Easy Dairy Free Eggnog Recipe (Thick and Creamy) (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken eggnog? ›

To make it thicker, use less milk. 1 cup of whole milk will make a smooth eggnog, but if you know that you like a thicker eggnog, stir in only ½ cup of milk. Once it chills and thickens a little in the fridge, add more milk to thin it out to your liking.

This eggnog recipe calls for 3 cups of liquid dairy. I make it with 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk. You can change the ratio (e.g. 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup cream), or use lower-fat products like half and half or 2% milk but you do so at the risk of a less-creamy final product.

Because the eggnog thickens the longer you keep it stored in your refrigerator (and it's quite boozy), you can always dilute it by adding more milk just before serving.

It is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites (which gives it a frothy texture, and its name).

And that list is forgiving. Basically eggnog, while fatty, isn't quite creamy enough to hold peaks on its own. That means you'll need about 1/2 cup eggnog for every cup of heavy cream. Even that will change slightly depending on the consistency of your nog.

The tricky thing about making a stirred custard is its susceptibility to curdling. If you get the mixture too hot, your beautiful custard sauce will resemble runny scrambled eggs. Not very appetizing.

So, if you're cooking something forgiving like soup or mashed potatoes, heavy cream and half-and-half are virtually interchangeable in equal amounts, yes—both will give you that creamy texture we all love and crave. Just be mindful that heavy cream contains more fat, so it will taste much richer.

Whole milk and butter: Combine equal parts whole milk and melted butter to create a substitute for heavy cream with a lower fat content. Greek yogurt: This can be used in a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for heavy cream in some recipes, though it may affect the final.

Heavy cream will make your eggnog thicker and creamier. Boozy eggnog will also continue to thicken in the fridge as it ages.

What if my eggnog gets curdled. There is a high possibility it can get curdled slightly at 2 stages, one is when you are cooking the egg yolk and the milk mixture on the stove. And the other stage is when adding alcohol into the mix. If this happens don't worry, just blend it in a blender until smooth.

Why is my homemade eggnog chunky? ›

Beating eggs and sugar together

If you mix sugar into the yolks without whipping them first, you risk creating a chunky and unappealing texture in your eggnog. The key is to first thoroughly whip the egg yolks until they are smooth and well-aerated.

While brandy is the most traditional alcohol to pair with eggnog, according to traditional recipes, you can also use a mixture of dark rum and Cognac. If you like your eggnog with more of a kick you can also add bourbon, but we recommend sticking to rum and Cognac to preserve the 'nog's flavors.

Even though the kingship between rompope and eggnog is indisputable, there is a slight difference between these two hearty drinks: The traditional eggnog recipe called for whole eggs, whereas rompope just called for egg yolks—hence the very distinctive hues of each drink.

The bubblegum or banana flavor you mention in certain commercial eggnogs may be the result of specific artificial or natural flavorings used in their recipes. If you want to replicate that flavor in homemade eggnog, you can try experimenting with natural flavor extracts or essences.

Any remaining tiny lumps or grains could be removed by passing the custard through a strainer.

While brandy is the most traditional alcohol to pair with eggnog, according to traditional recipes, you can also use a mixture of dark rum and Cognac. If you like your eggnog with more of a kick you can also add bourbon, but we recommend sticking to rum and Cognac to preserve the 'nog's flavors.

The cream, which is just milk fat, will appear as solid chunks in your eggnog. If you determine your eggnog hasn't gone bad, you can take the extra step of thoroughly mixing the cream back into the rest of the eggnog before serving and enjoying it. (To be safe, you might just throw the eggnog away.)