The Simple Way to Make Homemade Eggnog

No separating or beating egg whites or whipping cream—this is truly the simple way to make deliciously smooth, classic eggnog.

All you need is a blender and 10 minutes of prep to get the holiday cheer rolling! For even safer sipping, you can give the eggnog a few weeks to age in your fridge.

Eggnog That Isn’t Too Thick or Too Sweet

This recipe comes from Gary, our daughter’s father-in-law, who knows how to make some seriously delicious eggnog. He brought this smooth, velvety drink to our Christmas party and I was impressed by the texture and flavor!

Rum, Brandy, and Bourbon bring all the spike you could want in this creamy, egg-rich drink, with the perfect thickness (viscosity).

Yes, I said it, the perfect thickness, in my opinion.

It’s actually the thick texture and cloying sweetness of store-bought eggnog that turned me off to this holiday treat long ago. I would also avoid eggnog at parties because it was so filling it would ruin my appetite for food (and you know I love eating!). 

A smooth, velvety drink that won’t leave you too full to enjoy dinner or make you feel like you’re drinking dessert.

If you’ve been around Savoring Today for a while, you know we usually make healthier recipes and avoid processed sugar. In this case, I’m sharing the recipe just like I received it as we tend to make a few compromises during the holidays. So if you’d like to switch out the sugar for clean eating options, see the Recipe Variations in the recipe.

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Is homemade eggnog with raw eggs safe to drink?

Classic or traditional homemade eggnog recipes include raw eggs. I have read dozens of articles about the safety of making raw, uncooked eggnog and have come to the conclusion it depends on who you trust. Do you trust a university lab experiment? Is it the FDA or the CDC you look to for the final word on food safety? Or maybe it’s the personal experience of chugging your uncle’s Christmas nog for 30 years without a hitch? 

Safe means different things to different people, so I’ll provide the facts as well as recommendations regarding how to reduce the risks, and let you decide your own safety tolerance. 

Since I’m sharing a recipe that includes uncooked eggs (like our awesome Caesar dressing) I think you can guess we are okay with drinking raw eggnog. However, I also have a cooked version for serving larger parties because the only way to be 100% sure to destroy Salmonella bacteria is to cook eggs to 160°F.

Important considerations regarding the risks of consuming raw eggs:

• Live poultry can carry bacteria such as Salmonella, which can contaminate the inside of eggs even before the shells are formed. This means any eggs, including pasture-raised, organic, free-range, or farm-fresh, could harbor bacteria and washing the eggs does not eliminate it. 
• Salmonella can make anyone sick, but young children, older adults, pregnant women, and anyone with a weakened immune system are particularly vulnerable.
• This statement, “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that approximately 79,000 people experience a food-related illness each year, with 30 of them dying, from salmonella bacteria found in raw eggs” has been passed around since 2010. All links to FDA documentation regarding these reported numbers no longer work and there is no updated information. It was 2010 when the FDA issued new regulations regarding egg safety, so it would be nice to know if the numbers have changed. Also important to note is most of these illnesses were linked to eating uncooked egg dishes at restaurants where large numbers of eggs are pooled. 
• Cooks Illustrated confirmed the premise of an experiment done by Vince Fischetti and Raymond Schuch at New York City’s Rockefeller University which was covered in detail by Forbes in 2013 regarding the beneficial effects of aging eggnog. Evidently, when eggnog is at least 14% alcohol and allowed to age in the refrigerator for 3 weeks, the alcohol sterilizes the eggs. Note that differing percentages are used (between 14-20%) regarding the amount of alcohol needed to render the eggnog sterile.
• Commercial pasteurization of both (in the shell) eggs and (liquid) egg products destroys Salmonella that might be present. Pasteurized shell eggs or egg products sold at supermarkets will be specifically marked as “pasteurized”. 

Raw Egg Safety Tips

• Don’t buy or use eggs with a cracked shell.
• Don’t eat raw eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
• Once eggs have been washed or refrigerated they should remain refrigerated at 40° F or below.
• Store eggs in the main body of the refrigerator in the original carton and not on the door.
• Store raw eggs removed from shell at 40° F or below for up to 4 days, or freeze for long term storage. See our How Do I Freeze That? Guide for best freezer storage.
• Farm fresh eggs that have never been washed or refrigerated can be stored on the counter for up to 2 weeks. 
• Wash hands and all utensils that come in contact with raw eggs.

How long will homemade raw eggnog keep in the fridge?

These are common guidelines, not a guarantee of safety. See the safety considerations listed above.

• Raw eggnog without alcohol—Store at 40° F or below for up to 3 days.
• Raw eggnog with less than 14% alcohol content—Store at 40° F or below for up to 3 days.
• Raw eggnog with 14% or more alcohol content—Store at 40° F or below for up to 3 days or wait 2 to 3 weeks before serving (3 weeks is the safer bet).

Raw eggs should be treated with care to reduce risk as much as possible. Recommended storage ranges from 3 days to weeks or months, depending on the alcohol content. This is Forbes article indicates waiting at least 3 weeks before serving, as long as the alcohol content is at least 20% and it is stored in the fridge. 

Cooks Illustrated tested an aged eggnog (14% alcohol) recipe (3 weeks) and agreed it was safe to drink as long as the recipe you use includes 1.5 ounces 80 proof liquor for every egg and leaving out the dairy until serving.

Some chefs, bartenders, and home cooks recommend keeping the boozier version in their refrigerator a year or more, which I’m sure is a matter of taste as well as bragging rights. Personally, I can’t think of anything in a half-gallon container that I only drink once a year worthy of taking up room in my fridge for a whole year, but that’s just me. 

Our Homemade Eggnog recipe below contains a little more than 14% alcohol so we enjoy it within 3 days, or wait 3 weeks before serving. *Important: If you have any concerns about food safety, use our cooked custard-style recipe instead.

Do I have to add alcohol to eggnog?

No, you do not have to add alcohol to eggnog. However, I do recommend trying one of these non-alcoholic alternatives rather than just leaving it out.

One reason is the alcohol is part of the volume of liquid that thins the mixture and gives it a better texture. The second reason is all rich foods (and drinks) are more enjoyable when acid is used to balance the flavor and lift any heaviness on the palate.

It’s the subtle “bite” or finish of the alcohol in eggnog that keeps it from tasting heavy or cloying. You could also add a dash or two of fresh lemon juice as a substitute for alcohol, but take care to only add enough to “lift” the flavor without tasting lemony (unless you like lemon eggnog).

Also, note that raw eggnog will not last as long in the refrigerator without alcohol.

Substitutions for alcohol in eggnog

While I have not personally tried all of these non-alcoholic options, I have selected the ones with very positive reviews. A quick look at the review comments will let you know which substitution might best fit your taste. 

Non-alcoholic Substitutes for Rum or Brandy:

• Lyre’s Dark Cane Spirit for notes of caramel, fudge, fig, toasted nuts are enhanced by maple and vanilla. (1:1 per the recipe)
• Lyre’s Amaretti for an almond flavor, tangy with spice to keep the nutty and candied vanilla flavors medium-sweet. (1:1 per the recipe)
• Beanilla’s Brandy Flavoring boasts flavors of oak, pear, wine and caramel. (substitute 1 1/4 teaspoons of Beanilla’s Natural Brandy Flavor in place of 2 tablespoons of brandy). Note: Brandy flavoring is not completely alcohol-free, but far less than regular brandy. The thickness may also need to be adjusted with a bit of water.
• Create an alcohol-free rum substitute at home using this Cooks Illustrated recipe. 

Non-alcoholic Substitutes for Bourbon:

• Spiritless Kentucky 74 which was named Best Non-Alcoholic Spirit and won a gold medal in the second annual L.A. Spirits Awards. In full disclosure, it does contain 0.5% alcohol (by comparison, pure vanilla extract contains 35% alcohol).

TIP: It is important to taste any non-alcoholic alternatives before adding to the eggnog so you can adjust the sugar or vanilla in the recipe if needed.

Homemade Eggnog Step by Step (It’s so EASY!)

1. Blend eggs 2 minutes until light yellow.
2. Add sugar, vanilla, salt and blend again to combine.
3. Pour into a 2-quart glass jar.
4. Add rum, brandy, bourbon, and half & half.
5. Screw on lid and shake well.
6. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and enjoy within 3 days (see more safe storage info here)

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How to Serve Homemade Eggnog

Homemade raw eggnog should be kept refrigerated and served cold.

• If you’re planning to serve it over a period of time longer than 2 hours, keep it on ice.
• Serve in a punch bowl nested in ice to keep it cold. (This salad bowl would work too!)
• Offer smaller cups or larger 3 ounce shot glasses as most guests appreciate small samples of richer foods.
• Get creative and festive by serving eggnog in martini, coupe, or Scotch glasses.
• Serve plain or over ice with freshly zested nutmeg, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice.
• Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, cocoa powder, or toasted coconut.
• Freeze in individual ramekins and serve as a slushy-type dessert.
• To serve eggnog warm, try our cooked eggnog recipe.

Eggnog Recipe Variations

• Cook the egg mixture for a custard-style nog for added safety
• Rum, brandy, or bourbon can be substituted with any favorite 80 proof alcohol
• Substitute alcohol with non-alcoholic spirits; taste to adjust sugar if needed
• Substitute alcohol with extracts or flavorings; adjust viscosity with water
• Substitute alcohol with flavored alcohols like Salted Caramel Whiskey for an added twist
• Make a clean eating version with honey or maple syrup in place of the sugar
• Freeze leftover eggnog to make a yummy after dinner slushie (alcohol makes this possible—photo below)

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