What Is In Eggnog—and Why Do We Drink It at Christmas?

What is in eggnog, and when did people first start drinking it? Depending on when you sipped it, you and your ancestors may have known this silky beverage as “eggnog,” “egg nog” (two words), “egg-nogg” (double “g”), “milk punch,” or "flip," clarifies Beth Forrest, Ph.D., a food historian and professor of liberal arts and food studies at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. (By the way, a “flip” is a mixology term used to this day. This refers to a category of cocktails made with liquor, sugar, and eggs that are shaken or mixed until foamy.) According to Forrest, the meaning of "nog" in eggnog is a bit fuzzy. It might refer to "noggin," a term for a small wooden cup or mug that dates back to the Middle Ages.

The Origins of Eggnog

“In an 1883 issue of The Magazine of American History, the editors wrote that it was in Virginia manor houses where the ‘great Christmas beverage, eggnog’ was invented—replacing wassail. They reported that it was served in a ‘huge silver vessel’ and ‘was one of the distinctive features of the season, as remains, and deserves all the praise that has been accorded to it as a beverage,’” Forrest says.

While that late-1800s mention was likely among the first recorded instances of eggnog appearing on holiday menus, it probably wasn’t the first time eggnog recipes were made. Like so many other foods and drinks, it’s nearly impossible to say who—and exactly when—eggnog was first created and consumed, Forrest admits.

“The prevailing theory is that it descended from medieval Europe and posset. Posset is a beer or wine punch enriched with eggs, milk, or cream, with warming spices added to later on,” Forrest says. “It was drunk by monks, at weddings, or before bedtime. In her bestselling 1784 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, Hannah Glasse has several recipes for posset.”

One of these possets is made with sack (aka port), eggs, sugar, milk, and nutmeg, and the finished product is strikingly similar to modern-day eggnog recipes. (Psst…Ina Garten shared her signature posset recipe with us if you want to give her Modern Comfort Food recipe a shot!)

Eggnog and Christmas

By 1815, eggnog was associated with Christmas in the newly-formed United States, Forrest explains. One news correspondent from England wrote that in a meeting with a secretary from President James Madison's cabinet, they were served "a liquor with which the Americans used to treat their friends on Christmas Day…called egg-nog." 

Regarding what liquor is in eggnog, "In colonial America, it would have been made with rum rather than brandy, whiskey, or port. Yet, it was also quite common to serve it along with mint juleps, sip it during lunch in the spring, or during elections. It was only more recently, by the mid-20th century, when eggnog became relegated to the holiday season," Forrest says, perhaps due to the rich nature and warm baking spices.

"While many may now think of eggnog as a seasonal indulgence, in the nineteenth century and through the first half of the twentieth century, it appeared in many medical books as a nutritive tonic for ailments and was often served to patients and soldiers in recovery," Forrest adds.

There's a lot we don't know about the history of eggnog, but "as long as you toast with your companions' to good health' at Christmas, you would be staying true to the roots of the drink," Forrest says.

 What is in Eggnog, Exactly?

It looks like a mug of milk, but what is in eggnog? It’s an emulsion of eggs, whole milk and/or cream, sugar, and spices. Eggnog is often served cold but can be enjoyed warm; the latter option is especially cozy after a brisk day of holiday shopping, sledding, ice skating, or snowman assembly. Some add alcohol (more on this below), and warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves are common.

Eggnog recipes are creamy and custard-like with a sweet and warmly-spiced flavor. The texture resembles a mug of melted vanilla ice cream or frozen custard more than a glass of milk. Since this holiday drink is very rich, a little bit goes a long way. Most of our eggnog recipes below yield 1 cup servings.

Is Eggnog Safe to Drink?

We get it if your food safety alarms buzz after seeing raw eggs included in what is in eggnog. Consuming raw eggs is not recommended for anyone with a compromised immune system, such as older people, young kids, and anyone undergoing immunotherapy. The risk for foodborne illness from salmonella is minimal for otherwise healthy populations. That said, any time you plan to consume raw or undercooked eggs, the FDA recommends opting for pasteurized eggs or egg products.

How Do You Make Eggnog?

The first step to making eggnog is separating the eggs into whites and yolks. Whip the whites into stiff peaks. Whisk the egg yolks with sugar and salt in a separate bowl until the mixture lightens in color and texture. 

Add milk, half-and-half, or cream to a saucepan over medium—be careful not to allow this to boil. Once this is simmering, gradually add a ladle full of the warm milk blend to the egg yolk mixture. Whisk constantly, and once the egg yolks are thoroughly combined with the dairy (this step prevents the eggs from curdling in the hot milk), add the dairy-stoked eggs to the saucepan and whisk continuously until the eggnog is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low, and add warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Lastly, gently stir in the whipped egg whites. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon, cocoa powder, or pumpkin pie spice if desired, and enjoy.

Alcohol-Free Eggnog

Nearly every eggnog recipe starts out spirit-free, then gets spiked with booze before serving. Our recipes for Pumpkin Eggnog, White Chocolate Eggnog, Cappuccino Eggnog, and Peppermint-Eggnog Punch show how it’s done.

If you’d like to mimic the flavor of a spirit in your eggnog, try adding a splash of extract. Technically flavored extracts contain a small amount of alcohol (see our vanilla extract guide for more details about why), so if it’s important to totally steer clear, just skip this step. Otherwise, we adore infusing alcohol-free eggnog with one of the following: 

• Vanilla extract
• Rum extract
• Almond extract 
• Maple extract
• Coffee extract

Optional Liquors and Liqueurs You Can Add to Eggnog

What alcohol is in eggnog? The only limit is your imagination—and your bar cart stock. Based on our taste tests, nearly any liquor besides tequila or mezcal works well to spike eggnog. Classic choices include brandy, sherry, rum, bourbon, cognac, and Madeira. We also adore Irish whiskey (featured in our Dublin Eggnog) and coffee liqueur (which you can try in this Cafe Rompope, or Mexican Coffee Eggnog). Feel free to mix more than one, like we do with rum and bourbon, in this classic Eggnog recipe.

When we share eggnog at a holiday party, we like to make alcohol-free eggnog by the batch, then set out an array of any or all of the liquors and liqueurs below so the 21+ guests can mix if interested. 

• Applejack brandy
• Brandy
• Bourbon
• Coffee liqueur
• Cognac
• Crème de cacao
• Frangelico
• Rum
• Rye
• Scotch
• Sherry
• Spiced Rum
• Peppermint schnapps or liqueur
• White chocolate liqueur

The Best Eggnog Food Recipes

If you prefer to eat your eggnog, our Test Kitchen pros have perfected plenty of ways to do just that. For breakfast, try Eggnog Muffins alongside your coffee or tea. After whipping up sugar cookie cutouts, gingerbread, and your family’s other seasonal favorites, round out your Christmas cookie platter with Eggnog-Frosted Nutmeg Sugar Cookies and Eggnog-Nut Thumbprints. Or if cakes and pies are more your style, consider Eggnog and Rum Fudge Pie or Eggnog Tiramisu.