Brandy Eggnog

Total Time

Prep: 15 min. Cook: 25 min. + chilling

Makes

20 servings (3/4 cup each)

Updated: Sep. 21, 2022
Store-bought versions just can't compete with my homemade brandy eggnog. Apricot brandy is my secret ingredient!—Shelia Weimer, Bluefield, West Virginia

Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 quarts 2% milk
  • 6 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup apricot brandy or brandy
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 quart half-and-half cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Optional: Turbinado (washed raw) sugar, ground cinnamon and pirouette cookies

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, 15 minutes. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
  2. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer to a large bowl; cool quickly by placing bowl in ice water and stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the brandy, rum, bourbon and vanilla. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in cream and nutmeg. If desired, mix turbinado sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl; dip rims of glasses into a shallow dish of water then into the sugar mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Fill glasses with eggnog and if desired, serve with pirouette cookies.

Brandy Eggnog Tips

How long will brandy eggnog last?

Brandy eggnog is best served chilled, so feel free to make it the day before it’s served. Eggnog with spirits will last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, but keep in mind that a refrigerator packed to the brim with holiday leftovers can lower the temperature inside. To ensure that your eggnog and holiday foods are safe, an inexpensive oven/refrigerator thermometer can be purchased at your local grocery store.

Which kinds of brandy, rum and bourbon should you use to make brandy eggnog?

Personal preference reigns here, but if you’re looking for a nonalcoholic alternative that still adds flavor, try some of the nonalcoholic spirits available at most local liquor stores. If you’re serving vegan guests or those who need to avoid dairy, try making them vegan eggnog.

How do you serve brandy eggnog?

A Christmas gathering and a fresh batch of eggnog is the perfect occasion to break out some glasses and your punch bowl. No punch bowl? No problem! Serve your guests individually with any small cup or glass. Because of the alcohol in this recipe, think small when it comes to glasses—like martini glasses, vintage glassware, or even disposable tumblers. Sprinkle a dash of nutmeg on top just before serving. Can't get enough eggnog? Try making eggnog fudge or eggnog fruit fluff to get your fix.

—Catherine Ward, Taste of Home Prep Kitchen Manager

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 252 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 95mg cholesterol, 153mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 0 fiber), 7g protein.