This White Chocolate Bourbon Egg Nog is creamy and delicious with lots of white chocolate, nutmeg and heavy cream. The perfect holiday drink!
Egg nog is a holiday classic that my family has always had at the holidays. Other great holiday drinks we love are apart of these 12 Festive Holiday Cocktails!
We’ve always gotten the store bought egg nog carton, but recently I’ve started making it homemade and wow, what a difference!
What is egg nog?
Eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage that’s traditionally served during the holidays at large gatherings. It’s mixture of milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Eggnog historically is also known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch when alcoholic is added.
What Does Eggnog Taste Like?
Some people don’t like the thought of drinking egg nog because of the inclusion of eggs in a drink. But egg nog is really just like having a drinkable pastry cream, crème brûlée, or even a custard base for ice cream. And it tastes just like that. You don’t taste any eggs at all. And it’s mainly the same ingredients. The only difference is adding nutmeg.
What ingredients are used for the White Chocolate Bourbon Egg Nog?
Eggs- I just use the yolks in this recipe, but other use the egg whites as well. You can whip the egg whites and fold them into the finished drink to add a layer of froth to it.
Milk- milk is used to temper the egg yolk when heating and cooking them.
Sugar- white granulated sugar is used in the egg nog.
Heavy Cream- Heavy whipping cream is used to thicken the egg nog.
White Chocolate– I add white chocolate for a rich and buttery taste.
Vanilla- vanilla extract or paste is used to give a richer vanilla flavor.
Nutmeg– nutmeg is the perfect spice to add to this holiday drink
How is the White Chocolate Bourbon Egg Nog made?
To make the White Chocolate Bourbon Egg Nog, heat the milk in a saucepan until hot, but do not let sit boil. While it’s heating, add the egg yolks and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until the egg yolks are fluffy and pale in color. This makes them almost triple in volume and become very thick like yogurt.
Slowly add the hot milk a little bit at a time, while continuously whisking with a regular whisk. You don’t pour the milk all at once because you want to temper the eggs, so they used to the hot liquid. You don’t want a bowl of scrambled eggs.
Once all of the milk is incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low to medium heat. The mixture will start to thicken like a custard base for ice cream. In fact, it’s basically the same recipe once the heavy cream is added.
Stir in the white chocolate until all of the chips are melted. Remove from the heat and immediately strain with a mesh strainer the mixture into another bowl. This is done to remove any small pieces of egg yolk that could have cooked during the process.
Cool the mixture, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Egg nog is meant to be served cold, so you want to refrigerate it as long as possible.
Add the heavy cream, bourbon and nutmeg. At this point the egg nog may be on the thick side, so I usually add about a half cup of milk to thin it out some. If you like your egg nog very thick, you do not have to add it. Or if you like it thinner, you can add more than 1/2 cup. It depends on your taste. Pour the egg nog into low ball glasses with sugar and spice rim, add a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of additional nutmeg.
Commonly Asked Questions:
Do you have to use the bourbon in the recipe?
No, you can leave out the bourbon when making this recipe if you want a non-alcoholic version.
Can you taste the eggs in egg nog?
No, you can not taste the egg. When done, the egg nog should taste similarly to a custard.
Do you have to “cook” the eggs in the recipe?
So people made homemade egg nog without cooking the eggs. I wouldn’t recommend doing that because drinking eggnog with raw eggs, may not be safe. Eggnog made with raw, unpasteurized eggs can contain salmonella. Eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees F to kill Salmonella bacteria.
How long does homemade eggnog last with alcohol?
Egg nog can be refrigerated for up to three days in a sealed container. Though, some people like to age egg nog with alcoholic up to months. This method, I’ve never tried.
Looking for other Holiday Drinks? Here are a few ideas:
Sparkling Pomegranate Gin & Tonics
Lavender Cranberry-Orange Cocktail
White Chocolate Bourbon Egg Nog
Ingredients
Egg Nog
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 oz white chocolate bar, chopped or 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1- 1 1/2 cups bourbon
Garnish for Glasses
- Simple syrup or any syrup
- Turbinado sugar
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon (optional)
Garnish
- Whipped cream
- Nutmeg
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add 2 cups of milk. Slowly bring milk mixture to a simmer.In a medium sized bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. With a hand mixer, beat until fluffy and pale in color, about 2 to 3 minutes.Temper the eggs by pouring a small amount of the heated milk to the eggs, whisking constantly. Continue adding small amounts of the milk to the eggs, whisking constantly until all the milk is incorporated and well combined.Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, while constantly whisking until the mixture slightly thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes or when the eggnog mixture reaches 160°F. Do not let it come to a boil. Add the white chocolate and whisk until it’s fully melted.Remove from heat, then use a mesh strainer and strain the mixture into a bowl. This will remove any small cooked pieces of egg. Let mixture cool for about an hour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Whisk in a 1/2 cup of milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, nutmeg and 1 cup of bourbon. If the mixture is too thick add additional milk 1/4 cup at a time until it’s at the desired consistency. Add an additional 1/2 of bourbon if desired.Dip the rim of 4 low ball glasses in simple syrup, then roll them in a dish with turbinado sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Fill each glass and garnish with a spoonful of whipped cream and an additional sprinkle of nutmeg.
