Can you put egg nog in coffee? (Create this festive drink)

Written By

Karmy Widjaja

Page Last Updated On

April 6, 2025

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Are you a huge fan of eggnog - especially during the Christmas season?

If so, you might be wondering if you can put eggnog in your coffee.

Well, I've tried it, and let me tell you – you're going to be sorry you waited so long to try it!

Here, I'll provide you with everything you need to know about eggnog and coffee and provide you with some delicious recipes that have minimal prep time so you can try it on your own during the holiday season!

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Is Eggnog Good In Coffee? (Why You’ll Love This Drink)

Eggnog is absolutely great in coffee! It's a bit of a subjective answer, but if you love eggnog and you love coffee, then you'll likely love this combo.

Let's face it; eggnog is fantastic and an absolute must during the Christmas season.

There's something about it that just makes it a great choice (and pairing) for Christmas coffee beverages.

Typically, eggnog ingredients include pasteurized eggs (egg yolk), sugar, milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract; it can also come with ground nutmeg, whipped cream, and any other warm spices that you might fancy.

So, does eggnog and hot coffee make for a good pair?

DEFINITELY! Even though eggnog and coffee may not sound like the ideal pair, put them together, and you've got creamy, delicious goodness that's irresistible.

It's pretty much dessert for breakfast!

By adding it to coffee as an alternative to coffee creamer, you’ve got yourself an eggnog coffee beverage that’s amazing and something you’re sure to enjoy.

The Taste

I’d say that the best way to describe the taste of eggnog in coffee is if you were sipping melted coffee ice cream.

It has a distinctive taste with a sweet, custardy flavor to it, so when you pair it with brewed coffee, it helps to perfectly balance the bitterness from the coffee.

The great thing about eggnog coffee is the fact that you can also add a combination of spices - whether that be cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, or whatever else you'd like.

Appearance

Eggnog, on its own, has a yellowish color due to the milk, cream, spices, and egg within it. When you add it to a regular cup of coffee, it makes the overall color of the coffee lighter.

In my opinion, the best way to describe it is that it almost looks like a milky hot chocolate - especially if you've topped it with whipped cream garnish!

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Texture

On its own, eggnog is quite rich and has a creamy texture to it - especially because it's made with a range of delicious but heavy ingredients such as pasteurized liquid eggs (egg yolks), milk, cream, sugar, etc.

If you've ever had custard, you can imagine the drink to be a liquid custard of sorts!

When you add eggnog to coffee, it does make the cup of coffee have a slightly thicker consistency to it.

Even so, it's still delicious and definitely tastes different from regular coffee creamer!

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How To Make Eggnog Coffee Creamer At Home

Yes, you can make your own eggnog as coffee creamer at home!

While you're more than welcome to use store-bought eggnog, making your own means that you're able to tweak the ingredients to best suit your needs.

Here's a recipe that I've used at home!

Ingredients

1.5 cups of half-and-half
A teaspoon of vanilla extract
Half a cup of condensed milk
½ a teaspoon of rum extract
½ a teaspoon of nutmeg

Equipment

A bowl and a whisk for mixing
A jar or container to store your coffee creamer

Method

1
Start by combining your condensed milk and half and half in a bowl. Make sure that you stir and mix well!
2
Add the rum and vanilla before mixing again - if you don't want to add alcohol, you can also omit the rum extract.
3
Sprinkle the nutmeg into your creamer mixture before mixing again.
4
Once you're done, simply pour your mixture into a container, and you're good to go! This coffee creamer can be stored in your fridge for up to a week. Just a small serving in your beverage should do the trick.

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Easy Homemade Eggnog Coffee Recipe To Try

Looking for an easy eggnog coffee recipe for you to make at home?

Here's a simple recipe I've tried at home, and it's worked for me every time without fail.

For this, you'll need the following:

Ingredients

An espresso shot (you can also use decaf coffee if you'd like)
Half a cup of milk (your choice of whole milk, oat milk, almond milk, etc.)
A quarter cup of eggnog (you can use leftover eggnog for this)
Spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon (your choice)

Equipment

A whisk or milk frother
Coffee maker (to make your espresso shot)
A spoon
Large saucepan
Coffee cup or glass

Method

1
Start by heating the milk in the large saucepan until you've got warm milk. It shouldn't be boiling, just warm.
2
Go ahead and froth the warm milk until it's frothy - similar to a milk foam consistency.
3
Take a spoon, remove the foam, and set your milk aside.
4
Pour your espresso shot into a cup before adding eggnog and warm milk.
5
Make sure that you stir well! Then, go ahead and gently scoop the foamy milk foam on top.
6
This is completely optional, but you can also add whipped cream, freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, and more.
7
Enjoy your incredible coffee beverage!

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Barista HQ Bonus Tips

Here are just some other tips to take note of when you’re combining eggnog and coffee!

Any eggnog you use is perfectly fine (you can even use light eggnog if you prefer)
If you'd like, you can also make eggnog on your own. Just make sure that you follow the recipe and have heated the raw eggs to a safe temperature.
Making eggnog on your own is also a good option if you're wary about sugar intake and calories, as you can add less sugar to your eggnog recipes and make it slightly healthier with less saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat.[1]
Feel free to use any milk you'd like (whole milk, oat milk, almond milk, fat-free milk, etc.) I personally love using oat milk to make it extra creamy.
Enjoy homemade lattes? Depending on the eggnog you're using, you can also follow a recipe to make an eggnog latte instead.
If you're making an eggnog latte, You'll just need to make sure you're selecting an eggnog that's lower in fat, as it's much easier to foam and make it into a latte.
Add any other warm spices you'd like - ground cinnamon, allspice, ginger, whatever tickles your fancy to your recipe! My personal favorite is definitely cinnamon and ginger.
You can add double the amount of espresso if you're a coffee lover that likes stronger coffee drinks.
Can't froth the milk? No worries, your cup of coffee just won't have milk froth on top.
If you’d like to save time, try preparing the eggnog and coffee in advance (though you can’t really beat freshly brewed coffee…)

Eggnog, Coffee & Alcohol (The Perfect Festive Combo)

I've got to say, some of the best eggnog coffee that I've ever had has had a sprinkle of alcohol in it.

There's just something about that addition that makes it that much yummier (not to mention it's perfect for the festive season!).

When it comes to the addition of alcohol, my recommendation is to go for either bourbon or brandy.

Pretty much any alcohol tastes good with coffee and eggnog - though I would probably avoid tequila.

If you like something extra creamy, I'd say adding Baileys or Kahlua to your coffee drink is the perfect recipe.

When adding alcohol to your coffee and eggnog, however, just a couple of things to note:

Make sure you're adding alcohol in moderation (a balance of flavors is important!)
Keep in mind that heat and alcohol can increase the curdling of your drink, so don't pour it into boiling coffee.[2]
Instead, warm up your eggnog and add it to warm coffee before adding the alcohol last and stirring it slowly (remember to take your alcohol serving into consideration!)

FAQs

Can you put eggnog in an iced coffee?

You can definitely put eggnog in an iced coffee! Simply fill a glass with ice, and pour espresso on top before adding the eggnog and milk. Finish with grated spices on top.

Will eggnog curdle in coffee?

Eggnog will curdle in coffee if you add it to boiling hot coffee. To avoid curdling, simply make sure that both are warm - not overly hot.

Can you drink eggnog by itself?

Yes, many people enjoy drinking eggnog alone as it is sold in stores. However, if you don't instantly enjoy the unique taste, try it with other recipes.

Can you mix eggnog with milk?

You can mix eggnog with milk if that's something you'd like. As it can thicken when stored in the fridge, diluting milk and eggnog can make it less thick in consistency.

Conclusion

Having tried eggnog in my cup of coffee and as a latte and coffee creamer, I have to say that this beverage is an absolute winner that I’m adding to my list of seasonal traditions.

If you’re looking for a coffee drink that’s perfect for the festive season, you truly can’t go wrong with this tasty cup of goodness!

References:

1. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a22741241/is-eggnog-healthy/#:~:text=“Eggnog%20is%20high%20in%20calories,president%20of%2080%20Twenty%20Nutrition.&text=Of%20course%2C%20toss%20in%20a,about%20176%20calories%20per%20serving.
2. https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~roseh/recipes/Other/cooks/docID=604.html

Can you put egg nog in coffee? (Create this festive drink)