Nothing starts off the holidays better without some homemade eggnog (using leftover egg yolks from baked goods!) Trust me, this is 1000x better than the store-bought stuff!
Can you believe we are in December?! Where did the year go?!
Growing up, I remember liking eggnog as a really young child. I mean super young. Then it happened; I grew out of it. I swear the stores changed their recipes but my dad just thought I was crazy. He has continued to drink the store-bought stuff over the years and I cannot stomach myself to try it again.
That being said, recently I had an abundance of leftover egg yolks sitting around. This is quite common during my heightened cake-baking season because Swiss meringue buttercream uses 5 egg whites alone to make its luscious, silky icing. Heck, even coconut macaroons use a ton of egg whites, and yet the egg yolks get the shaft. I have made lemon curd in the past with the excess, but sometimes I am not in the mood to babysit a recipe. Then there is homemade ice cream, but with the cold weather here, I don't really think of ice cream right away. I started researching online and actually found some recipes that helped use up leftover egg yolks.
And of course I had to go with the homemade eggnog!
It was super fun to make! It reminded me of an ice cream base just before the freezing step. As soon as I tried a sip I thought "mmmm, melted ice cream!" Seriously, it was THAT good! Why did I bash eggnog all these years? Oh, because homemade eggnog is totally different than store-bought.
Since Mr. TCW was taking the leftovers into work with him for his coworkers, no alcohol was placed into this recipe. But trust me, I am sooooo looking forward to this with some brandy or rum or whatever! It is going to be my holiday drink this year 🙂 I understand not everyone is into alcohol so it is nice to have a base recipe to work with (and for you drinkers, load up the booze!)
📖 Recipe
Homemade Eggnog using Leftover Egg Yolks
Homemade Eggnog is fun for the whole family and uses up any leftover egg yolks you may have sitting around during the Holiday season!
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar!)
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg (I used the pre-ground but fresh would be nice!)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the milk, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and sugar. Cook until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is quite hot (but never boil!)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks until pale and fluffy (I do this while the above mixture is heating.) Slowly and carefully pour the hot mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly so you do not scramble the eggs. Whisk, whisk, whisk. Pour the mixture back into the pan and place back on the stove.
- Over medium-low, stirring occasionally, heat until nice and hot, but never boiling, about 20 minutes. You can always lower the heat if necessary. Strain through fine mesh and stir in cream (you can also add booze at this point!)
- Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill until chilled (I put mine into individual cups but you can leave in the pot if you want!
- *Note: I found the recipe quite sweet with no alcohol added, so you can always omit one to two tablespoons of sugar if desired. Also, it is quite thick without the booze!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 664Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 548mgSodium: 152mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 0gSugar: 65gProtein: 17g
Traditional eggnog is supposed to have egg whites mixed in (I believe in raw form.) However, I wanted a recipe that purely used up egg yolks because I am sure to have many extras in the next month. And we all know that raw eggs creep a lot of people out! This homemade eggnog recipe stayed true to a standard ice cream base and we heated the yolks to at least 160F to be safe.
With December here you know my blog will be full of holiday recipes! But I won't be the only one so have fun browsing all the other amazing food blogs out there (and be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter as I will be sharing tons of food bloggers' holiday treats this year!)
Faith (An Edible Mosaic)
There is nothing better than homemade eggnog - it's one of my favorite festive treats this time of year! This looks perfect - so thick and creamy!
Kacey
It was really thick, haha, but I think the use of alcohol would help loosen that up a bit (I personally loved it as is!)
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection
I am not a big eggnog fan, but I will tell you that the organic storebought versions are WAAAAY better than the average storebought kind. I've never made it from scratch, so I'll have to try making this for the family.
Kacey
It is definitely not for everyone (me included!) But the homemade stuff sure made a difference and I totally believe you about the organic stuff (maybe they put more love into it!)
Joanie @ Zagleft
You are so right, homemade eggnog is the best! The store brands just don't compare. Eggnog is one of my favorite holiday treats and yours looks so thick and creamy, just as the perfect eggnog should be.
Kacey
Woohoo! Glad to hear that, Joanie!
Beth
WHOA! This eggnog looks ultra creamy and thick! Way better than store bought!
Kacey
I compared it to melted ice cream, but even melted ice cream doesn't stay this thick, lol.
Stacey @ Sacey Homemaker
I was always afraid to make my own eggnog because I was worried about the raw eggs, but this looks super simple to do. I'll definitely give this a try soon, I'm sure I'll have lots of egg yolks leftover after baking too!
Kacey
Don't worry, a lot of people have this fear! Heating the egg yolks on the stove should bring their temperature to 160F, if that makes you feel better 🙂
heather @french press
I remember liking it as a kid also, but I bet it was because my grandmother made it herself, the store bought stuff is terrible. looking forward to trying this
Kacey
How awesome is it that you grew up on homemade eggnog?! I hope my daughter enjoys the same tradition!
Susan | LunaCafe
I love homemade eggnog but have never actually made it myself. Yours looks amazing. This is the year! 🙂
Kacey
I think it is, Susan!
tanya
This eggnog looks insanely rich and creamy, like nothing you can find in the store! This would make the holidays festive for sure.
Kacey
Haha, I am starting to wonder if I made it too thick (nah, that can never be a concern!)
eat good 4 life
So perfect for the holidays. I have never made eggnog before but I think I should give it a try!
Kacey
Super easy! If you have leftover egg yolks, give it a try 🙂
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet
Homemade sounds fantastic! Definitely need to give it a try!!!
Cookin Canuck
Ever since I was a kid, the tradition has been to break out the eggnog, topped with grated nutmeg (and a splash of rum for the adults) when we decorate our Christmas tree. I've never made my own eggnog, but now want to try my hand at it!
Kacey
After all those years, I feel you NEED to make one batch of homemade eggnog... Just once! 🙂
Michelle @ Blackberry Babe
I'll admit, I'm an eggnog hater. I really need to try this recipe and make it myself, I bet like most other things, I'd end up loving it!
Kacey
Haha, sounds like me. To think I used to complain about guacamole!
Monique
I am looking forward to trying this, I LOOOOOOOVE eggnog.
I have a tiny question first, is it 1/2 cup* of heavy whipping cream. I am assuming yes, but I'd hate to assemble everything and get it wrong.
Thanks!
Kacey
I am so sorry! Yes, half a cup. Don't know where I was, haha. You can add more if you like (when I make this recipe now I do not bother measuring the liquids!)
Carolyn
This looks yummy. I am definitely going to use your recipe. I love booze in mine. I want to use brandy instead of rum. Ive never had home made before looking forward to making this a part of my December celebration. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas to everyone.
Kacey
This is so great to hear, Carolyn! I would personally put alcohol in mine, too, especially on a cold night! Have a great New Year!