After all these years, I felt it was time to write down and share my delicious holiday eggnog recipe. 10 years ago, when I started making nog as a holiday tradition, there were only a handful of recipes out there on the interwebs. These days you are inundated with what seems to be endless recipes and opinions of what’s the best. What’s the best way to do the eggs, do I cook them or not cook them, can I do this fast or should I let it sit, what’s the best alcohol to use, how do I make it healthier? Well I am not here to tell you what’s best, and this is definitely not a healthy version of the holiday favorite. I just wanted to share my recipe for what I feel is the most delicious eggnog…ever. I got here by sampling different methods from a slew of different recipes, and eventually settling on my own delicious concoction.

Now, I do have a few recommendations within this recipe, but you can take it or leave it. I suggest using pasteurized eggs just as a safer option since there is no heating involved in this recipe. Problem is that pasteurized eggs can be hard to find, so the highest quality organic eggs would be second best. I also am suggesting a mix of bourbon and brandy because I think it tastes best, but if those alcohols don’t agree with you, spiced rum is also a popular option. Lastly, I suggest leaving the initial mixture (as outlined below) to sit for 24 hours before folding in your egg whites. If you’re the impatient type, or didn’t give yourself enough time, letting it sit for a minimum of 3-12 hours is acceptable, it just won’t be as tasty.

Ingredients

• 12 Eggs
• 1½ Cups Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Nutmeg (freshly grated)
• 2 Cups Bourbon
• 1 Cup Brandy
• 4 Cups Whole Milk
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream

Instructions

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Set the whites aside in the refrigerator for later and add the yolks to a large bowl
2. Add the sugar and salt to the yolks and whisk until the yolks are thick and pale yellow and the sugar has completely dissolved
3. Stir vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg into the eggs
4. Whisk in the bourbon and brandy. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours (or as long as you can)
5. After 24 hours, stir the milk & cream into the boozy egg yolks
6. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them into the eggnog, then return to the refrigerator and chill before serving
7. Mix well before serving, grate fresh nutmeg over each cup, and enjoy!

*This recipe makes about 3 quarts of eggnog, so if you are looking for a smaller batch, just cut everything in half and it will still come out great!

Notes

My suggested 3 cups of alcohol will result in a tipsy fuddle boozy nog that should give you that perfect holiday buzz. If you prefer your beverage to be a bit less powerful, try using 1½ cups of bourbon and ½ cup of brandy. You can also choose to be more aggressive, if that’s how you role, but I find 3 cups of booze is the sweet spot for this recipe. Remember, you can always add alcohol to your glass if you want a little more horsepower.

I also love to use it to make eggnog french toast on Christmas morning. I usually pour a cup or however much I need into a bowl and whip an extra egg into it before dipping in the bread. Sprinkle a little cinnamon onto it and your in business.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!!