You won't believe how easy and delicious homemade eggnog is! If you're a fan of eggnog, you will love this wonderful eggnog recipe! It's rich, creamy, and so much better than store-bought versions.
It's eggnog season and I couldn't resist creating a single serving version of the eggnog recipe I use for parties. This homemade "eggnog for one" can be made quickly and tastes so much better than any store-bought version.
Eggnog is usually served after Thanksgiving in the United States and often served up until New Year's Day. It is sometimes referred to as milk punch and is made with eggs, milk, cream, and spices.
You can enjoy eggnog in the morning or add a splash of rum for a bedtime treat.
Why This Recipe Works
All year I look forward to drinking eggnog during the holidays. This wonderful milk based, nutmeg infused drink is synonymous with Christmas. To me, drinking eggnog is as traditional as building gingerbread houses and decorating our tree.
Most people either love eggnog or they loathe it. To be honest, I'm not a fan of of the eggnog you find at the grocery. Those sugary concoctions are extremely thick and they usually have a spice flavor that tends to be overpowering.
Homemade eggnog is different. The recipe I'm sharing today is the very best eggnog recipe.
It's light, creamy, perfectly spiced and wonderfully delicious! Best of all, this small batch eggnog recipe makes the perfect amount for one person.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe box for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.
- milk
- heavy cream
- egg yolk
- sugar
- ground nutmeg
- vanilla extract
- rum or bourbon (optional)
How To Make This Recipe
Skip the artificially sweetened cartons and make your own at home. It's incredible!
- This homemade eggnog for one is made with one egg yolk that you temper with hot milk and cream, and then heat along with ground nutmeg and sugar until it thickens.
- To ensure that the egg is cooked, heat the eggnog until the temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Then, pour the eggnog into a glass or mug, add a shot of bourbon or rum if you'd like, and chill.
- Topping the eggnog with whipped cream is also a nice touch.
Expert Tips
- If you'd like to make a richer eggnog, feel free to play around with the proportions of milk and cream, keeping 1 cup total of dairy used. More cream will make your eggnog thicker and creamier. Adding alcohol will also continue to thicken the eggnog in the fridge as it ages.
- This recipe can easily be doubled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eggnog is typically made with rum, brandy, or bourbon. Higher alcohol levels will cut through the sweetness of the eggnog.
Since this is a single serving eggnog recipe, you will likely want to enjoy it right away. But if you want to make eggnog ahead of time, cover the eggnog and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Whisk it before drinking.
RELATED: Cooking For One: Tips To Eat Healthy and Save Money
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients left over from this easy eggnog recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Milk: Strawberry Milkshake, Mini Spice Cake, Panna Cotta
- Heavy cream: Pizza Crustless Quiche, Banana Cream Pie, Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
- Egg white: 2 Chocolate Cupcakes, 2 Vanilla Cupcakes, Meringues
- Sugar: Peanut Butter Cookies, Cranberry Jam, Mini Pound Cake
- Nutmeg: Apple Butter, Apple Galette, Alfredo Sauce
- Vanilla: Chocolate Chip Muffin, Vanilla Ice Cream, Honey Lemon Custard
- Bourbon or rum: Tiramisu, Mint Julep
I use a 1-quart saucepan in this eggnog for one recipe. For best results, use a pot of similar size.
If you would like additional information about the cooking and baking dishes I use, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
RELATED: How To Cook Large Meals In A Small Slow Cooker
If you’ve tried this eggnog or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 shot rum or bourbon (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the milk and the cream in a 1-quart saucepan on medium heat. While the milk and cream are heating, combine the egg yolk and the sugar in a small bowl.
- When the milk mixture begins to simmer, remove from the heat and whisk 1 tablespoon of the milk mixture into the egg/sugar mixture. Continue to add and whisk 1 tablespoon at a time of the milk mixture to the egg mixture until you have added about half of the milk mixture to the egg.What you are doing here is tempering the egg. If you add the egg into the milk/cream mixture right away, the egg would cook and we don't want curdles in the eggnog. By tempering, you are slowly heating the egg to match the temperature of the milk.
- Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and heat again. Whisk occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the mixture reaches the temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour into a mug, add bourbon to taste, if desired.Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- If you'd like to make a richer eggnog, feel free to play around with the proportions of milk and cream, keeping 1 cup total of dairy used. More cream will make your eggnog thicker and creamier. Adding alcohol will also continue to thicken the eggnog in the fridge as it ages.
- This recipe can easily be doubled.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Ohhh this is lovely! Thanks so much. My husband is not an eggnog fan…although he might be if he tastes this version. You did a great job converting it to one person and I am going to enjoy the heck out of it! Merry Christmas!
Thank you.
Merry Christmas sweet gal. You are doing so many interesting things with your life. I love hearing all about you guys and your adventures. Love ya! Nina in Huntsville….
Hi Nina,
Merry Christmas to you as well!
Much love to you and your family,
Joanie
This is an awesome treat! It will also come in handy for so many recipes where I would like to add a bit of eggnog but don’t have any on hand! Thank you!
I love this recipe! So perfect for when I just need a little pick me up, but not too much!
Is it necessary to heat or cook the milk. I’ve made it without by just adding the egg and salt in a blender and mixing for about a min. or until frothy.
This is a cooked eggnog version, there are other versions where the egg is not cooked.