Christmas

Spiked Egg Nog

by:
November  9, 2022
3
2 Ratings
Spiked Egg Nog
Photo by Ty Mecham
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • serves 10
Author Notes

I first learned about Egg Nog from my dad. Even though he’s a huge wine geek he took particular delight in making Egg Nog every holiday season. Usually it showed up on New Year’s Eve and, as I approached drinking age, I began to sneak larger and larger samples every year. This recipe relies on a few key factors from his original concoction: separated eggs, a blend of spirits, and more nutmeg than you’d think is necessary. To this, I’ve added a healthy slug of richly-flavorful dark maple syrup (sometimes called “Grade B” or maddeningly “Grade A Dark Amber”). Maple is a great sugar to work with in drinks because unlike honey or agave that need to be pre-diluted in order to integrate, it dissolves readily in drinks and provides a cozy depth that’s perfect for cold-weather drinks like these. (I mean you could make this for your next beach day, but I can think of few things less appetizing than Egg Nog on a hot day…)
 
I will admit that there are some daunting aspects to this recipe. Most people feel wary of using raw eggs and the CDC estimates that 1 in 20,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella. If you don’t want to take on that risk, there are tons of recipes out there for Egg Nog that feature pasteurized egg products, or avoid them altogether. Also, this recipe calls for a ton of different spirits, and these are my favorites to use, but I am empowering you to play around with other brown spirits like añejo tequila, Scotch, and even adjust the total amount to suit your needs and preferences. 
—John deBary

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 12 large eggs, separated
  • 1 cup dark rum (overproof, if desired)
  • 1 cup Bourbon or rye whiskey
  • 1 cup VS or VSOP Cognac
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup dark maple syrup
  • 3 whole nutmeg seeds
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the yolks, rum, whiskey, cognac, cream, and maple syrup with a whisk until fully mixed. Grate all the nutmeg into the yolk mixture. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites in 3 batches, mixing well after each addition, until homogenous.
  3. Transfer to a sealable container and let everything chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. The mixture will separate as it chills, so stir it thoroughly before serving, then ladle into small cups and garnish with additional grated nutmeg.
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2 Reviews

Regina S.
Regina S. November 21, 2022
I am 72 years old. When I was growing up and as an adult my parents had a Christmas open house for our neighbors and friends. My father was famous for his egg nog. As children, we learned to open our presents, make our beds, help clean up and have breakfast before our neighbors and friends arrived.
Really good eggnog needs a few days to "cure" and my father had five gallon jars in many neighbors' refrigerators. He was famous for his eggnog.
Now, I make a few gallons each Christmas as do my sisters and our daughters. Everyone who has had it thinks it is the best!
 
Carole K.
Carole K. November 17, 2022
I got my recipe for eggnog from an older German lady decades ago. It is simpler than any I’ve ever seen, and more delicious than any I have tried. My friends and relatives look for it every year. Egg yolks, milk, sugar, vanilla, and grain alcohol. One year grain alcohol was not to be found in Pennsylvania; it was banned because some college students overindulged and sadly died. So that year I tried various alcohols as a replacement for the grain alcohol: vodka, vanilla vodka, rum, flavored rum, etc. none could hold a candle to my fri’s original recipe. The beauty of the grain alcohol is that it does not overpower; it lets the flavor of the other 4 ingredIents shine through.