6 Tasty Eggnog Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best alcohol to put in eggnog? ›

Choose The Right Spirit

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.

From 'The Philosophy of Housekeeping' By Joseph Bardwell Lyman, 1859. Egg Nog. — Teaspoonful of sugar well beaten with an egg; add a gill of milk, and then, by degrees, one or two tablespoonfuls of good French brandy; spice with grated nutmeg.

Add a splash of vanilla or almond extract, or turn your eggnog into an iced eggnog latte by pouring a shot of espresso into the shaker. Either way, you'll feel the spirit of the holidays!

Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum

"When choosing a rum, I personally find a spiced rum to be the best for the flavors incorporated in eggnogs," he said. "Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum is best for its quality and flavor profile.”

Whiskey – I typically use Crown Royal, but use what you like or keep on hand. Other Alcohol – You can switch up the ratios based on your personal preferences; feel free to swap in others like bourbon, Cognac, scotch, or brandy, as well. And how about a little peppermint schnapps for a festive flavor?!

“One-quart cream, one-quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one-pint brandy, ½ pint rye whiskey, ½ pint Jamaica rum, ¼ pint sherry – mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of 12 eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating.

"While culinary historians debate its exact lineage, most agree eggnog originated from the early medieval" British drink called posset, which was made with hot milk that was curdled with wine or ale and flavored with spices.

While fresh eggnog is simple, smooth, and, well, fresh-tasting, aged eggnog is much more aggressive. The booze comes out stronger, and there are medicinal, almost minty flavors that people will pick up on—almost as if you've spiked your eggnog with an herbal liqueur, like Fernet-Branca.

Whiskey and bourbon are also great matches for this subtly spiced sip. Both of these spirits work well with holiday flavors like vanilla and spice, so adding a dram to your mug of eggnog is as natural as pairing peppermint with chocolate. Be sure to use a good whiskey that you enjoy sipping on its own.

How do you enhance eggnog? ›

Fireball eggnog may become one of your new favorite Christmas drinks. The popular cinnamon whiskey is a fantastic base for this classic holiday co*cktail. It gives eggnog a touch of warm spice, subtle sweetness, and an inviting aroma that's sure to put everyone in a festive mood.

Swap an ounce of your chosen liquor for an ounce of Port (this works especially well with rum or brandy) or Madeira (mixed with rum, this variation makes the historic Baltimore Eggnog). Add chilled coffee or cold-brew coffee for a creamy nog that channels a mocha latte vibe.

Best Eggnog to Spike: Southern Comfort Traditional Eggnog

It's worth noting that Southern Comfort also makes a vanilla flavored eggnog, but we found that version overpowering in its sweetness. If you're looking for a SoCo eggnog, go for the original.

Hood Golden Eggnog's blend of extra creamy milk, sugared yolks and spices make it a holiday favorite, whether you drink it straight from the glass or use it in your favorite recipes.

Classically, eggnog is also aged with liquor for several weeks (or months!), which sounds insane until you realize that the booze acts as both preservative and sterilizer. Very few bacteria, including salmonella, can survive in the presence of alcohol, as has been proven in lab experiments at Rockefeller University.

Southern Comfort (often abbreviated SoCo) is an American, naturally fruit-flavored, whiskey liqueur with fruit and spice accents. The brand was created by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans in 1874, using whiskey as the base spirit. Whiskey was replaced by a neutral spirit under the ownership of Brown–Forman.