If you’re like me and love to keep things simple but still delicious through the holidays, this best easy homemade eggnog recipe is perfect for you. It’s a cozy holiday treat that you can whip up in no time with just a few basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. No need to buy the processed store-bought stuff—this version is creamy, rich, and so much better because it’s made with love right at home. Plus, you can tweak it just how your family likes it, whether you prefer it sweet, extra spicy, or with a little festive kick!

Why I Make the Best Easy Homemade Eggnog at Home Every Year

I absolutely love making homemade eggnog every year—it’s become such a special tradition in our house. As soon as the first batch starts simmering on the stove, the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves fills the air, and it just feels like the holidays have officially begun. The whole house warms up with this cozy, sweet spice that makes everything feel extra festive. It’s those little moments that remind me why this is one of my favorite things to make during the season.

Part of the reason I started making eggnog from scratch is because I got tired of checking the labels on the store-bought versions. Every year, there seemed to be more and more unpronounceable junk added to the ingredients list, and it honestly started to feel a little gross.

I thought, “Why not make it myself so I know exactly what’s going into it?” It turns out, making it from scratch is so much easier than I thought—and so much better for us, too! You could always make some swaps to make this recipe more low cal and stuff like that, but I like to keep a traditional flavor for the fam so keep the ingredients basic.

Now, it’s something I look forward to every year. Hubby AND the kids love it (you all know how hard that is to accomplish) and I love knowing that I’m serving them something made with real ingredients, free of all that extra nonsense.

Plus, it’s become our little family tradition that just makes the holidays feel complete.

Nothing beats pouring a glass of homemade eggnog, sitting by the tree, and just enjoying that cozy, homemade warmth together.

How to Make Easy DIY Homemade Eggnog

Grab all these natural ingredients:

6 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp salt

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the egg yolks and granulated sugar. Whisk them together until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. You can do this by hand or use an electric mixer, let’s be real, moms need to do what is easy but best.

Next it’s time to heat stuff up. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, whipping cream, cinnamon sticks, and salt. Mix everything well.

Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and warm it up. Just before it starts to boil, turn off the heat. Remove the saucepan from the stove and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Slowly add the hot milk to the whipped eggs, tablespoon by tablespoon, allowing the eggs to gradually adjust to the temperature. Whisk vigorously while adding the milk. Once again, by hand or electric is just fine here. Do what you can mama.

Once the milk and eggs are thoroughly combined and whisked, pour everything back into the saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool completely.

Using a strainer, strain the eggnog into a bottle or jar. This ensures a smooth texture. If you heat it too much or too fast you can get some texture issues, but straining and patience will fix that.

Now just refrigerate it to keep it chilled. I give it a shake or stir before serving just like anything homemade.