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Rich, boozy, and irresistibly creamy Homemade Eggnog Ice Cream—made from the same staples as classic eggnog but cooked into a silky custard and slowly churned to perfection. This ice cream is the ideal way to enjoy holiday flavors on warm December days. A generous splash of bourbon gives it a true eggnog character while freshly grated nutmeg adds the familiar winter spice. Serve it throughout the season, on Christmas Day, or to ring in the New Year—it’s decadent, comforting, and always a crowd-pleaser.
About the Recipe
When the weather feels more like summer than winter, this eggnog ice cream is the perfect answer: all the comforting flavors of eggnog in a cool, creamy form. The base is a cooked custard, which creates a luxurious texture when churned. Bourbon provides the primary flavor note, supported by vanilla and a hint of nutmeg for that classic holiday taste.
This recipe starts by making a traditional eggnog-style custard: egg yolks beaten with sugar, then tempered with heated milk and cream and cooked gently until it coats a spoon. After straining and chilling, the custard gets its finishing touches—bourbon, vanilla, and nutmeg—before going into the ice cream maker. The result is a smooth, rich ice cream with warm holiday notes in every bite.
Choose a bourbon you enjoy drinking, because its flavor comes through. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version or are serving children, omit the bourbon and increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons for added depth. Either way, this ice cream captures the familiar flavor of a mug of eggnog in a creamy frozen form.
Why You Need to Make This Eggnog Ice Cream
- Perfect for warm December days when you want holiday flavor and a cool treat.
- Deliciously boozy when made with bourbon.
- Makes an excellent milkshake base.
- Consistently a crowd-pleaser.
- Rich, luscious, creamy, and full of classic eggnog flavor.
- Can be made alcohol-free.
- Even skeptics of eggnog tend to love this version.
- Naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
Ingredients
(Full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Egg yolks
- Sugar
- Bourbon (optional)
- Vanilla extract
- Ground nutmeg
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth and slightly thickened.
2. Combine the milk and cream in a heavy saucepan and heat over medium-low, stirring often, until just starting to bubble around the edges—do not boil.
3. While whisking continuously, slowly stream the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
4. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits, then stir in the bourbon (if using), vanilla, and ground nutmeg. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until completely cold, about 1 hour.
5. Churn the chilled base in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (about 20–30 minutes for many machines).
6. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze until firm. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Can This Recipe Be Made Non-Alcoholic?
Yes. Simply omit the bourbon and increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons to keep the flavor rounded and satisfying.
Things to Know Before Making Boozy Ice Cream
Alcohol lowers an ice cream’s freezing point, so freezing times and final texture can vary. Follow the recipe measurements—adding too much bourbon can prevent the ice cream from freezing properly. This recipe is fairly boozy, so enjoy it in moderation.
How to Store
Keep the ice cream in a freezer-safe, airtight container to preserve texture and flavor. It will keep well for up to two months.
4 Ways to Turn This Ice Cream Into a New Dessert
If you have extra scoops, try one of these easy ideas to transform the ice cream into something special:
- Blend into a boozy or non-alcoholic milkshake.
- Freeze it in a cookie crust to make an ice cream pie.
- Spoon it over warm brownies for an indulgent dessert.
- Make ice cream sandwiches with cookies or biscuits.
If you make this Homemade Eggnog Ice Cream, leave a comment and share how it turned out—we love hearing from readers. Don’t forget to tag your photos with #BakersTable if you post on social media!
Homemade Eggnog Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 7 large egg yolks room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup bourbon optional
Instructions
- Beat egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside.
- Heat milk and cream in a saucepan until just beginning to bubble around the edges; do not boil.
- Slowly stream the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, vanilla, and bourbon if using.
- Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.
Notes + Tips!
- Use a bourbon you enjoy—its flavor will be prominent.
- To make it non-alcoholic, omit the bourbon and add extra vanilla.
- Heat the milk mixture gently; do not boil.
- If the custard breaks, whisk it over an ice bath to help it come back together.
- The recipe is naturally gluten- and nut-free.
- This ice cream is delicious as a soft-serve or fully frozen.
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