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American in Ireland recipes

Easy Homemade Eggnog Recipe (Kid-friendly)

Short Summary: It’s nearly impossible to find Eggnog in Ireland (without costing a fortune), so I make my own. This easy homemade eggnog recipe is kid-friendly and tastes great. I’m posting this recipe for my fellow Americans abroad, and for those who want to try making their own.

Recipe first, followed by some words. Feel free to “Print Recipe Here” to download a printer-friendly copy without all the words and pictures. Enjoy 🙂

Homemade Eggnog Recipe: Print recipe

  • 6 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Optional: a sprinkle of Mixed spice*
  • Optional: 2 Tbsp each of bourbon and rum

Directions:

  • In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk or electric mixer until they become lighter in color.

  • Add in the sugar ¼ cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk/Beat until fluffy. Set to the side.

  • In a saucepan, combine milk, cloves, and cinnamon. Slowly heat on medium until the mixture steams, but do not let it boil.

  • Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the hot milk mixture into the eggs, ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. Once most of the mixture is added and mixed well, dump it all back into the saucepan.

  • Cook the eggnog on medium heat, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture reaches 160F or until it thickens and coats the back of the wooden spoon. Do not let the mixture boil, or it will curdle.

  • Remove from heat.
  • Measure out the heavy cream, add in vanilla and nutmeg. Pour this into the egg nog and stir until well mixed.

  • Done, you can drink this hot or let it chill for a few hours. Make sure to shake well before drinking.

  • *If adding alcohol, wait until its chilled for about an hour, add the alcohol and then chill again.

Prep time: about 20 mins.
Chill time: at least an hour.
Yield: Makes 1 quart (serves 4-6 people)

Thoughts

Holidays in the States, for me, center around great food and drinks. However, living in a foreign country, all those tasty treats are no longer at my fingertips.

On the plus side, I’ve kicked up my baking and cooking game. Instead of boxes or mixes, almost everything I make is from scratch. Sounds complicated, right? I used to think so, but I actually enjoy the process. I know every ingredient in a recipe and most things I already have on hand.

The hardest part is finding the ingredients. Some things, such as Crisco vegetable fat, are difficult to find in Ireland; or simply aren’t available. There is also the struggle of different names; bicarbonate of soda, anyone? That’s the name for baking soda here.

I’m posting this homemade Eggnog recipe because I know many ex-pats in Europe miss having some around the holiday season. This is an American holiday classic, although, like candy corn, some people love it, and others hate it. I tried a few eggnog recipes and after making several tweaks, this is my go-to recipe. My kids enjoy this special treat, and I love adding it to my coffee. You can even make it more “adult” and add in bourbon, rum, or really any alcohol you choose.

Keep in mind, this will probably not taste as thick and creamy as the store-bought brands in the States, but it’s a great alternative to those craving an eggnog fix.

Enjoy, share, and comment on what you think of this recipe.

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