This Sous Vide Eggnog is a creamy delicious Christmastime treat. It's so easy to make and is sure to please. This recipe is written as a mocktail, but can easily be modified with the addition of some rum, brandy, or bourbon if you fancy a cocktail.
Using a blender and sous vide makes it so easy to make this Christmas classic. All you need to do is blend everything up before putting the uncooked nog into a jar and letting the water bath do the work. In a little more than an hour you'll be well on your way to enjoying some delicious eggnog that is so much better than anything store bought.
Need more nonalcoholic holiday drinks? My Sorrel Drink is a vibrant, sweet-tart option that will transport you to the Caribbean. This Ginger Pear Holiday Mocktail is sure to please, as well!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It's easy to make. Using a blender and sous vide makes making this drink a snap.
It's a Christmas classic. Few things say "Christmas" quite like this creamy beverage.
It tastes great. It's sweet, creamy, and pleasantly spiced with warm nutmeg and cinnamon.
What is Sous Vide Eggnog?
Sous Vide Eggnog is simply eggnog that has been made with the aid of sous vide (more on that below).
Eggnog (which is one word... I googled it) is a rich, creamy, chilled beverage usually made out of eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and spices. It can be served sans alcohol, or with some booze added to the mix.
It's thought that eggnog started out as a medieval British drink, called "posset." Posset was made with hot milk, which was curdled with wine or ale, and flavored with spices. Later, eggs were added to some posset recipes. Over time, we arrived at the present day eggnog recipe that so many know and love.
What is sous vide?
Sous vide is a French term that translates to "under vacuum." Typically, it refers to the process of sealing food in a plastic bag, immersing the bag of food in a water bath, and then cooking it to a precise temperature in the water bath. Though food is most often cooked in (reusable or disposable) plastic bags, you can also sous vide food in containers like glass jars, as in this recipe.
You might be most familiar with sous vide cooking for steaks or other kinds of proteins. And don't get me wrong, it's an amazing way to cook steaks. They come out perfect every. single. time. Seriously, because you are cooking them at a super precise temperature the entire time, you cannot mess them up. It's my favorite way to cook a steak.
BUT you can also use sous vide to make a whole host of delicious treats. My Sous Vide Limoncello is a great example. I also strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to check out the sous vide offerings that Chelsea of A Duck's Oven has on her blog.
Why use sous vide to make eggnog?
If you're the type who is skeeved out by the thought of drinking raw eggs, you'll probably want to use a cooked eggnog recipe. And sure, you can do that on the stovetop. But using sous vide makes the process so easy.
Now, I will acknowledge that the chances of getting salmonella from raw pasteurized eggs is pretty small. However, I had the misfortune of getting salmonella several years ago and I remember it pretty vividly. I'll be cooking my eggnog, thanks.
With this sous vide eggnog, all you need to do is blend the ingredients up, put them in a glass jar, and (gently) plop that jar into heated water. You can walk away and do... well whatever you want to do! Theres no stirring or babysitting involved.
In short, it's very easy. And almost entirely hands-off.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Egg yolks: Separate your eggs and save the whites for an omelette or a merengue.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar.
- Dairy: Whole cow's milk and heavy cream, to be precise.
- Vanilla extract: Just a bit of some good vanilla extract.
- Nutmeg: Freshly grate your nutmeg, if possible, for the best flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt (kosher, in this case) is an excellent addition to sweet creations. It makes all of the flavors pop.
- Cinnamon: A cinnamon stick or two will add great flavor
- Booze (optional):
Substitutions or Variations
- Make it boozy. If you want your eggnog to be a festive cocktail, you can add some bourbon, rum, or brandy (or whatever else you fancy) to the blender.
- Tinker with the spices. Like more or less nutmeg? Use the amount that you prefer! Maybe you want to add some pumpkin spice for extra festiveness? Do it!
- Make a raw eggnog. There are plenty of eggnog recipes that don't require it to be cooked. If that's more your style, google one of those.
How to make Sous Vide Eggnog
Step 1. Add egg yolks to a blender.
Step 2. Add sugar to the blender.
Step 3. Blend the egg yolks and sugar until well combined. The egg yolks will be a little lighter in color and fluffier.
Step 4. Add milk and cream to the blender.
Step 5. Add a pinch of salt and grated nutmeg to the blender.
Step 6. Blend until everything is well combined.
Step 7. Add the uncooked eggnog to a mason jar; add a cinnamon stick.
Step 8. Put a lid on the jar; tighten to finger tight. Gently place the jar in the preheated water bath. My jar was floating a bit, so I weighed it down with a mug. Cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour, allow the eggnog to cool a bit before refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
Step 9. Pour the chilled eggnog into a glass.
Step 10. Top with whipped cream.
Step 11. Garnish the eggnog with freshly grated nutmeg.
How to use Sous Vide Eggnog
You can drink this eggnog on its own, as is, and it will be delicious. Or maybe you want to add a little booze to yours? That's a great option, too!
You can also use eggnog as components in other recipes, too! My Eggnog Latte is a great example. You can also use your homemade eggnog in an eggnog martini or this Eggnog French Toast!
Recipe FAQs
It should last about 2-3 days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
This recipe does not include alcohol, but you can feel free to add some.
It doesn't HAVE to be cooked. In fact, many eggnog recipes use raw eggs. However, if you have concerns about eating raw eggs, cooked eggnog may be for you.
It's easy and nearly hands-off. Once you get the eggnog blended up, all you need to do is put it in a jar and drop that jar into the water bath. You can walk away and do whatever you want while you wait for it to cook.
Other holiday drink recipes
I'd love to know what you thought of this recipe! Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️ star rating below!
✨ Recipe
Sous Vide Eggnog
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- whipped cream and additional nutmeg for garnish
- ½ - 1 cup rum, bourbon, brandy, or a combination optional
Instructions
- Fill a cambro or large pot with enough water to cover the jar(s) that you'll be making your eggnog in. Using your sous vide/immersion circulator, preheat the water to 144° F.
- While the water preheats, add the egg yolks and sugar to a blender. Blend until the yolks are lighter in color and a bit fluffier.
- Add the milk, cream, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt to the blender. Blend until everything is well incorporated. If you're adding the *optional* alcohol to this recipe, add it here and blend it well.
- Add the cinnamon stick to the jar, followed by the contents of the blender.
- Place the lids on the jars to finger tight. That is, tighten the lids well, then unscrew them approximately half a turn.
- Carefully place the jar into the preheated water and cook for 1 hour.
- Remove the jar from the water and allow it to cool a bit before storing it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. It will thicken more as it chills.
- When you're ready to drink the eggnog, remove the cinnamon stick from the jar and pour it into a glass. Garnish with some whipped cream and a little freshly grated nutmeg.
Notes
- Nutrition information assumes an approximately 8 ounce serving size (and no alcohol added to the recipe).
- Adding alcohol to this eggnog is totally optional. Rum, brandy, and bourbon (or a combination thereof) are all good options. In fact, adding alcohol will extend the shelf life of this nog.
- I have not tested this recipe with non dairy milks, so I can't comment on how they would work out.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Leave a Reply