Festive Holiday Eggnog Muffins - Quick & Easy Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What country invented eggnog? ›

It is first attested in medieval England in the 14th century. Although the treat originated in Britain, the term eggnog first appeared in Britain's North American colonies—soon to be the United States—in 1775.

Eggnog is a drink primarily made with eggs (hence the name) and milk, and is traditionally served at large gatherings in a punch bowl during the winter season, primarily at Christmas. It is made by emulsifying whole milk or cream, eggs, sugar, and spices.

The drink is traditionally made with eggs—of course—as well as whole milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar and nutmeg. Some eggnog recipes also call for a bit of vanilla extract or cinnamon. Strand says that using real eggs, rather than an eggnog mix, makes an enormous difference in taste and texture.

Milk, eggs, and sherry were foods of the wealthy, so eggnog was often used in toasts to prosperity and good health. Eggnog became tied to the holidays when the drink hopped the pond in the 1700s. American colonies were full of farms—and chickens and cows—and cheaper rum, a soon-signature ingredient.

Origins. 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.

Nog, itself a term for eggnog, also historically referred to a kind of strong ale in parts of England. The origin of nog is unclear, but it could be related to noggin, a name for a drinking vessel dating back to the 1500s.

In the American South, eggnog is made with bourbon. Eggnog is called "coquito" in Puerto Rico, where rum and fresh coconut juice or coconut milk are used in its preparation. Mexican eggnog, also known as "rompope", was developed in Santa Clara.

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.

(What's the difference between eggnog and Holiday Nog? Eggnog must have a minimum 6 percent butterfat and a minimum 1 percent egg yolk by weight; Holiday Nog, which Spangler called a flavored milk product, has 2 percent butterfat and less than 1 percent egg yolk by weight.)

Why don't dairy manufacturers make eggnog all year long? It doesn't sell. Demand for eggnog follows traditional consumption patterns that date back hundreds of years. The drink was a wintertime favorite of the British aristocracy, who took it warm, mixed with brandy or sherry to prevent spoilage.

What makes eggnog unhealthy? ›

“While there are different eggnog recipes, most eggnog will typically contain high amounts of fat from cream and milk, and added sugar for sweetness,” said Cohn. The American Heart Association recommends that people consume no more than 5% to 6% of calories from saturated fat every day to support heart health.

Choose The Right Spirit

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.

Start your new holiday tradition with Producers Easter Egg Nog: Traditional egg nog flavor, but now in an egg-citing Easter themed carton.

From classic favorites like eggnog and mulled wine to creative concoctions like spiked hot cocoa and horchata, there are endless possibilities.

In the 1700s, rum from the Caribbean was the American eggnog alcohol of choice. But it was scarce during the revolution, so it was traded out for moonshine. This might explain why it became associated with the Christmas season. It warmed up drinkers in the cold weather, and true eggnog called for expensive liquor.

It originated in medieval Britain, derived from posset, a drink made of milk and wine. If you buy it in Canada it says “Eggnog” on one side of the carton and “Lait de Poule” (Chickem Milk) on the other, because we have both English and French on our products.

The drink first made its appearance in the American colonies in the 18th century, where both eggs and rum were plentiful. Eggnog was particularly popular around Christmastime because of its warm temperature and the addition of flavors, like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bean, that embodied the winter season.

You might associate eggnog with the classic American Christmas, but it originates from medieval Britain, and was adapted from posset, a drink made by curdling hot milk with wine or beer.

The drink's wintry spices, and the preference for serving it hot, made nog a Yuletide mainstay. As milk, eggs, sugar and rum became more affordable and abundant, eggnog became accessible to everyday Americans. Today, people around the world enjoy it, often putting regional spins on the recipe.