Light Eggnog Recipe

This light eggnog recipe is creamy, full of warm spices, and downright delicious. Eggnog is a classic holiday beverage typically made with egg yolks, cream, and sugar, and sometimes spiked with an alcohol of choice. I've lightened up the traditional eggnog recipe by using low fat milk (and a splash of cream) and less sugar but it's still rich and full of flavor!

Best Eggnog Recipe

This is the best eggnog recipe because it's silky and full of the classic eggnog flavors - vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Not only is it super delicious, it's easy to make (more on this below!). By cutting back on the amount of sweetness and using low fat dairy, you still retain sweetness and creaminess, but without as much added sugar and saturated fat. With that being said, I would not recommend using all fat-free dairy here. Fat-free dairy won't get you close to the rich, creamy texture and flavor of this light eggnog recipe, let alone traditional eggnog! One of our secret weapons is using fresh vanilla beans. They can be a little pricey so a good quality vanilla extract works great! I just love seeing the little specks of vanilla bean in certain dishes and drinks like eggnog.

How to Make Eggnog

Making eggnog is a fairly simple process. First, whisk egg yolks until they're light in color and fluffy. When using fresh vanilla beans, slice the bean down the middle. Next, use the back of a knife to scrape both pieces. You'll see little black seeds stick to the knife. That's a vanilla bean! Add the vanilla seeds to the whisked egg yolks, along with the cream, maple syrup, and nutmeg. You can include the scraped pod as well! Then pour this mixture into a saucepan and toss in cinnamon sticks and whole cloves (ground spices work just fine). Cook on low for about an hour, stirring frequently. You do not want it to simmer or boil! This will cook the eggs quickly and give you a chunky eggnog. Lastly, strain the liquid to remove the whole spices and either serve right away or chill until you're ready to serve!

Ingredient Highlights - Light Eggnog Recipe

• Egg yolks - egg yolks get a bad reputation because the fat in eggs comes from the yolks. However, the yolk is where the majority of the nutrients are! It contains vitamin D (fun fact: they’re one of the few foods that naturally contains vitamin D!), B12, vitamin A, and folate.
• Low-fat milk - like I mentioned above, low-fat milk is the best here (dairy-free milks would work too, they just may not be as creamy depending on their fat content). Fat-free milk won't have enough fat to keep the eggnog creamy and full-fat dairy is higher in saturated fat. You could use either but the texture and/or nutrition content will vary! Any sort of cow's milk will have protein, calcium, B12, riboflavin, and vitamin D.
• Vanilla bean - fresh vanilla beans add so much subtle vanilla flavor plus the eye appeal of little black specks! You can use vanilla extract in lieu of a vanilla bean.
• Heavy cream - this can be omitted but similar to using low-fat dairy, it provides the creaminess that is eggnog. My light eggnog recipe calls for just 2 Tbsp in the whole recipe, which isn't a lot!
• Maple syrup - I highly recommend using real maple syrup, not only for this recipe, but all the time! Real maple syrup is what it says it is - maple syrup. Fake maple syrups are full of additives and corn syrup. Check the label the next time you're at the store and make sure it says "real maple syrup" under the ingredients!
• Spices - in addition to ground nutmeg, this recipe uses whole cinnamon sticks and cloves but ground versions of either will work. I would use 2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp ground cloves. Using whole spices makes this beverage feel festive and they make a great garnish 🙂

Recipe FAQ

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Rate & Review

If you made my light eggnog recipe, please rate and review it below! I would love to hear your feedback. Also snap a photo and tag me on insta @theperfectpearr so I can see your creation!

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