Make Your Own Homemade Eggnog

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We celebrate Nation Eggnog Day with a recipe. Those of us with laying hens know that using our flock’s farm-fresh eggs for any egg-based foods makes it that much better, and homemade eggnog is no exception.

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

12 large egg yolks

1 ½ cups white sugar (see note below)

4 cups light cream

2 ½ cups light rum (optional)

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Combine milk, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cloves in a saucepan over the lowest heat setting; stir and heat for 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and slowly bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl until light yellow. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Tempering the eggs is the most important step. Add 1 tablespoon at a time of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking after each addition. Continue adding hot milk and whisking to combine until all milk is incorporated. 

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, constantly stirring, until thick, about 3 minutes; do not allow the mixture to boil. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 1 hour.

Stir in cream, rum (if using), and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Refrigerate before serving, 8 hours to overnight. To serve, pour into a mug and sprinkle a bit of nutmeg on top.

*To make a low-carb version of this eggnog, the best sugar substitute to use for the white cane sugar is a 50/50 blend of monk fruit sweetener and erythritol. Substitute this blend in full or in part to lower the glycemic index and carb content of the eggnog. Using straight erythritol caused the sweetener to crystallize during refrigeration in my experiments in recipe development.

Happy holidays from Meyer Hatchery!