Eggnog and the holidays go hand-in-hand (…or cup-in-hand) but sometimes family members, friends and holiday guests may prefer a more poultry passive approach when it comes to nog. Not everyone enjoys the egg part of egg nog. Luckily for those people, there is another way to enjoy eggnog without having to pilfer eggs from hapless hens.
Below are several eggnog recipes, sans eggs, from some of the most experienced bartenders in the US, hailing from New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Dallas. Each recipe is able to retain the creamy, dreamy, holiday flavor, while replacing the usually eggnog with myriad interesting, unique ingredients (think: vanilla pudding mix, almond milk and even goat cheese) alongside one of the pioneers of handcrafted bourbon, Maker’s Mark.
Uncle Dave’s ‘Nog
Pamela Wiznitzer, United States Bartenders’ Guild NY President
What ingredients do you use instead of eggs?
“Eggs add a great thickening quality to a nog drink which can be sometimes difficult to replicate. Therefore, there are alternative methods to create a greater density such as using heavier syrups. In this case, I chose a 100% pure maple because it has a greater viscosity than a simple syrup which will fill out the drink a bit more than other sweeteners. The pimento dram and walnut liqueur also play really nicely with the caramel and vanilla flavors of Maker’s Mark.”
Recipe:
- 1 ½ parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
- 1 ½ parts almond milk
- ½ part aged rum
- ¾ part Crown Maple Syrup
- ¼ part pimento dram
- ¼ part walnut liqueur
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Combine and shake/chill with ice. Grate fresh cinnamon and nutmeg over the mixture and incorporate in. Garnish with a side of candied walnuts to eat while sipping the drink.
Is there anything else our readers would want to know?
Subbing in almond milk in place of heavy cream or regular milk is something I’ve been doing for quite some time; It not only lightens the cocktail for those watching their calories this holiday season, but also makes it a dairy-free eggnog for those that are lactose intolerant.
Northwest Kentucky Comfort
Bridget Maloney, Witness, Seattle, WA
What ingredients do you use instead of eggs?
I wanted to do something close to a traditional eggnog, but with a sweet little Seattle twist. I used heavy whipping cream and condensed milk to get the same consistency you would from using eggs.
Recipe:
- 1 ¼ parts clove infused Maker’s Mark® Bourbon*
- ½ part coffee liqueur
- 1 part condensed milk
- 2 parts heavy whipping cream
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
- Coffee whipped cream**
Add ice, shake, and strain into punch glass; top with coffee whipped cream and sprinkle pinch of freshly ground cinnamon on top.
*Clove-infused Maker’s Mark: place 20 – 25 cloves into a bottle of Maker’s Mark for 2-3 days until you have achieved desired infused flavor.
**Coffee Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp. coffee liqueur
Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until peaks start to form.
“I used clove-infused Maker’s Mark to add some fun spiced holiday flavor. The clove complements the delicious caramel, vanilla and molasses notes you find in Maker’s, so it was a perfect synergy. I also used coffee liqueur to give it some richness and give it that nice Seattle twist to combine two things Seattle loves: coffee and cocktails. To top it all off, we have the coffee liqueur whip cream with some cinnamon because who doesn’t love something with whip on it?!”
Pudding on the Nog
Charlie Moore, Knife, Dallas, TX
What ingredients do you use instead of eggs?
I used a sugar-free, low-fat vanilla pudding in place of eggs to help thicken the cocktail and add a smooth creamy texture. Maker’s Mark on its own has so many flavors reminiscent of the holidays; vanilla, caramel…a bit of spice – adding the vanilla pudding enhanced those flavors without overpowering the spirit.
Recipe:
- 1 ½ parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
- ½ part amaro
- 1 part simple syrup (1:1)
- 1 part heavy cream
- 2 parts whole milk
- 2 bar spoons sugar-free, low-fat vanilla pudding mix
Add all ingredients into a shaker tin and shake without ice until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly and pour into a rocks glass; freshly grate nutmeg and cinnamon stick over the top, and enjoy!
Goat Island Nog
Rhachel Shaw, Hog Island Oyster Co., San Francisco, CA
What ingredients do you use instead of eggs?
In place of eggs, I subbed in heavy cream, milk and a perhaps a more unusual cocktail ingredient…goat cheese!
Why did you pick that/those ingredients?
What I love about eggnog is the smooth and velvety consistency. Subbing in heavy cream and milk let me reach the consistency I wanted without eggs and using my secret ingredient, goat cheese, added to that but also cut some of the richness with a bit of tang! I also love the way it plays against the warm holiday flavors of Maker’s Mark.
What does your eggnog cocktail consist of?
Recipe*:
- 5 parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
- 4 parts goat cheese
- 2 parts cold brew coffee
- 10 parts milk
- 2 parts heavy cream
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 6 dashes Angostura bitters
Combine sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon with goat cheese either in a bowl or directly in a mason jar. Add cold brew coffee and stir until you’ve reached a creamy consistency. Add the rest of the ingredients into the Mason jar and shake hard. Keep in fridge until you’re ready to use and then pour 4 parts into a tin shake and strain into a brandy snifter. Serve with a coffee bean and a dash of nutmeg for a garnish. “The name of the cocktail is not only reflective of one of the ingredients, but also SF’s own Goat Island (now Treasure Island).”
* Yields 4 servings…because who wants to drink eggnog alone?
