Try This Eggnog Bread Recipe for Christmas Brunch! (2024)

FAQs

Who was the US president famous for having his own eggnog recipe? ›

Perhaps the most famous historical eggnog recipe is George Washington's, which called for brandy, rye whiskey, Jamaica rum and sherry alongside cream, milk and a dozen heaping spoonfuls of sugar.

A traditional holiday drink dating back hundreds of years, eggnog is made with eggs (hence the name), milk, cream, spices like nutmeg and vanilla, and fortified with rum, whisky, and/or brandy.

It was thought that the use of “luxury” ingredients such as cream and alcohol would invite prosperity into the household for the coming year. In most households today, a cup of eggnog ushers in the good cheer of the holiday more so than any belief in impending wealth.

While brandy is the most traditional alcohol to pair with eggnog, according to traditional recipes, you can also use a mixture of dark rum and Cognac. If you like your eggnog with more of a kick you can also add bourbon, but we recommend sticking to rum and Cognac to preserve the 'nog's flavors.

While no one knows who invented eggnog, most historians and foodies generally agree eggnog originated in medieval Britain. The upper classes were the only ones to have access to the milk, sherry, and eggs required to make the first version of eggnog, so it began as an exclusive beverage.

Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

Franklin Pierce drank a lot. His heavy drinking was well known; when his term of presidency was over, he said: “There is nothing left… but to get drunk.”

Cover and refrigerate.

The more liquor you add, the longer it will keep — non-alcoholic eggnog should be consumed within 1 day; eggnog with 1/2 to 1 cup of liquor will keep for several days; and eggnog with 1 1/2 cups of liquor will keep for several weeks and continue aging and thickening quite nicely.

Alcohol used in different national and regional versions of eggnog include brandy, cognac, bourbon, whiskey, sherry, rum and grain alcohol.

Eggnog may not be considered a "health food," but the drink does have some nutritional benefits including certain vitamins and protein. Traditional eggnog is also high in sugar and fat, and for that reason, it's best to drink in moderation as a dessert.

Most plants keep producing eggnog through New Year's, and start dumping their unsold product in January. Although associated with the holidays, eggnog doesn't need to be seasonal. Dairy plants could produce small batches of eggnog off-season for hard-core nogheads, but they don't because it's not cost-effective.

Why you should be careful with that eggnog? ›

Refrigerated eggs with clean, uncracked shells can still be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees F to kill bacteria such as Salmonella that may be present. If your eggnog recipe calls for raw eggs, it may not be safe.

Traditionally made with eggs, cream, milk, and sugar, no one would say that eggnog is a healthy drink. Even a small serving can pack significant amounts of calories, fat, saturated fat, and added sugars. And then there's the fact that homemade eggnog made with raw eggs can be a food-poisoning risk.

This can be very delicious, particularly if you add a little sherry, though you will want to choose either an añejo or reposado tequila. Vodka? Try vanilla vodka or a homemade infusion with some seasonal spice like cinnamon or ginger. Most eggnog recipes can work with any of the three common spirits.

Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum

"When choosing a rum, I personally find a spiced rum to be the best for the flavors incorporated in eggnogs," he said. "Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum is best for its quality and flavor profile.”

After giving it a good shake, you can strain and serve right away, or shake it again with ice if you prefer your eggnog extra chilled.

George Washington is the father of our country — but he also knew how to mix a party-starter of a co*cktail. Mount Vernon shared the Founding Father's famous eggnog recipe with Axios — a common (and very boozy) 18th-century creation the Washingtons enjoyed.

But Abraham Lincoln was the only licensed bartender. Lincoln's liquor license was later discovered in 1930 and displayed in a Springfield liquor store.

“One-quart cream, one-quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one-pint brandy, ½ pint rye whiskey, ½ pint Jamaica rum, ¼ pint sherry – mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of 12 eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating.

Historians have also unearthed one of Washington's personal home brew recipes. The New York Public Library has his 1757 recipe for small beer (a type of light ale like a near beer) in Washington's own handwriting. Thomas Jefferson got into making beer in a big way after he left the White House in 1809.