Eggnog Recipes to Serve this Christmas and New Year

Everyone is bound to get busy this month now that the holidays are coming up. People would begin their preparations for the various parties they will be attending during this Christmas and New Year break. Some of them – even those who live in a condo for sale in The Fort or anywhere in the Metro – will most likely end up hosting their own parties with friends and loved ones.

If you are one of the people who are hosting a party in their own place, you should know that there are many food and drinks that you could serve to your guests. For instance, you can hand out eggnog drinks or eggnog-inspired desserts to impress them; just follow the recipes below: 

Classic Eggnog

Eggnog is a traditional drink that you can serve during the holidays. To make a classic eggnog, gather these ingredients:

• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 cups light cream
• 2 ½ cups light rum
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 12 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 5 whole cloves
• 4 cups milk

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine cinnamon, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, cloves, and milk. Heat them over low heat for about 5 minutes; bring the mixture into a boil slowly.
2. Next, whisk sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until they become fluffy. Add the hot milk mixture and whisk them together.
3. Afterwards, pour the concoction in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat while constantly stirring for about 3 minutes or until it becomes thick. Make sure not to boil it though.
4. Remove the cloves by using a strainer and let the brew cool for one hour.
5. Add nutmeg, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, cream, and rum into the mixture. Stir the ingredients together and place the finished product in your refrigerator overnight before serving it. 

Non-alcoholic Eggnog

Do you want to steer clear of alcoholic drinks this Christmas? Then this eggnog recipe is for you! To make this, you need the following ingredients:

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups full fat milk
• 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
• 12 medium egg yolk

Directions:

1. Blend white sugar and egg yolks together for about 2 minutes. Then, pour the mixture in a bowl before whisking it with cream and milk. Keep mixing until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the vanilla extract and ground nutmeg in the concoction.
3. Place it in the refrigerator for a while before serving it to your guests. Sprinkle some ground cinnamon on each glass to make the drink tastier! 

Eggnog Cookies

(Source: http://tidymom.net/2011/eggnog-cookies/)

Are you not fond of eggnog? Integrate this prominent drink in the cookies you will be serving this holiday instead! Here are the ingredients that you need:

• ½ cup eggnog
• ½ tsp. rum extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ cups packed light-brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

You also need the following items to create the frosting:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp. rum extract
• 3-5 tbsp. eggnog
• ½ cup butter at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and flour together for about 30 seconds in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, whip together brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time and blend the concoction after each addition.
4. Add eggnog, rum extract, and vanilla extract into the mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients and combine everything well.
5. Scoop two tablespoonful of dough and drop it onto a Silpat or lined baking sheets. Place several more on the sheet but make sure that they are at least 2 inches apart from one another.
6. Bake them for about 11-13 minutes. Then, allow them to cool before adding some frosting.

For the eggnog frosting:

1. Whip butter in a large bowl until it becomes pale and fluffy.
2. Add 3 tbsp. of eggnog, rum extract, and powdered sugar.
3. Mix in the additional eggnog if desired.

Gather the necessary ingredients and enjoy these recipes with your friends and family this holiday!