Egg Nog (Base Recipe)

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Tequila-Sherry Egg Nog

Well, folks, it’s time of year again. I repost this recipe every year because I’m a man on a mission. You see, I love egg nog, but I can’t stand the thick, gelatinous goop they sell at the grocery store. Even if you were to cut it with alcohol, it’s still so overly-pasteurized and full of preservatives that it would be anything but enjoyable to slug down at a Christmas party. So a few years ago, I set about concocting the simplest, tastiest Egg Nog recipe I could, and after many trials and errors, here’s what I came up with.


In terms of cocktail history, Egg Nog is nothing more than a brandy or rum (or both) flip made with the addition of cream or milk. The 1862 Bar-Tender’s Guide by Jerry Thomas calls for a nog made up of a tablespoon of bar sugar, a tablespoon of water, a whole egg, cognac, rum and milk, shaken and strained, with some nutmeg grated on top. The problem I have with Thomas’ recipe is all the extra water that comes from the melting of the ice, not to mention that extra half ounce he calls for. Watery egg nog, anyone? Yeah, no thanks.

So I did a lot of research, in cookbooks and on the web, and tried a bunch of different recipes and methods. Some called for cooking the eggs into sort of a custard, but that’s a heck of a lot of work and results in something that can only be described as thick glop. Others required separating the eggs, beating them independently, and folding them together. But again, it’s too thick,  I’m too lazy, and I think that fluffy texture you get doesn’t make for a very good cocktail, which I always want to be silky-smooth.

This is the recipe I devised (see at the bottom of the post). It can be made in just about any home or bar, since the ingredients are fairly simple. It can be done entirely in a blender, so there are no whisks or beaters or rubber spatulas or stovetops needed. It yields two healthy servings, so you can easily multiply it to serve more. It doesn’t use a ton of heavy cream, so it’s fairly light. In other words, it’s practically perfect.

One note about blenders. This recipe works great in home blenders, but the commercial models are designed to heat whatever they’re blending, which can result in scrambled eggs by the time you get around to the sugar. If you’re using a Vita-Mix or similar commercial blender, cut that initial blend time down to a quarter minute or so, or if your blender is multi-speed, set it to the lowest possible setting.

Another note: I removed the original 3 teaspoons of grated nutmeg from the original recipe many years ago, and updated this post to reflect that in 2018. It doesn’t do anything worthwhile having the nutmeg in the batch, it’s plenty to just grate it on top. Also, getting rid of it means it doesn’t settle to the bottom and you won’t have to shake the Eggnog every time you want to serve it. If this bothers you, feel free to add it back in. But trust me on this one, it’s better without it. Just grate a little on top and serve.


Clyde Common’s Añejo Tequila and Amontillado Sherry Egg Nog

Our tequila-sherry egg nog at Clyde Common has been so overwhelmingly popular over the years that I figured I’d share the recipe. It was originally included in this post, but now I’ve moved it to its own page so you can print it out for your own use.


I’m honored to say that my eggnog recipe is featured in the New York Times Cookbook, one of the bibles of cooking out there. Amanda Hesser did a beautiful job of re-presenting Craig Claiborne’s original 1961 edition and updating it with some more current recipes and techniques. I’m proud to say that my recipe is featured alongside Craig’s, as a sort of modern interpretation of the older technique. Pick up a copy here, it’s indispensable in any kitchen.

Egg Nog Print Me

  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 oz/90 ml (by volume) superfine or baker's sugar (NOT powdered!)
  • 2 oz/60 ml brandy
  • 2 oz/60 ml spiced rum (I use Sailor Jerry’s)
  • 6 oz/180 ml whole milk
  • 4 oz/120 ml heavy cream
  • Whole nutmeg cloves, for garnish
  1. Beat eggs in blender for one minute on medium speed.
  2. Slowly add sugar and blend for one additional minute.
  3. With blender still running, add brandy, rum, milk and cream until combined.
  4. Chill thoroughly to allow flavors to combine and serve in chilled wine glasses or champagne coupes, grating nutmeg on top immediately before serving.

Recipe printed courtesy of jeffreymorgenthaler.com

172 Replies to “Egg Nog (Base Recipe)”

  • Annie says:

    I make this every year with Writer’s Tears, scale it way up, and serve it at midnight at our annual holiday party. It’s the best. Thank you!

  • Michael says:

    Hello Jeffrey! I’m really excited to try making this egg nog. I’ve noticed a lot of recipes call for just using egg yolks. For clarification purposes, do you go ahead and use the entire egg? Thank you for sharing all this wonderful information!

  • K says:

    Hi there! Trying to replicate this recipe but I cannot find “heavy cream” in my area, only whipping cream (36% fat)

    May I know the fat % for the cream to be used in this recipe?

  • Sterling Hooten says:

    Jeffrey,
    I’ve been using your recipe for over ten years now. It’s simple, scalable, and scrumptious. Thanks for updating and congrats on the publication.

  • Jesse says:

    Thanks for the reply (to which I’m also trying to reply but I don’t know if it’ll just be a new comment…) and the tip on the milk substitute. Never seen that up here in Canada but I’m sure we have an equivalent. Also have seen some coconut-derived heavy cream which might be worth a try.

    Re: the bactericidal aspect, I found an interesting video of some microbiologists adding salmonella to their lab’s nog recipe, and at three weeks, the colonies all disappeared. If my numbers are right though, theirs is more than twice as boozy as yours – likely crucial! Here’s the video https://youtu.be/GeDhjN8dYYE

  • Jesse says:

    Hello again Jeffrey. Thanks for this; always always been my favourite drink. Hoping to make it this fall but a, curious about the following:

    This recipe matches the one by you featured on the Daily Beast, but there’s another on your site which seems to be for a single serving and calls for rich syrup and no heavy cream. Are they different by design, or is one the evolution of the other?

    Also, not sure if you’ll know but if I were to use non dairy milk (and possibly egg substitute), could they be swapped without modifying the amounts or would I need to tweak? I’m assuming it’s mostly about the final fat content re: milk and I’m hoping to get a farmer at market who will sell me happy chicken eggs which don’t make me sick (bad luck lately).

    Speaking of which…know if the alcohol would kill any pathogens already in the eggs, or only keep them from spoiling? Thanks as always ☺️

    • The single use recipe uses simple syrup since it’s not being made in a blender or stand mixer, and we want the sugar to incorporate into the drink. The milk was a typo, I’ve changed it to half-and-half to more accurately reflect the sorts of ingredients used in a typical bar.

      The alcohol will prevent spoilage but I do not believe it will kill pathogens. But that is outside my realm of understanding so you’ll want to check with a real food scientist.

      As for milk substitute, I’d consider trying the full-fat version of Oatly Oat Milk.

  • Michael from Florida says:

    Hey Jeffrey

    This is so random but I was Jonesing for some egg nog and made this version. You’re the man!!

  • Joe says:

    Hi Jeffrey,

    Thanks for this amazing recipe. I tried the tequila/sherry version for the first time this year and am not (yet) sold on it, but I’ve been making and passing out quart bottles of the original recipe to friends and colleagues for years now. One year I made close to 10 gallons of the stuff! I was buying milk jars (I use Bormioli Rocco) by the case.

    I do have a few questions. You make several references to aging in your tequila/sherry post, but not here. May we assume that this version ages just as well? Although I have never had any complaints, I must admit feeling a bit nervous giving out this drink to co-workers. I’ve always advised them to keep it cold and drink it promptly… knowing the alcohol preserves the dairy well enough to last for years would make me worry less about salmonella.

    Also, do you have a favorite brandy for this recipe? I’ve been using Hennessy VS, which is delicious but spendy.

    Why not powdered sugar? It seems to me it would dissolve as well or better than baker’s. I’ve never been able to get my hands on superfine.

    Finally, although I started off following the recipe to the letter, in recent years I have taken to substituting half and half for the heavy cream, thereby altering the dairy ratios a bit. I find it makes the resulting drink even lighter. I sincerely hope that I will not be excommunicated for this sacrilege.

    • Hey Joe

      Yes, both alcoholic versions of my eggnog will last nearly forever under refrigeration. There is a law of diminishing return, however, and I’ve found that most eggnogs aren’t that much better after a month or so. But don’t worry about spoiling, outside of the normal precautions one should take when ingesting raw eggs.

      I typically use Korbel brandy for this one. I don’t know if cognac is really all that necessary.

      And finally, powdered sugar contains corn starch to help keep it from clumping, which makes for a slimy texture when used in cocktails. Save it for the homemade desserts.

  • Alan Moss says:

    Have you ever tried an Absinthe Eggnog? Definitely not just for Christmas!

    I was interested to read about the Clyde Common recipe because that partly inspired another Absinthe Eggnog creation by an Instagram friend. See: https://www.instagram.com/p/CWjbGkgLUGO/

  • Sean W says:

    Delicious!

    Did a first batch with all Old Grand-Dad 114 (decreased the amount of booze from 4oz to 2 + 2/3oz to account for the higher proof), now doing one with half OGD and half Salignac cognac, which tastes a bit smoother.

    Only tip I’d add is to include a small pinch of salt when blending, really makes the flavors pop!

  • Kyle says:

    I’ve made the base recipe with spiced rum and brandy for years and it’s always been a hit. This year was the first year I was making it for my father in law, who happens to be lactose intolerant. I subbed in oat milk and oat creamer with the same proportions as above, and cut the sugar back to 2oz since there was already a little sugar in the oat milk. It was a hit! We’ve gone through several batches over the last several days! Thanks for this awesome, versatile recipe Jeffrey!

  • David Peer says:

    So remember in that book you wrote – that truly excellent book you wrote – you said to use half-and-half whenever a recipe calls for heavy cream? Not THIS recipe though, right? Because there’s whipping going on?

    • This is a very different drink, though the combination of heavy cream and milk is very similar to half-and-half. 60-40, to be exact. If you want to substitute all of the cream and all of the milk for an equal measure of half and half it’ll be close, but not exactly as I intended.

  • Jake Rouse says:

    Oh man… this is simply the best. Original amazing. I have been using old forester and smith and cross for the last couple batches, also delish. Thanks so much for figure this out. Jake.

  • George says:

    Hi Jeff,
    Hopefully a couple of quick comments and questions.

    First, I love your tequila/sherry nog, which has been my standby ever since I won a regional eggnog contest here in Colorado.

    Second, in making eggnog for the family, they are not as keen on the tequila as I am, and want to try your traditional recipe. I would like to swap out the tequila and sherry for the brandy and spiced rum. Can I use the Tequila/Sherry recipe and just substitute the brandy and spiced rum? If so, I have been keen on Copper and Kings Kentucky brandy, but would you have any suggestions for the type of brandy?

    I hope all’s well, and thank you again for your great recipes!

  • Mike K says:

    Thank you for the great recipes and inspiration!

    Was hoping to make a batch this upcoming holiday season and am having a VERY hard time finding Amontillado. (Trying to stick to curbside doesn’t allow for any perusing) I was wondering if you could recommend an acceptable substitute?

    Thanks and take care.

  • Timpranillo says:

    Jeffrey – I know you’ve said that the Teq/Sherry batch was intended to be the first of a rotating selection of nogs at Clyde. Did you already have a collection of different recipes planned when you released this, or were you still working on what was (theoretically at least) next?

    I’m intrigued by the thought of using the homemade Nocino I made but I’m dreading/thrilled by the thought of the color…

  • Mark – Leave the ratios alone.

  • Mark Williams says:

    Dear Jeffrey,

    When making a large batch of the eggnog, would you adjust the ratios of the ingredients or leave them as is?

  • Stephanie says:

    This is the eggnog of my dreams. So easy and so freakin good, man (this is why I have chickens in my backyard!). Who waits 24 hours to drink it?

  • Olle Areskoug says:

    Dear Jeffrey,

    The time has come for the annual nog.
    I found out about your recipe on How to drink on youtube, quick shoutout.
    The recipe is stunning, been drinking flips all year awaiting this beautiful season of ours.
    I myself love to include some grated nutmeg in the drink as well, but that’s just me. Try it out.
    Cheers for the perfect recipe.

    Have a good one, merry christmas.

    Best regards,
    Olle

  • elle says:

    Hey there, it’s that time of year again. If ur still around, my question is – If Im only using rum and no sherry for the regular nog, do I double the amount of rum…or…?

  • Bob Miller says:

    This is an awesome recipe – I’ve been using it for a few years now to rave reviews. I hope you keep up the website! By the way, what is with this “aged eggnog” thing? Hipster fad or significant improvement?

  • JT says:

    Jeff, I have loved all your recipes so far thank you for your generosity in posting them.

    I did have a question about your eggnog recipe. It reads like you are supposed to add the half teaspoon of nutmeg directly to the mix instead of reserving it just for the finish dusting. If this is so isn’t there a problem with the nutmeg failing to dissolve and settling out of the mixture? Perhaps using a very fine grind would help?

    Anyway, thanks again and happy holidays.

  • Andrew says:

    Jeff, I’m a huge fan of your work, but I’m going to have to disagree with your method here.

    What you’ve described is just an anglaise, but made with a little bit less control.

    For anyone having problems with this technique, here are a couple videos for you.

    The first is the more traditional way here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1aV9zd0XEo

    The second way is faster, but more prone to user error. If you don’t constantly whisk you might run into some problems. The addition of salt and them pointing out the finishing temp is ideal, and why I like this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOrc9E3VCbk

    Don’t worry too much about the vanilla bean in these recipes. They are expensive and not worth it in my opinion. The difference between them and a high quality vanilla extract won’t be noticeable in the finished cocktail and I think that the vanilla bean seeds would actually detract from the look of the drink.

    Love your work though, Jeff. I’m a huge fan of your book.

    • Andrew – Thanks for the videos, but the method I’ve described here is nothing like a Creme Anglais. It is literally a Flip, with the addition of cream and milk. There is no heat applied to Egg Nog, nor should there ever be.

  • Eric says:

    Near the end of 2015 and people are still finding and making this!

    Just in case anyone’s still coming here, I was wondering if I’m doing anything wrong since I’m getting a skin/foam forming on top, and lots of little tiny curds. Blending on the lowest setting.

    Is there a way to avoid that, or is it just something you have to skim off before serving?

  • Timo says:

    This is a kick-ass receipe. A kick-ass receipe.

    Like others, I too would recommend using less sugar, though.

    The merriest of christmases to y’all!

  • Pearsall Smith says:

    Jeffrey- discovered your recipe last year and found it to be the most fantastic egg nog ever! I’ve never been able to stomach the store-bought versions. An adult milkshake!

    Lacking the Sailor Jerry’s, I threw in some dark rum from Highwire Distillery here in Charleston. Fantastic!

  • Cory says:

    I’ve made this a year or 2 ago, but now I’m making a gallon batch next week. I have spiced rum and no brandy – would this work out ok? Would some Amarula I have in my fridge make a (better) difference? Or Jack Daniel’s Honey? Just wondering if you had any input – I think the JD Honey would make it good. And Amarula already has cream…

  • Tammy and Alison – Of course. Just make sure you keep it refrigerated at all times.

  • Alison says:

    I just read through the comments looking for the same info as Tammy is. I’m inclined to try, but don’t want to be short staffed in the New Year.

  • Tammy says:

    I was wondering if I could use this recipe for bottling the eggnogg to pass out as gifts for the office? I love it and know everyone would too.
    thanks!

  • MixiPixie says:

    I have just discovered this site and presently have six tabs open! I love eggnog and am curious to try this recipe-glad to see others have substituted many alcohols.A friend of mine who grew up in the South jokingly told me once, in her best exaggerated accent, something to the effect of “no one who knew anything about eggnog would dream of putting anything but bourbon in it.” I’ve never made it any other way since. I also saw a super-simple recipe in a cooking magazine once that called for just “tempering” the eggs to a safe temp. Even if the alcohol-egg idea is 100% I wouldn’t try to serve anyone raw eggs, although I’m fine with them. Can’t wait to compare all the ideas.

  • Mary says:

    I too found this doing a search for a Vitamix eggnog recipe, and oh my goodness – it’s the best eggnog I’ve ever had, as well as the easiest recipe for it! I used 6 oz. of lowfat milk and 4 oz. of heavy cream, no alcohol, a splash of vanilla, and the taste and consistency are just perfect. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!

  • Happier Holidays says:

    Was looking for a quick eggnog recipe for my new 10 speed Vitamix and found this. It blended beautifully; simple with easy cleanup. Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much!!

  • Cory says:

    This is genius – I can get lazy making cocktails too; even shaking drinks is a pain. But, yeah, I’ve tried it and loved it. Made it with both rum/brand and just rum, and both are great. Might experiment with other liquors and see what comes of it – like amaretto or something. Cheers!

  • Paul Dow says:

    JM,
    I’m an egg nog freak myself, so this post was exciting to find. I don’t know if you’ve worked with Brinley Gold Shipwreck spiced rum, but just wanted to throw it out as another excellent spiced rum on the market.

    Cheers and Happy New Years!

  • Mike_D says:

    It’s Mike checking in again as I’m in need of some good egg nog. Thanks again! 🙂

  • Chris Tolles says:

    Jeffrey, would you agree that Kraken rum is a good alternative to SJ’s?

    Also for those with a limited sweet tooth, 2/3 the recommended sugar is a great compromise…

  • Joelle says:

    We do eat eggs, but no dairy, so I changed this up a bit with fantastic results. I cut the sugar for my own taste to 2oz, too. Instead of milk, I used unsweetened plain almond milk, and for the cream I used coconut milk coffee creamer. It is chilling now, but initial tast-testing proved very positive! Thanks.

  • CambodianGalNY says:

    Thanks for the quick reply! I think I will just have to make the EB version for hubby and your recipe to have for myself! He-he! 😀

  • CambodianGalNY says:

    Hey Jeffrey, Came across this recipe while searching for the “best eggnog recipe” online. Firstly, thanks for providing such an easy recipe. Totally plan on making this, but was curious if you or anyone else have ever tried it with Egg Beaters Original? Hopefully, no one will want to ‘beat’ me for even asking, but looking to cut down on cholesterol for hubby’s sake and still enjoy a glass of nog! It may not even be possible for it to even work, but any suggestions to tweak it a bit with the change and still have a decent result would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

    • CambodianGalNY – Yeah, I’ve tried it. It tastes, well, about as good as anything else made with Egg Beaters. If it’s the difference between having nog and not having nog, I guess I’d rather have the nog and suffer through the Egg Beaters. Ya know?

  • Peter Boothe says:

    This egg-nog is freaking delicious, and won the family taste test for two years in a row. This year, everyone just requested that we forgo the taste test and only make this one.

    Thanks for a great recipe!

  • SeanMike says:

    A pregnant friend of mine just informed me that her first post-birth drink must be this eggnog.

    DAMN YOU J-MO! No, wait…errr, I mean, thanks!

  • Ryan says:

    Was just directed to this site by my brother, who had tried the recipe and loved it. He did recommend cutting the sugar to 2oz. I’ve made this recipe three times this season, and it is the best eggnog I’ve ever tasted. One batch I did substitute whiskey for the brandy, which worked in a pinch. And chilling for at least a few hours is definitely essential for best flavor. Anyways, very impressed with the recipe, looking forward to trying a few more things from your site!

  • jellydonut says:

    This recipe may be good, but it’s got ways to go until it reaches the echelon of Evernog.

    http://infoarsenal.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Make-Evernog

  • PaigeAllicat says:

    Jeff,

    This eggnog recipe has fueled my holiday glee for three years running. I make it exactly as you have written it and can now whip up a batch from memory.

    Last year I made a gallon or so of this amazing stuff and took it to a workplace “Nog Off”. You got all the credit for the recipe of course, and your version won hands down.

    This year’s first batch got drunk while I trimmed the tree, and I’ll be bringing a pitcher or two of this delicious eggnog to my family’s Stocking Fest. I’ve been talking it up since last year and they’re all excited to try it. I know it’ll be a big hit.

    Thank you for this perfect eggnog recipe!

  • Dan says:

    Thank you for the recipe. I turned the sugar down to 1/4 cup to fit my own taste. It’s been a hit!

  • Caleb says:

    Just want to say, I made this for a party and it was delicious and we plowed through it. I I multiplied this recipe by six for twelve “healthy” servings and everyone loved it. Balanced, perfect amount of booze, not sickly heavy because of the milk. Great recipe, thanks!

  • Elizabeth says:

    Delicious! I was even able to cut back the alcohol to 2 oz and it was goooooood. I used 1/2 and 1/2 of Hennessy VS Cognac and Myers’s Dark Rum, because that was all I had. I didn’t even put the nutmeg in the mix, but grated it on the top after. Chilled or straight out of the blender, it was still great!

  • Daniel says:

    Just made a batch and is hands down the best eggnog I have ever had. With this recipe I will be crowned king of Thanksgiving.

  • Mike says:

    I’ve made this eggnog for the past 2 Christmas seasons and everyone loves it, even those who generally don’t care for eggnog. Thanks for sharing your results. Looking forward to making this again this year. 🙂

  • Tracy says:

    Just made this for the 2’nd year in a row – in prep for Thanksgiving. I love how the flavors meld and it develops a viscosity over time that allows me to be satisfied with a smaller serving (which makes it last longer). I’ve also been using it in holiday recipes that call for eggnog, the flavor is far superior in confections and baked goods to the commercial stuff.

  • A. Nuran says:

    More to the point, it’s part of a very long tradition of milk and egg based drinks. Look at old formularies and receipt books or cookbooks and confectionery manuals from the last five hundred years. There are all sorts of caudles, possets, flips, bishops, creams and so on. Some are alcoholic. Some are not. Eggnog is just the last and, if you drink the pisswasser that comes in a carton, least of them.

  • Clark Chesser says:

    Jeff, I made this for the 2nd year in a row from your recipe. I love the simplicity of this version…I never had the patience for separating eggs, and folding in the whipped egg whites. This has become a new Christmas tradition at the Chesser household!
    Thanks!

  • Keith Snyder says:

    This is really good, though I only just found whole (not fresh) nutmeg in Northern Manhattan today. Thanks to this recipe, it’s been sort of a quest.

    I probably needed that nap yesterday anyway, after I drank the entire test batch.

  • Matches Malone says:

    Just made some of this tonight and it tastes just as good as everyone’s said. Just one thing, though: unfortunately I AM used to the storebought kind and am wondering if there’s something simple I could do to up the viscosity without altering the delicate balance of flavors. Anyone have any thoughts?

    BTW, you’re the man, Jeff.

  • Derek says:

    This recipe scales easily. I 12x’d it (to use a whole bottle each of rum and brandy) and it worked fine (and was delicious!). I had to make it in like, six batches in my blender though, since it’s just a standard 48oz size.

  • Bill says:

    I never liked egg nog until this recipe. I made it last year to great to reviews.
    I was thinking of making it for a Christmas party —-it sounds like I can just jug it up like the Gallon Margarita recipe (also killer)and keep chilled and serve.
    Is this a correct assumption?

  • seriousdarious says:

    @JGO

    This recipe multiplies out fairly well. I’ve embiggened the batch (x20 I believe, I don’t have the sheet in front of me) and it turned out fine. I haven’t done it since last year, but it either maxed out my blender or I may have had to do it in two batches. Either way, the recipe seems to scale pretty well.

  • JGO says:

    Cool discussion and especially that it’s been going on for years.

    If you were going to x12 this would you change anything? 36 tablespoons of sugar seems crazy.

    Also, I’m from the South and my grandfather always used Makers. You talked about subbing alcohols…how do you feel about bourbon with the spiced rum? Or is there another way to go?

  • Hunter says:

    kgheppell, are you sure soaking those eggs in bleach solution is a good idea? I’ve flavored eggs by rubbing the shells with butter (and sometimes vanilla bean) and letting them sit in the fridge…wonder whether that bleach can do the same? Of course I’m letting those eggs sit for a couple weeks instead of a couple minutes…

  • James.

    Thanks for the kudos, but if you don’t share that Advent poem with the rest of the class, I’m going to be sorely disappointed.

    Thank you.

  • James says:

    Yo.

    I made this last year and commented. I can’t believe it’s been that long already.

    I’ve been a lifelong eggnog fan, but your recipe has BLOWN EVERYTHING OUT OF THE WATER. At our fabfrickinnapulous Christmas party last year, the nog was the smash hit. I am an English PhD student, and so are the people coming to the party… you’ll be happy (or maybe profoundly disturbed) to know that I wrote an Advent poem for the party last year that involved eggnog.

    Thank you.

  • Andrew says:

    Holy shiite, Homie. This is a lot of discussion.

    Anyway.

    Didn’t you do one with whole eggs with the shells that you left to sit for a month or so?

    Hmm? Hmm?

  • Dear Jeffrey
    Did you try ageing your Eggnog? If so, how do you think it turned out? I’m guessing the ageing would eek out a smoother and rounder flavour. I also suppose if you age the Eggnog for 2-3 weeks, under refrigeration, that would take care of any potential Salmonella issues. Or, if in the UK, use Lion Mark eggs, since the hens have been inoculated against Salmonella. I can just buy pasteurised eggs, if need be, but honestly, I’ve never had a problem with eggs here in France.
    I’ll post back with my ‘ageing findings’ since, heh, it’s for Science!

  • kgheppell says:

    NPR published a recipe 3 years ago which I’ve made several times (but only aged once): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16631663&ps=rs
    I usually use a blend of Maker’s and Gosling’s. The best way is a with a stand mixer on low and a very slow drip of the booze.
    A few non-authoritarian notes on Salmonella: the claim from the eggs in cocktails seminar at TOC this year is that 17.5% alcohol kills bacteria; other research (see also NPR) suggests that this process may take 2-3 weeks. Since most Salmonella exists on the outside of the shells, I have taken to soaking eggs I will use raw in a 10% bleach solution first, and never use cracked eggs raw.
    Thanks for the great website Jeff; will stop in and say hello next time I’m in PDX.

  • SIMBALY says:

    I just made several batches of this stuff, and it’s great. I’ve always gotten the store bought egg nog before, but since there appears to be none left on the grocery store shelves after the holidays, I thought I’d try to make my own.
    Very good! Also, I made a lower calorie version of this, some family members are diabetic and others on low cholesterol diets.
    I used egg beaters in place of the whole eggs and I just substituted 2% milk for whole milk, & for half of milk in the recipe I used low fat half & half. I received many compliments.
    Thanks for a great home recipe Jeff!

  • DC Buck says:

    Great Egg Nog recipe! After trying half a dozen other recipes, I thought this was way to simple to be any good. For the 42,353rd time in 2009 I was wrong. It saved me hours of prep time, which I wasted running around the bar screaming, “You gotta try this Nog”

  • Jake says:

    I’ve never had eggnog before, let alone made it, but I decided to go ahead for a friend’s Christmas party that he held a week or two ago. The recipe worked beautifully and it multiplied with zero problems. It definitely had some kick to it too, which just made it all the better!

  • Chiot's Run says:

    I too love eggnog, but only homemade. I make mine with raw milk and farm fresh pastured eggs – MMMMMMM. I don’t always put rum in it and I generally make it a tad less sweet than most.

    I really love this in my morning coffee instead of milk.

  • David H says:

    tool = took

  • David H says:

    Fantastic recipe! I tool the fixins to a New Year’s party tonight and made 6 batches to great acclaim. Thanks for giving me another annual tradition. 🙂

  • Linus Hollis, ScD says:

    While Salmonella is not rare, but uncommon in raw eggs, there should be plenty of alcohol to take care of the problem. Just in case, I’m trying a batch with pasteurized egg whites refreshed and whipped, then blended with lactose-free vanilla ice cream and spiced rum-Noa Noa Tahitian Rum. For some reason for me, the ice cream works but lactose free milk doesn’t. Jeff is correct: cheap booze just doesn’t have the flavor

  • Jeff, another winner! Well done. Your recipe is now our favorite “quick and easy” recipe [we also have a favorite complex, time consuming eggnog recipe we call ‘Grand Mal’ eggnog.] I plan to try your Clyde Common Eggnog recipe next year.

    Thanks for specifying Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum – we really like it, and it has good cost performance. I really like it when knowledgeable people recommend specific brands of reasonably priced liquors.

    My eggnog tip is to use Applejack – preferably Laird’s bonded ($$) instead of their ordinary ($) – it adds flavors but is harder to identify as alcohol – if you have a crowd that doesn’t like the ‘hot’ tastes you get from brandy & rum

  • BJ Mora says:

    I was going to do a taste test with the store bought kind but haven’t gotten around to it (smile). I made a double batch, virgin, about 1/2 as much sugar, but forgot to add the extra cream and milk until after the mixture had blended. No matter, it came out well, perhaps a bit thin, but smooth (and I don’t particularly like nutmeg). Oh, and I did try to pasteurize the eggs as suggested by a previous post – water to a boil, heat off, then threw the 4 eggs in for a minute.

    Now I can’t wait to spike it – GM? Captain Morgan? Single malt whiskey? (as the purists fall down in agony).

    Thank you Jeffrey!

  • Mr. Mangan says:

    Mr. Morgenthaler

    Merry Christmas!

    I would like to thank you for the assist in my serving a successful dinner for 9 last night. Handing one of your f*#^ing awesome egg nogs to each guest as they entered ensured good cheer & complicity…

    (Did reduce sugar by 20 – 25% > cuz that’s how I roll 🙂 )

  • Six tablespoons, Nathan. Or 90 milliliters. Whichever you like.

  • Nathan says:

    Okay, what in the hell does “3 oz (by volume)” mean?

  • Hector says:

    Mr. Morgenthaler,

    First off, I enjoy your blog tons and have made many recipes of yours; they have all been delicious. Second, to start off Christmas Eve the right way, I made several batches of these. This recipe is simple and delicious! I’ve already had a few servings for breakfast. Since it has eggs, it’s healthy, right? Anyways, keep up the good work!

  • Hey JM,

    Love your eggnog, bud! I just made it — added slightly more rum and slightly less milk, just cuz that’s how I roll — DELISH! And – ultimate compliment – my mom is now insisting I make it on Christmas Day and also for her day-after-Xmas party.

    Nice one!

    Merry Christmas. Hope to cross paths soon. This once per year crap has got to end… 😉

    xo Natalie

  • Anna-Riikka says:

    Hi!
    Last christmas we tried to do some eggnog and we liked it. It was very hard to do, separate those eggs and so on….
    Now I faund your recipe and sure I`m going to try it!!

    Christmas greetings from FINLAND!

  • frabjous says:

    This is so good! Thanks for the recipe.

  • Anthony V. says:

    Some friends and I made eggnog this weekend, and we tested your recipe against another – yours won hands down.

    Great website and a great recipe. Thanks!

  • RickRoss says:

    I loved this recipe.
    Some of the family thought it was too heavy on the alcohol.
    Go figure.

  • RickRoss says:

    I loved this recipe.
    Some of the family thought it was too heavy on the alcohol.
    Go figure.

  • dani_s says:

    I can’t believe this is made with Sailor Jerry – my favourite rum!

    I was looking for an egg nog recipe and this is the FIRST I came to – it’s a sign…

    Can’t wait to try it out.

    Thanks so much

  • @barbara: I second that. Based on your post I used some Luxardo Espresso Liqueur that I had sitting around (in place of the Sailor Jerry’s) and it was tase-tee.

    @Karla: It’s tastes fine without the booze. What I’ve been doing is making it “virgin” and boozing it (or not) to order. (see also post #60)

    I’ve found the Sailor Jerry’s to be a little hot (as the booze isn’t thoroughly integrated, see above re: boozing to order) so I’ve had good results subbing both the SJ and the brandy for Gosling’s.

  • Karla – You can certainly try, but those are uncharted waters for me, so you’re on your own. A couple of thoughts:

    1. You might replace the 4 oz of heavy cream and 6 oz of whole milk with 10 oz of 2% milk. The alcohol thins the cream, so if you leave it out I imagine the drink would be really, really thick.

    2. You could leave the cream and milk intact, but in place of the 4 oz of alcohol, substitute 4 oz of apple cider. But be warned: this might taste terrible. I’ve never tried it.

    3. Be sure to report back with your findings. Cheers!

  • Karla says:

    This sounds great – except for the rum and brandy. Absolutely no one in my family drinks alcohol. Would this recipe taste good if I left the alcohol out completely?

  • Karla says:

    This sounds great – except for the rum. Absolutely no one in my family drinks alcohol. Would this recipe taste good if I left the alcohol out completely?

  • Matt says:

    This is a great recipe, thanks!

    I used Old Overholt instead of brandy and El Dorado 5 year old rum.

    Fresh nutmeg is key.

  • James says:

    No intention to comment, just looking for a good egg nog recipe… but then I just saw you say “at Clyde Common”… and I had to give a shout out. I just moved to Texas for grad school, but all last fall while I was applying I studied at the Ace hotel. When I was finishing up, I went over and had an “Ivy League” at CC (for good luck, obviously).

    Anyway….. HELLO TO PORTLAND, the Best City on Earth. (Though Austin’s pretty cool.) Looking forward to trying the egg nog on Saturday for our Christmas party.

  • You’re screwed now, SeanMike. You might have to peel yourself out of the wallpaper and talk to a pretty girl or something. I feel for you. I really do.

  • SeanMike says:

    Damn you Morgenthaler. After introducing this drink last year at a Christmas party, now I’m expected to bring it AGAIN!

    NOOOOOO!!!!!

    Well, I guess, YESSSSS! It made me so popular last year! Popular being a relative term for us bloggers who aren’t used to people talking to us IRL (‘in real life’ ROLFMAOOMGWTFBBQ).

  • Jim says:

    Jeff-

    This is the best recipe for egg nog, hands down. I’ve made about 6 batches so far since Thanksgiving, including a batch where I substituted Splenda for sugar for a diabetic.

    Looking forward to playing around with other spirits in the coming weeks as well.

  • Barry says:

    Hey Jeff –

    I heard from Matt that you did the aging thing, well how did it turn out?

    Love this recipe BTW, making a bunch this weekend.

  • barbara says:

    I made a similar recipe on the weekend. One of the guests added it to a shot of expresso in her cup. Tasted great and a whole new way to drink eggnog.

  • iris says:

    How long does this keep? Like, when will the eggnog go bad? Will it go bad?

  • Mata – I don’t know how to say “spiced rum” in Spanish, but you can use a nice aged rum (Appleton Extra, for instance) and it will turn out just fine.

    Substitutions are fun to play with here. We’re serving an añejo tequila and Amontillado sherry egg nog at Clyde Common right now.

  • Figured I’d chime in with my two cents. I made a big batch for Thanksgiving Dinner #2 and it went over smashingly. Thanks for the recipe. Also, for those that are concerned about raw eggs, I pasteurized some for my 3 year old son (brought it up to 160F and held it there for ~1 min) with no discernible loss in quality.

  • Mata says:

    Every year I read this…I’m finally going to try and make it for my Spanish and English friends in a few weeks time…but do any of your Spanish fans out there know how to say spiced rum or do you have an alternative rum like let’s say Mount Gay rum or do I just ask for rum picante??? You know me, I don’t touch alcohol…lol

  • Saska says:

    A great recipe and procedure. Whipping the eggs in the blender really does the trick. Thanks!

    My variant: I use Grand Marnier in place of brandy, but still use spiced rum. To compensate for the GM, I used 1 oz less sugar. A big hit!

  • Mick says:

    Three years later, this is still my go-to egg nog recipe. For that (and the rest of your incredibly educational blog) I thank you.

    Also, in response to the amount of water in the “Bar-Tender’s Guide” recipe: As I understand it, in the Professor’s day spirits were bottled at a higher proof, so the extra water was needed to properly balance the drink. Today, since most spirits are bottled at 80 proof, that extra water (in a way) is already present.

    As far as modern interpretations go, yours is king.

  • Foliosus says:

    I’ve had this now 3 year in a row. It’s unbeatable. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

  • Søren says:

    Thanks again for helping me look like I know what I’m doing!

  • Alexandra says:

    I made this for the first time last year, and it is by far the best eggnog I have ever had. Thanks for reposting – it reminds me I need to mix up some!

  • Martin says:

    In Sweden eggnog is not tradition. The only time we get close to eggnog is watching crappy movies set in the holiday season. But I will definitely try your recipe. If this thing is drinkable I might start a new trend in Sweden.
    Thanks for an excellent blog.

  • Jac says:

    ‘Nog season again… YES!!!

  • Nathan says:

    Jeff!
    Once again.. I have included you (and this time your egg nog recipe) in one of my libation posts, on holiday soiree punches. Thanks as always for being brilliant you! http://chocomeat.blogspot.com/2008/12/gala-parfait-holiday-party-libations.html

  • BD says:

    Just made this (a little late) and it was unbelievable- so simple to make and light.

    FYI I used E&J for the brandy and since I didn’t have any spiced rum, I just used Cruzan white rum.

  • Kathy says:

    I made a batch of this for Christmas this year, and it was great. Wonderful recipe!

  • Alexandra says:

    I made this last night to inaugurate my new blender! Amazing! Makes me wonder why I ever bought the stuff from the store.

  • BethAnne says:

    BTW, that daiquiri video — I shared it with my colleagues. Sadly, it’s hilarious.

  • BethAnne says:

    Spammy? I don’t quite get you I’m afraid. But you can eyeball me if you want! 😉

    I don’t mean to sound preachy, but I have a healthcare background and now work in the food safety arena. Foodborne illness is often preventable with safe practices.

    Most people don’t know pasteurized shell eggs are available and I think they’re great for certain at-risk groups.

  • Wirelizard says:

    I tried this today for family and friends – Appleton’s rum, a randomly-chosen brandy (not been a brandy drinker before now, but I think I’m a convert!). Good, good stuff, thank you!

    Lacking a blender, I used an electric eggbeater, which worked well enough. I also cut the sugar down by about 1/3, and it was still very tasty.

    I think I’ve been spoiled for the storebought stuff now. I should also scrounge up a blender, I guess!

  • Katje says:

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! I was looking for a quick small batch version of nog, and this fit the bill perfectly. It’s chilling right now, although of course I had to have a bit of a taste… fantastic! Merry Christmas!

  • Ian says:

    I work in a small airport bar and don’t get the chance to make many fresh good cocktails, thanks to my limited selection of ingredients. But by gum, I’ve got all the ingredients for this eggnog, right down to the pasteurized eggs! I made a batch for a Christmas party last year, and it was very well received. And a sample batch for the boss went over well enough for him to give me the OK on serving a drink with raw eggs. I’m working Christmas day, and I’ll be making this our special that day. I’ll report back afterwards on whether it sold by the pitcher-full, or if my clientele couldn’t be budged from their Bud Light and Jack-n-Coke. 🙂

    Any sales tips?

  • Susan says:

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98499891&ft=1&f=1007
    Did some research on my own. The booze DOES kill bacteria!

  • Shauna says:

    Jeffrey,
    I LOVE egg nog, but I don’t drink alcohol ever and the store bought stuff is too thick. I usually add plain milk to thin it out, but then the taste is compromised. Anyway, I couldn’t even find egg nog at Walmart the other day! So I thought I’d try to make some. Everyone is raving about your recipe, so I wanted to try it, but I’m also pregnant. Is there a way to tweak the recipe so that it still has the great egg nog taste without alcohol or raw eggs? I know it’s a long shot and then it won’t be the same, but I just want a good egg nog!
    Thanks,
    Shauna

  • Susan says:

    Another thought on raw eggs…would the alcohol sterilize any germs that occur? Granted, you still wouldn’t give this to kids or pregnant women…

  • Jen – I think an immersion blender would work just fine. Just be sure that you get those eggs blended smooth and your sugar incorporated completely before adding the booze.

  • Jen says:

    Hi Jeffrey,

    As one who does not own a blender, do you think I could make this using an immersion blender, with good results? Or, just whisk the hell out of it?

    Thanks in advance,
    Jen

  • Ken says:

    I just finished my first try at this recipe, and I was very, very impressed. I’ve been a bit of an egg nog fanatic all my life, but only in the last 14 months have I ventured out past the store-bought variety and attempted to make it myself. I started with the Alton Brown version, and it was so damn good that I just didn’t try anything else.

    Until today, when I found your site.

    I have a new favorite recipe, because it’s 75% easier than the Alton Brown recipe! I made a half-batch, because my wife doesn’t do egg nog, and my blender is a small Hamilton Beach Personal Blender that can’t handle more than 12 total ounces of beverage.

    I must say, this is a great recipe, but I’ll dial back the amount of booze and sugar next time. It was a bit hot, and just slightly too sweet for me. Excellent that it can be made in one vessel, however, and I love it!

  • Rafe says:

    Wow.

    From the first taste, I was floored. The moment I licked the back of the spoon after mixing the drink…whoa. Its like no other egg nog I’ve had. Its rich, fresh, and downright awesome.

    I’m making this a whole bunch this season.

    Thanks Jeffrey.

  • Sam

    I can’t imagine how anyone has ever successfully been able to age egg nog, as I’ve tried but can’t seem to let it sit for more than a day or two before drinking it all.

    So, no, I didn’t get a chance to age it this year, sorry to disappoint.

  • Sam says:

    Mr. Morgenthaler

    You had mentioned last year that you planned on making a batch of this egg nog and aging it, despite your reservations because of the raw eggs. Did you ever do so?

    I’m just wondering because I feel similarly. *Technically*, it seems like it’d be alright because of the alcohol, but I’d rather hear about somebody else (whose opinions on anything alcohol-related I trust immensely) and their success with it before I go ahead and risk it.

    Either way, thanks.

  • Kyle says:

    Thank you Mr. Morgenthaler, I will be sure to try the recipe now that I have some direction!

  • Okay, okay, fine. I would think this should turn out fine with a decent, inexpensive bottle of E&J or Christian Brothers brandy. And if you’re on a budget, be sure to check out your liquor store’s selection of half bottles – just be sure to do the math before you leave for the store and be certain that you’re getting enough.

    Better?

  • Kyle says:

    Jeffery:

    I know this question was asked already, but I am not satisfied with your response.

    As a University student, I don’t get a chance to try much brandy, and you were obviously joking when you suggested using “Remy-Martin XO.”

    As someone who doesn’t have enough money to try different brands of brandy, can you suggest a specific brand or two to try out?

  • Yes, seriousdarious, that’s exactly right.

  • Sorry to skew the discussion onto a tangent, but I’m curious about the industrial blender note. Do they just run so fast that they end up heating the ingredients? Surely there’s no heating element?

  • Thanks, everyone! I eagerly anticipate your results. Please be sure to come back and leave a full report!

  • Emma says:

    Hello,

    Apparently Lynn loves this stuff, we will be making it properly at the weekend and will send pics of us before and after.

    x

  • sku says:

    Just made a batch…fabulous stuff!! I am a fan of the thickness you get with beaten egg whites. My normal nog is better spooned than sipped (I whip the cream too).

    For convenience though, this one can’t be beaten, and great flavor to boot. I love that you can do the whole thing in the blender.

    I substituted Diplomatico Reserva for spiced rum. Good stuff.

  • Tiare says:

    Seems like i`m late to the party..
    After all this reading i`m convinced i got to try this egg nog. Thanks for the recipe, it looks great!

  • Eugenia says:

    Speaking as an experienced, um, editor: delete the word “practically” from the last line before you list the ingredients. The rum can stay. Kthxbai. 😉

  • Matt – Thanks for reading! I wouldn’t recommend mixing egg nog anything less than the Remy-Martin XO, and at $130 a bottle it should work nicely with your college budget.

    But barring that, I would think a decent French or California brandy should work just fine. I’ve even used El Presidente in this recipe and it’s turned out great.

    Good luck!

  • Matt says:

    Jeff, I’ve been reading your blog for a while and I am a big fan. I’m one of the few college students trying to rise above the vodka/Mt. Dew and rum/Coke fixation of my peers. I’m thinking I might make this for the fam at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

    What would be a good moderately priced brandy to use? As a college student I am already more than familiar with Sailor Jerry’s.

  • BethAnne says:

    Use the in-shell pasteurized eggs for this if you’re serving someone who may be at higher risk for salmonella infection.

    Pasteurization is the ONLY guarantee that the eggs are safe for children, elderly, pregnant women or someone who has an illness that weakens the immune system.

  • Bob C. says:

    Just served this at my “Home Made Monster Movies” Screening for Halloween. It was a hit. Thanks!

    Just wanted to add that I only have a mini blender, so the first batch began to overflow when I was adding the add 8oz milk. Easily solved by transferring to larger vessel and shaking the milk in – but it turns out I liked the drink a lot more in the higher octane version, with just about 2 oz milk and 2 oz cream. Certainly not for everyone, but if you’re a straight liquor drinker like me you might enjoy the kick like I did.

    It’s probably a testament to the balance of JM’s recipe that one reader can subtract a little sugar here, another mix in some orange there, and I can substitute wood grain paint thinner and varnish, all to happy results.

  • Josh says:

    This was rather a good recipie. My only reccomendation would be to cut the sugar just slightly, but that’s largely a matter of taste.

    Thanks Jeffrey!

  • Anners says:

    I am going to horrify all of the purists, but I substituted Triple Sec for the rum (can’t abide the stuff, unfortunately) and it was very delicious! The hint of orange actually complemented the nutmeg very nicely.

  • I do remember all the hoopla last year, McAuliflower, but I still haven’t been brave enough to go through with it. I mean, I understand why this isn’t going to go bad, but still the idea of aging raw eggs is difficult for me.

    I’ll have to sock a stash of this away this year and just see what happens. I’ll be sure to post my findings here.

  • McAuliflower says:

    Remember all the hoopla last year about aging egg nog? I think I can save some for New Year’s… but a pint or so will have to be sacrificed this thanksgiving!

  • You know I make the rounds and try out the drinks, Rick. Well, most of the time, anyway.

    I think Bacardi 8 is a good choice. Whatever you do, kids, don’t use a white rum for this one.

  • Rick says:

    Of course! You don’t go around to other cocktail blogs and make the drinks?

    Plus, I’ve been itching for egg nog lately and hadn’t made a batch until today.

    I ended up using Bacardi 8 for the rum. I think I’ll try it with the Lemon Hart, though all I have now is the 151 …

  • Rick, you never cease to amaze me. You’ve really just made a batch? I didn’t think anyone actually tried these recipes…

  • Rick says:

    Highly approve! Damn this is good.

  • Rick

    I’ve used Lemon Hart to fine results, but I would recommend cutting the amount down to 1½ ounces.

    I could also see using Pyrat XO, Appleton Estate V/X or Mt. Gay Eclipse.

  • Rick says:

    Jeffrey,

    What rum / concoction would you recommend as a sub for the spiced rum?

  • Jessa says:

    I finally made the egg nog this weekend and it was divine! I had to do a bit of searching to find the Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum, but it was so worth it. *This* is how egg nog is supposed to taste.

  • Brandon says:

    I made your egg nog for my New Year’s Eve party and it was a big hit — nobody drank much of anything else all night.

    My batch was tweaked slightly for our tastes and supplies: less sugar, plain rum plus spices instead of spiced rum.

    I’ve always loved the _flavor_ of store bought egg nog, but like you said, it’s so thick it’s almost undrinkable. I’d also always assumed that it was difficult and time consuming to make such a delicious beverage, but you proved me wrong.

    Thanks much!

  • canary says:

    reporting back that the nog was a definite hit with family. i toned it down on the alcohol b/c no need to encourage certain family drunkenness, but it was delicious.

  • Mad Jack says:

    I cut the sugar by 2/3 and served this with Christmas dinner. I believe that a new family tradition has begun. Thank you very much for your generosity in sharing this excellent egg nog recipe.

    I rate this five stars out of five.

  • canary says:

    I’m so excited to make this for our family christmas dinner – thanks for putting your recipes out here. (so, any chance el vaq will be back to the lovely nog instead of “hot buttered rum!!” this friday? hint hint…)

  • Mr. Chipshot says:

    We made the eggnog tonight. It was as good as I have ever tasted. As light as a cloud. It has the right amounts of everything. Simplicity is the secret. Can hardly wait to try the Margarita recipe! Thank you!

  • Karen Pritchard says:

    Thank you, Jeffery! We found your eggnog recipe on line and made it last night, the drinks were amazing!

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