Spiced Maple Eggnog

Spiced maple eggnog is a creamy, boozy holiday drink made from raw eggs, cream, and milk that are whisked until thick, then spiked with bourbon and spiced rum. The eggs thicken the base without cooking, while maple syrup adds warmth and depth. A blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla makes it taste like the classic version, but richer.

Ingredients for Spiced Maple Eggnog

Pasteurized eggs create a thick, custardy body without the need to cook them. Heavy cream whipped into the eggs makes the eggnog silky and luxurious. Whole milk lightens the texture and balances richness. Maple syrup adds sweetness and a subtle molasses note. Bourbon and spiced rum provide the alcohol backbone and warmth. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract are the spices that define the flavor. A pinch of salt rounds out the sweetness and enhances all the spices.

Why This Spiced Maple Eggnog Works

Pasteurized eggs are safe to use raw, and when you whisk them with sugar, the friction and aeration cause them to thicken into a foam. This foam traps air and creates the drink’s characteristic fluffy texture without any cooking.

Heavy cream is whipped separately and folded in at the end, which keeps it light and airy rather than dense. If you stirred it all together from the start, the cream would break down and the eggnog would feel thin and curdled instead of smooth.

Maple syrup dissolves easily into the eggs and spirits, flavoring the entire batch evenly. The spices bloom in the alcohol and fat, so they taste deeper and rounder than they would in a cold drink without booze.

Mistakes To Avoid

Do not skip chilling the cream and bowl. Warm cream whips slowly and may break into butter before it reaches soft peaks, leaving you with grainy, separated eggnog instead of a smooth drink.

Do not add the cream while it is still being whipped or fold it in too aggressively. Overworking it causes it to break down into butter, making the eggnog grainy and greasy rather than velvety.

Do not use regular grocery-store eggs raw, even if you find pasteurized eggs at the store. The carton will say pasteurized on the label, which is the safe choice for this recipe.

Do not pour the bourbon and rum in before tasting the base. Alcohol dulls your sense of taste, so you may over-sweeten or over-spice the drink and not realize it until it is too late.

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Ingredients

• 6 pasteurized eggs, separated
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 cups whole milk, cold
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup spiced rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a blender and the whites in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the maple syrup to the blender with the yolks and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and foamy.
3. Pour the yolk mixture into the bowl with the egg whites and whisk by hand until combined.
4. Whisk in the cold milk, bourbon, spiced rum, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until smooth, about 1 minute.
5. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold cream by hand or with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until soft peaks form, when you lift the whisk, the cream holds a shape that folds over gently.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the eggnog mixture with a rubber spatula, using broad strokes and turning the bowl as you fold, until no white streaks remain, about 1 minute.
7. Taste and adjust the spices or sweetness if needed.
8. Divide among serving glasses and top each with a light grating of fresh nutmeg.