Christmas

Warm Eggnog

by:
December 22, 2010
4
12 Ratings
Warm Eggnog
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • serves 12
Author Notes

I grew up on a street where there were many little girls my age to play with. Every Christmas, the parents of my friend, Susan, had a large party. I can remember being in my Florence Eiseman Christmas dress, under her mother's grand dining room table with my friends. We were all very into Harriet The Spy at the time. Through a little trial and error, we discovered that the spot underneath the punch bowl filled with boozy eggnog was the best place to overhear entertaining conversations.

This recipe for warm, boozy homemade egg nog will wet your whistle and keep you warm. You cannot beat the combination of fresh eggs, whole milk, sugar, nutmeg, and cognac. The flavor of the cognac will shine through, so use the best. Cheers. —Waverly

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Waverly is a long-time Food52 member with 2 contest wins under her belt.
WHAT: A not-so-heavy eggnog you'll want to cup with both hands.
HOW: Combine warmed milk, cream, and vanilla with egg yolks beaten with sugar. Fold in beaten egg whites and cognac until everything is incorporated, then serve, garnish with freshly grated nutmeg, and let the party really begin.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Lighter, frothier, and more refined than your classic one-cup-and-you're-out eggnog, this playful variation will keep the party going strong. The cognac shines through in every sip, so be sure to crack open the good stuff. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 8 large eggs, yolks and whites separated and reserved
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups, whole milk
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup French cognac
  • 1 fresh whole nutmeg, grated
Directions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed until thick and creamy. Add sugar and beat on high again until very light, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and beat to combine. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Set aside.
  2. In a saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and vanilla over medium heat. Do not boil. When small bubbles begin to appear, whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Add the beaten whites and the cognac and stir until everything is incorporated.
  3. Fill a punch bowl and let everyone serve themselves, or pour egg nog into serving cups and sprinkle a generous amount of freshly grated nutmeg on top. Drink hot.
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Waverly
Waverly used to be a lawyer and is now a mother 24/7. She has made a commitment to cooking for her family and absolutely loves it even when her family does not. She is teaching them, one meal at a time, to enjoy wholesome homemade food. She abhors processed food but recognizes its insidious nature and accepts the fact that her children will occasionally get some Skittles, Doritos, or the like. Her philosophy and hope is that if she teaches them well at home, they will prefer wholesome healthy foods when they go out into the world without her.

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9 Reviews

Mellen
Mellen March 28, 2020
Love this recipe! I had a craving for egg nog (occasionally my mother used to make it for morning breakfast sans alcohol) and chose to add in cinnamon and a bit of dark powdered baking chocolate and drink it while it is nice and warm. I also nix the whole milk and opt for 1% low fat.
 
Susie H.
Susie H. December 26, 2018
Very tasty with such an immodest amount of vanilla and nutmeg! Just don't try to reheat it. When I did this, the beautiful frothy egg white deflated and cooked. It got chunky. Flavors were lovely though.
 
cherry
cherry October 11, 2017
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Kara B.
Kara B. December 9, 2015
THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe and sharing the story to go along. This was exactly what I needed today and very easy to make. Will be a go-to in my recipe box.
 
twinjadojo
twinjadojo January 11, 2014
I had a hankering for egg nog leading up to Christmas this year, which is odd, because I remember having an aversion to it as a child. We were snowed in one Sunday, and I just so happened to have everything that I needed, subbing Basil Hayden's for the Cognac. We all LOVED it, warm and fluffy the first night, and then cold and more dense the following two nights. I consider it a huge victory that my toddlers will grow up loving egg nog thanks to this recipe (sans hooch, of course). Is it just my imagination, or is recipe just a freezer and churning away from ice cream?
 
Waverly
Waverly January 13, 2014
I've never tried this recipe as ice cream and wonder if it would work....let me know if you try it.
 
mrslarkin
mrslarkin December 22, 2010
Wow! Yum!
 
Lizthechef
Lizthechef December 22, 2010
My new favorite holiday drink.
 
lapadia
lapadia December 22, 2010
Love warm egg nog!