Joy of Cooking Eggnog Recipe for a Creamy Holiday Drink

This Joy of Cooking-style eggnog is a creamy, chilled custard drink made with egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Gently cooking the custard gives it a smooth, rich texture without relying on raw eggs, while a long chill lets the flavors settle before serving.

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks (about 108 g), at room temperature if convenient
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3 cups (710 ml) whole milk
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
1 teaspoon (about 2 g) freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, optional, for whipping and serving

Instructions

Get set up, about 15 minutes. Measure the ingredients and separate the eggs, keeping the yolks in a medium heatproof bowl. Save the whites for another use; they are not needed in this recipe. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean bowl, and have a kitchen thermometer ready. Whisk the sugar and salt into the yolks until the mixture looks thick and evenly combined. Room-temperature yolks are a little easier to whisk, but cold yolks work too.
Warm the milk, 5 minutes. Pour the milk into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir in the nutmeg. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk is steaming and small bubbles appear around the edge. Do not let it boil: boiling milk can foam up quickly and may make the custard harder to control. Take the pan off the heat once it is hot.
Temper the yolks and cook the custard, about 7 minutes. While whisking the yolks continuously, slowly pour in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot milk. Add the tempered yolk mixture back to the saucepan in a thin stream, whisking as you pour. Set the pan over low to medium-low heat and stir constantly, scraping the bottom and corners with a silicone spatula. Cook until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) on a food thermometer; USDA FSIS gives 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum temperature for egg dishes. Keep the heat gentle, and do not let the custard boil. It may lightly coat the back of a spoon, but use the thermometer rather than that visual cue to confirm the temperature.
Strain and finish, about 2 minutes. Pour the hot custard through the prepared strainer into the clean bowl. This catches any tiny bits of cooked egg and helps make the finished drink silky. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla until fully combined. If you spot a few small flecks in the strainer, that is normal; the strained custard should be smooth.
Cool for 20 minutes. Set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and a little cold water, making sure water cannot splash into the eggnog. Stir occasionally until the mixture is no longer warm. This brief ice bath gets the custard cooling promptly; do not leave it sitting out while you wait for it to reach refrigerator temperature.
Chill for at least 4 hours. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the eggnog until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours. It will thicken slightly as it chills, and the nutmeg flavor will become more noticeable. If you prefer a thinner drink, whisk in a splash of cold milk just before serving.
Serve cold. Whisk the chilled eggnog briefly to recombine it, then pour into small glasses. For a more cloudlike finish, whip the optional ½ cup (120 ml) cream to soft peaks and spoon a little onto each glass. Finish with a light grating of nutmeg.

Tips

Keep the custard moving. Stir constantly once the yolks go into the pan, paying special attention to the bottom and the corners. Gentle heat and steady stirring help prevent the egg from setting into curds. If the temperature rises too quickly, lift the pan off the burner for a moment while you keep stirring.
Use a thermometer, not just a spoon test. Custard thickness can vary with the pan, burner, and ingredients. A digital instant-read thermometer gives you a dependable reading at the center of the mixture; avoid touching the pan when you take the temperature.
Choose a suitable dairy swap. You can replace the whole milk with 2% milk, though the result will be less rich. For a dairy-free version, use unsweetened oat or soy milk and a creamy plant-based alternative for the heavy cream. The flavor and body will change, and some plant drinks separate more readily, so warm them gently and whisk well.
Grate nutmeg fresh if possible. Freshly grated nutmeg gives the drink a more fragrant, warm spice flavor than preground nutmeg. If using ground nutmeg, start with ½ teaspoon (about 1 g), taste after chilling, and add more if you like a stronger spice note.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the eggnog well chilled in small cups or glasses; it is rich, so a modest pour is usually satisfying. A little freshly grated nutmeg is the classic finish, while a cinnamon stick can be added as a stirrer for a gentle cinnamon aroma. For a holiday dessert table, set it beside shortbread, ginger cookies, spice cake, or a slice of fruit pie. Its creamy texture also pairs well with crisp, lightly sweet biscuits rather than another very rich dessert.

If you are serving it at a gathering, keep the main bowl refrigerated and pour smaller amounts into a pitcher or serving jug as needed. Nesting that pitcher in a bowl of ice can help keep the drink cold while guests serve themselves. Do not leave eggnog at room temperature for more than 2 hours; return it to the refrigerator sooner if the room is warm. Keep a small spoon or whisk beside the pitcher so the drink can be stirred if it settles.

Variations

Extra-spiced eggnog: Add a small pinch of ground cinnamon or a tiny pinch of ground cloves along with the nutmeg. Use a light hand, since cloves can take over quickly. A strip of orange zest warmed in the milk is another option; remove it before tempering the yolks for a subtle citrus note.

Lighter-tasting eggnog: Use 3½ cups (830 ml) whole milk and ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream instead of the listed dairy amounts. The drink will be less plush but still creamy after chilling. Avoid replacing all the dairy with skim milk if you want a custard-like body.

Sweetness to taste: The listed sugar makes a gently sweet drink. You can reduce it to ⅔ cup (about 135 g) if you prefer less sweetness, but avoid making a large reduction because sugar contributes to the custard’s texture as well as its flavor. Taste after chilling, when the cold temperature can make sweetness seem less pronounced.

For an adult version: Stir a small splash of bourbon, dark rum, or brandy into individual glasses just before serving rather than adding it to the full batch. That lets guests choose whether they want it, and it avoids changing the texture of the base. Alcoholic eggnog is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Storage and Reheating

Transfer the eggnog to a clean, covered container and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Keep it at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use it within 3 to 4 days. Because the recipe contains dairy and cooked eggs, do not leave it on the counter to serve over an extended period; pour only what you expect to use and return the rest promptly to the refrigerator. If it has been left out longer than 2 hours, discard it rather than trying to chill it again.

The mixture may separate a little during storage. Whisk it gently before pouring; a brief blend with an immersion blender can smooth it further, but avoid whipping in too much air. Freezing is possible for up to about 1 month in a freezer-safe container with room for expansion, though thawed eggnog may have a grainier or separated texture. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then whisk thoroughly and use it promptly.

Eggnog is normally served cold, so reheating is not necessary. If you want to serve a portion warm, heat it slowly in a saucepan while stirring and check that it reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS temperature for reheated leftovers. Do not boil it: high heat can make the eggs curdle and the dairy scorch. Warm only the amount you plan to drink, since repeated heating and cooling can harm the texture and make safe handling harder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a copy of the exact Joy of Cooking recipe? This is a Joy of Cooking-style take on classic cooked eggnog, using a gently heated egg-yolk custard and a long chill. Recipe editions and family versions can differ, so this page presents a practical home recipe rather than claiming to reproduce a particular printed edition word for word.

Can I make the eggnog without a thermometer? A thermometer is strongly recommended because the eggs need to reach 160°F (71°C), and custard can look thick before it has reached that temperature. If you do not have one, the spoon-coating test can help judge texture, but it does not confirm a safe temperature. Borrow or buy an instant-read thermometer if you can.

Why did my eggnog turn lumpy? The pan was probably too hot, or the custard was not stirred continuously as it heated. Straining removes small bits, but it cannot always restore a very curdled mixture. For a smoother result next time, temper the yolks gradually, use low to medium-low heat, scrape the pan’s bottom, and take the pan off the burner if the custard heats too fast.

Can I make it ahead? Yes. The recipe needs at least 4 hours to chill, and making it the day before is convenient. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and whisk it just before serving. For the best quality, serve within 3 to 4 days of cooking and follow the same two-hour limit for time spent out of refrigeration.

Can I use whole eggs instead of yolks? This formula is written for yolks, which give the drink a richer custard texture. Whole eggs add more water and egg white, so swapping them one for one changes both the consistency and flavor. For a lighter texture, keep the yolk custard as written and serve it with a little softly whipped cream rather than changing the egg ratio.

How can I make the drink less thick? Whisk in cold milk a tablespoon or two at a time after chilling until it pours the way you like. Do this just before serving and taste as you go, since adding too much milk can dilute the vanilla and nutmeg. For a richer, thicker pour, chill it longer rather than adding extra yolks or cooking it beyond the stated temperature.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).