then use an instant read thermometer to see if it gets to temperature. Best of luck!
Thank you! No where in your recipe does it state WHAT temperature the eggs should be to safely continue. Can you clarify what my instant read thermometer should say? TIA!
Hi Kelly – I do mention it in the post above in the grey box. The eggs should reach 160F. Hope you enjoy the eggnog!
Hi Lisa,
My husband LOVES eggnog and I would like to make this for him. However,
I don’t have a Vitamix and I am wondering if heating the milk and cream before adding them would cook the eggs to make it safe to drink?
Suggestions?
Hi Chrysta – yes, you could temper the eggs in a pot on the stove with the milk and cream as well. Enjoy!
I have made this recipe for 3 years now and it is still one of my family and friend’s favorite. In fact, I have to make several containers to share with my friends to take home to enjoy. It is such a great recipe with simple ingredients and it definitely beats the store bought eggnog. I hope that a Vegan version of this comes out so that I can make it for my sister who is Vegan. This is a great recipe! Highly recommend every eggnog lover try it!
Happy to hear this eggnog recipe has become a holiday tradition now! Can’t beat a homemade version.
Hi Lisa
Thanks so much for your detailed recipe in the four minute rule on the Vitamix. Wanted to let you know that coconut milk is your best bet but a little light cream along with it if you’re tolerable is delicious as well
I like to top mine off with just a sprinkle of CLOVES, an added layer of flavor makes it super delicious and is always a big hit.
Your recipes are always easy to follow and delicious. This eggnog will be added to our Christmas traditions. Thank you for sharing!
I’m happy to hear you love them, Kim!
This is hands down the best eggnog recipe I have ever tasted in my life. I will never drink store bought again. WOW. 🤩. (I used grass fed milk and cream and omitted the alcohol to make it family friendly – going to try it dairy free for the extended family on new years). Thank you so so much!
Hi Laura – You can’t beat homemade eggnog! Glad the whole family enjoyed this.
This doesn’t need cooking to prevent salmonella?
Hi Deborah – The eggs will cook to safe temperature when blended in the Vitamix.
This recipe was easy to follow and the eggnog turned out so delicious. I used 1/2 cup of brandy and no rum 😁 Thank you Lisa!
Hi Eva – I’m happy you loved it!
So I don’t like eggnog, well not commercial ones, but this one is WOW! This is so easy to make, and so delicious. This recipe will become part of our holiday rotation. Huge hit that everyone enjoyed! Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks so much!
Yay, so happy you loved this eggnog recipe, Alison! And I agree, the homemade version tastes nothing like the store-bought version, it’s far more delicious. Enjoy!
Lisa, Wow!
Eggnog was delicious!! It doesn’t even compare to the boxed stuff.
I was very skeptical to tell you the truth.
My guests and family said the texture is so smooth, they loved it.
Unbelievable, thank you so much for the recipe
Happy Holidays to you!!
Thanks so much, Lou! I’m thrilled you and your family loved this eggnog recipe. Happy holidays to you as well!
Just made this (non alcoholic) to have ready for Christmas Eve drinks tomorrow and it turned out great! Can’t wait to taste it again once it’s chilled. Tomorrow I plan to make a second non dairy option to compare as well.
Thank you Lisa and Merry Christmas!
So happy you loved it, Hilary! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas as well!
Just made this for the first time, omg, this is delicious. I left the alcohol out, that can be added individually by whomever wants it.
We have a local dairy that makes the best commercial Eggnog, Lochmead Farms, but my local Dairy Mart is out of stock until Christmas morning. I knew Pinterest would have recipes for Eggnog, I was so happy to find this one using the Vitamix, it took 10 minutes to make including cleaning up afterwards.
Hi Susan – welcome to Downshiftology! So thrilled you found this recipe on pinterest and loved the eggnog. It really is super easy with a high-powered blender. Enjoy!
I didn’t realize making eggnog could be this easy without compromising the taste-so delicious. I’ve already been asked to make this every Christmas now!
Yes, it’s so easy! I’m glad you love it too, Jackie!
Can you recommend a sweetener other than maple syrup? I adore this recipe as-is, unfortunately my wife HATES the taste of maple, so this doesn’t work at all for her. :(
You could use honey as well. Enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe! I halved it just in case it wasn’t a hit ~ but it was! So creamy and delicious. I made it alcohol free so the kiddos could enjoy and added a splash of spiced rum in my glass. Superb!
So happy to hear it was a hit, Shawna!
WOW!!! I made this at Noon today and couldn’t wait a full 3 hours for it to chill in the fridge, so tried it after 2 hours – absolutely DELICIOUS! I’m so happy to find such a fabulous recipe that is so EASY to prepare. So happy that I bought a Vitamix high speed blender 12 years ago. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe Lisa. I’m making a number of your recipes for Christmas dinner.
Haha, I love that you took an early sip just to make sure! It really is such a fabulous Christmas drink, and I hope you enjoy the rest of it. Merry Christmas, Judy!
Merry Christmas, Lisa. Thank you for this recipe, can’t wait to make it.
Question – how long will this keep in the fridge. Don’t want to make it too soon and have it go bad on me :-)
Hi Louise – it will last for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Hope you enjoy it and very Merry Christmas!
If there are more than 2 people in the house it will last a day or less. This is a million zillion times better than the store bought. 🤩 (I just made it and it was so yummy the kids couldn’t even wait for it to chill, I’m going to need to make a second batch for the chia eggnog pudding). 💖
I was nervous about making eggnog the non traditional way but this worked out beautifully! Highly recommended
Woot! So happy you loved it!
I just made half of your recipe – OMG – so good!!! I love my Vitamix, still going strong since 2011!
My best friend has been buying eggnog – it uses whole egg powder and milk powders! As well as food colouring to make it yellow.
This recipe is soooo much better 😋
Yay, I’m glad you loved it! And yes, it tastes so much better than anything you can buy in a store. And with a much cleaner ingredient list!
If you only use 1/4 cup of maple syrup (1/2 of what is called for) will it keep the eggs from tempering properly? Thanks! I’m excited to try this out.
Hi Linda – I don’t believe so, though I haven’t tried it so I can’t say definitively.
Is there a non alcoholic version for this?
Hi Lina – You can simply omit the alcohol!
Best eggnog I have ever made, and using the vitamix makes it so easy.
Hi Brenda – The Vitamix is key for a perfectly smooth eggnog! Happy to hear you love this recipe.
Second year making this eggnog for the holidays! Absolutely delicious! I didn’t like eggnog until I tried the homemade version.
Hi Luciana – Sometimes it just takes a good recipe to make you a convert! ;) Happy you love it!
With why don’t cook your eggs in your eggnog! It’s confusing 😕 ? Why you don’t cook them! 😕
Hi Susan – if you read the post above, you’ll see that the eggs are “cooked” in my eggnog. ;)