Boozy Eggnog without the raw eggs. Enjoy this thick, creamy & delicious drink made with heated eggs, cream, brandy and rum. Happy Holidays!
I can’t resist making a batch of eggnog every year! It’s a fun, boozy, delicious, creamy, super rich drink just for the holidays.
I have a few different recipes I make, today I’m sharing a family recipe. I’ve made one big change to this recipe over the years – I no longer use raw eggs in it. The eggs are still there, they’re just heated to a safe temperature.
Someone had told me a few years back that I was taking the fun out of eggnog by no longer using raw eggs. Seriously? I was kind of taken back by that. I wasn’t aware that salmonella was part of the party.
So why is everyone so nonchalant about raw eggs? The story is “everyone has eaten raw cookie dough for years and has never gotten sick.” That may be so, but eggs still test positive for salmonella.
Others will say it’s okay to use fresh raw organic eggs from small, local farms. Really? I have chickens. I have fresh and organic eggs every single day – so fresh, they’re warm. Guess what – I’m not consuming any of those eggs raw.
So here’s the reality of the matter. If you’re okay with the risks associated with consuming raw eggs, that’s fine – go for it. If you’re making this drink for others to enjoy, it’s just irresponsible to serve it uncooked. It’s best to err on the side of caution.
So all you have to do is heat the sugar, eggs and half of the cream together for a few minutes in a saucepan until it reaches 160°. Pull it off the heat, stir in the remainder of the ingredients, bottle and refrigerate. That wasn’t so bad, now was it?
Eggnog is absolutely best when it’s sat for at least a day or two allowing flavors to blend. Taste it after it’s just been made & chilled, taste it again half a day later, then taste it a day later. The difference will be night and day. At first, it’s so rough around the edges it’s almost undrinkable. A day or two later – it’s sweet, smooth and mellow. You’ll be wondering why we don’t drink eggnog more often 🙂
I hope you enjoy this recipe for eggnog! Get to making it the next day or two and it will be prime drinking for Christmas day! Happy Holidays!
-Amanda-
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 quart heavy (whipping) cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ cup brandy (up to 1 cup)
- ¼ cup rum
- In a large saucepan, whisk together eggs and sugar.
- Whisk in 2 cups of cream.
- Cook over low/ med-low heat for approx 5-10 minutes. Stir constantly, do not allow mixture to boil, until the temperature just reaches 160°.
- Remove from heat immediately.
- Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining cream, brandy and rum.
- Pour into lidded bottles and jars and refrigerate.
- Eggnog needs at least a day, preferably two, to sit and allow flavors to blend before serving.
- Get your salmonella free eggnog drink on! Enjoy 🙂
WOW! That looks so beautiful and flavorful!
Thank you so much, Kushi!
Yum. this eggnog looks creamy and delicious. I am with you on the raw eggs, really why take the chance. Happy Holidays to you Amanda.
Thanks so much, Dawn. I’ve had food poisoning on more than one occasion, so I try to take as many precautions as possible. After a day or two of sitting, I couldn’t even notice the eggs were heated instead of raw. Happy Holidays to you too 🙂