Vanilla Eggnog – Easy Eggnog Recipe
Even hearing the word “eggnog” makes me excited, but making and drinking it brings a lot of nostalgic feelings. While doing my small research, I noticed that many eggnog recipes include vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean. That seemed odd at first since my grandma always said that nothing can replace a good vanilla bean. So, today, I decided to share with you a simple vanilla eggnog recipe that my family loves the most!
How to Make Vanilla Eggnog?
Making homemade eggnog was a game changer for my friends after I shared this recipe with them. Like many other people, they didn’t know that eggnog is so simple to make at home. Let me first tell you which ingredients do you need to make vanilla eggnog.
- Eggs – Surprise, surprise! Eggnog is made of eggs. Kidding aside, eggnog is not eggnog without eggs. It is creamy and semi-thick thanks to them.
- Milk – If you ever tried this traditional holiday drink, you know that the milky taste defines it.
- Whipping Cream – Some people use heavy cream, and that’s perfectly fine. However, I am a fan of sweetened whipping cream and decide to add it to almost every dessert I make. For that reason, I add less sugar.
- Sugar – Because vanilla eggnog is a sweet drink.
- Vanilla Bean – Vanilla bean brings the best vanilla flavor you can find. No extract or vanilla paste can replace it.
- Rum and Bourbon – Traditional eggnog always incorporates alcohol. If you want to keep it light, feel free to skip it.
- Spices – Spices are here to make this drink warm and create some kind of a cozy feeling and atmosphere around us. When you try this vanilla eggnog, you will see what I’m talking about. The spices I used are cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Once you have all ingredients ready, you can start with preparation.
1. Step: Beating egg yolks with sugar
Of course, you will need to separate egg yolks from egg whites first. Egg whites are not needed in this recipe, so I used them to make homemade eggnog macarons. Beat egg yolks alone first, and then start with adding sugar. Mix at the high spread until you get a nice and fluffy texture. It will take you about 3 to 4 minutes in total.
2. Step: Heating the milk with vanilla and spices
In a sauce pan, add milk, whole cloves, a dash of nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon. Open vanilla bean and use its inside. Add it to the milk. Heat the milk mixture until it starts steaming. Be careful not to boil the milk. To avoid boiling and a burned bottom, heat the milk over medium heat.
3. Step: Adding hot milk to eggs
When is milk hot enough, add half of the mix to the fluffy eggs. When you are doing this, make sure you are constantly whisking. Gradually add the rest of the milk.
4. Step: Cook the eggnog
Return the vanilla eggnog to the stove and cook it over medium heat until it thickens. Whisk it constantly to avoid boiling and burning. This step will take you between 5 and 10 minutes.
5. Step: Adding the rest of the ingredients
Let the eggnog chill for 1 hour. Remove the cloves with a spoon or strain the eggnog if it has some curdled parts. Now is also time to add the rest of the ingredients: whipping cream, Bourbon and rum.
6. Step: Keep vanilla eggnog in the refrigerator
Vanilla eggnog is the best when served cold. So, put eggnog in the fridge and use it within 4 days. That’s approximately how long vanilla eggnog lasts. If you wish to warm eggnog up, do that on a stove over medium heat. Just make sure you warm up only the quantity you are planning to drink immediately. Reheating eggnog twice is not a good idea.
Vanilla Eggnog
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 pinches cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 tbsp rum
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 1 cup whipping cream or heavy cream
Instructions
- Separate egg yolks from egg whites first.
- Beat egg yolks alone first, and then start with adding sugar. Mix at the high spread until you get a nice and fluffy texture. It will take you about 3 to 4 minutes in total.
- In a saucepan, add milk, whole cloves, a dash of nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon. Open vanilla bean and use its inside. Add it to the milk. Heat the milk mixture until it starts steaming. Be careful not to boil the milk. To avoid boiling and a burned bottom, heat the milk over low to medium heat.
- When is milk hot enough, add half of the mix to the fluffy eggs. When you are doing this, make sure you are constantly whisking. Gradually add the rest of the milk. You are practically cooking the egg yolks in this step.
- Return the vanilla eggnog to the stove and cook it over medium heat until it thickens. Whisk it constantly to avoid boiling and burning. This step will take you between 5 and 10 minutes.
- Let the eggnog chill for 1 hour.
- Remove the cloves with a spoon or strain the eggnog if it has some curdled parts. Now is also time to add the rest of the ingredients: whipping cream, Bourbon and rum. Whip them well into your vanilla eggnog.
- Let it cool completely and serve in glasses. Enjoy!
