18 Eggnog Recipes We Make Every Holiday Season

Whether you're trimming the tree, hosting a party or just sitting by the fire, the holidays are better with a glass of nog in hand.

Homemade No-Egg Nog

Eggnog is essentially a milk punch, one traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, yolks and whipped egg whites mixed with an alcohol like whisky, rum, or brandy. My Aunt Aggie always used to say that the egg yolks found in eggnog were “cooked” by all the booze that goes into it. I don’t know if it’s true, but it makes for a good story. My mom made this every year for the holidays and I always loved it. She would make one with just a splash of rum for me. We even had an “Eggnog Bowl” that was used once a year for only this purpose. I have created a simpler recipe, without the eggs, and you can serve it without alcohol for the kids, and with for the adults. For best results, make the mix the day before and add the whipped cream and alcohol the day of. I always use rum because it’s what my mom used. I also think it’s so much like vanilla extract that it brings the sweet notes to life. My two cents. Do what you like!

Classic Eggnog

Many historians believe eggnog evolved from a medieval drink called posset, a spiced milky-ale concoction, before morphing into the spirit-spiked dairy drink in Colonial America we are more familiar with today. This version cooks the eggs for added food safety, and also lets you keep it in the refrigerator longer.