Nothing says happy holidays like a glass of keto eggnog! So rich and creamy, this homemade eggnog is surprisingly easy to make. It has all the traditional flavor you love, and only 1g net carbs per serving.
Do you walk past the displays of holiday eggnog every year, wishing you could grab a carton to enjoy? Do you shudder when you look at the carb count and wonder why no one has ever thought to market sugar-free eggnog?
Me too, my friend, me too! With all the options available now, like dairy-free and vegan, it just seems to make good sense.
I do believe I am the first person who ever published a sugar free eggnog recipe. This article was first published back in 2010 and I’ve been making it every year since. I’ve tweaked it here and there along the way and it’s now richer and creamier than ever.
Pair it with keto sugar cookies or tender keto ricotta cookies for a special treat this holiday season. Or add a shot of my sugar free kahlua for a classic holiday drink.
It’s so easy to make!
I’d never had homemade eggnog until the first time I spent Christmas with my in-laws, but I was immediately intrigued. It was so thick and frothy and rich, it was more dessert than beverage. But of course, it was also full of sugar and carbs.
So I set about making my own keto version. I followed a basic recipe from America’s Test Kitchen and swapped the regular milk for almond milk, and the sugar for keto sweeteners.
Turns out that it’s remarkably easy, and it tastes just a good as the original. Without all the sugar and other additives.
My keto eggnog has only 1g net carbs per serving. And you can make a big batch for holiday gatherings, or a smaller batch for just you. Either way, it’s a must-make holiday beverage.
Reader Testimonials
“Yum – delicious! I made this eggnog with almond milk and I’m going to make another batch with Soy milk for my grandson. We haven’t been able to find Silk Nog this year but this is just as good — if not better!” — Sue
“I have tried several keto Eggnog recipes. This one is by far the best tasting! As an added bonus is is the easiest one to make, too. I’ve made it three times and every time it’s a hit. The only thing I changed was adding more nutmeg. I prefer a little stronger taste (especially when adding rum).” — Gloria
“I made this today. It’s nothing short of absolutely delicious. Don’t second your decision to make this!” — Cheryl
Ingredients you need
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- Low carb milk: I recommend unsweetened nut milk or hemp milk. Dairy milk is much higher in carbs, coming in at 12g per cup, whereas almond, cashew, and hemp milk all have only 1 to 2g of carbs per cup. I really love vanilla hemp milk for a nut-free option. You can also use the thinner coconut milk that comes in a carton for the eggnog base.
- Eggs: You will need whole eggs as well as additional egg yolks.
- Sweeteners: I like to use a combination of Swerve and allulose. But you can use any sweetener for keto eggnog, since the consistency relies primarily on the egg and yolks. For the whipped cream, make sure to use a powdered or liquid sweetener to avoid grittiness.
- Nutmeg: A little nutmeg and vanilla give eggnog that classic holiday flavor. But you can use cinnamon if you prefer.
- Heavy whipping cream: Whip the cream to soft peaks and then fold into the eggnog base for a super thick, rich consistency. You can also dollop whipped cream on the top.
- Whiskey, rum, or brandy: Turn it into a cocktail with a shot of alcohol. This is completely optional, and you can use a little rum extract too.
Step-by-step directions
1. Prepare the eggnog base: Whisk the eggs, yolks, sweetener, and salt together in a large saucepan. Slowly whisk in the almond milk until well combined.
2. Cook gently and carefully: Using an instant read thermometer, cook the mixture over low heat, whisking constantly, until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 165ºF (this can take up to 15 minutes).
3. Chill the base: Stir in the vanilla and the nutmeg. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours.
4. Whip the cream: Before serving, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sweetener and remaining vanilla into soft peaks. Fold into the egg mixture or dollop overtop of individual servings.
5. Make it a cocktail: Add some liqueur to each glass and pour the eggnog over. Stir gently and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
Use a good instant-read thermometer. It’s important to know the exact temperature of your keto eggnog as you whisk it. Raw eggs are cooked at 160ºF so you want to take your mixture to at least that temperature. But don’t go over 170ºF or the eggs will start to curdle and the eggnog will be much too thick. I take mine to about 165ºF.
Whisk almost constantly. Any beverage made with eggs can go from thin to thick in a matter of seconds. So stay near your pot and whisk continuously.
If the eggs curdle: Even if you follow my directions carefully, your eggs might curdle and clump. It’s likely your pan that’s the issue, as many don’t distribute heat very well.
But don’t panic! If your eggs curdle, pour the eggnog base into a blender while it’s still warm and blend until smooth. It will be fine!
This keto eggnog recipe has 1.5g of carbs and 0.5g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1g net carbs per serving. Compare that to conventional eggnog, which has 20g of carbs per serving!
Homemade eggnog is really only good for about 3 days and should be kept in the fridge at all times.
For a dairy free version, substitute the whipped cream with some whipped coconut cream. Simply chill a can of coconut milk for 24 hours and scoop off the thick portion at the top of the can. Beat with some sweetener and vanilla extract until it’s light and fluffy.
How to serve keto eggnog
Drink it as is. It’s a delicious keto holiday beverage.
Try it as a cocktail. Add an ounce rum, whiskey, or brandy, or try it with my Sugar Free Coffee Liqueur. It’s absolutely delicious!
Add some coffee. This sugar-free eggnog recipe is also great in low carb lattes. It tastes better than the Starbucks version, I promise! Warm the eggnog base gently in a saucepan or the microwave and be careful not to overheat it, as it may curdle the eggs. Then mix it with espresso and top it with the whipped cream.
Bake with it! The homemade eggnog base is delicious in muffins, cakes, and cookies. I’ve used it any number of keto baked goods: such as
Keto Eggnog Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup granular Swerve Sweetener
- ⅓ cup allulose or BochaSweet
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups unsweetened almond milk or hemp milk
- 2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract divided
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
- Whiskey, rum, or brandy (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs, yolks, sweetener, and salt together in a large saucepan. Slowly whisk in the almond milk until well combined.
- Using an instant read thermometer, cook the mixture over low heat, whisking constantly, until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 165F (this can take up to 15 minutes).
- Stir in 2 teaspoon of the vanilla and the nutmeg. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least three hours.
- Before serving, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sweetener and remaining vanilla into soft peaks. Fold into the egg mixture or dollop overtop of individual servings.
- For an eggnog cocktail, add 1 oz liquor or liqueur to each glass and pour the eggnog over. Stir gently and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
Melissa Z says
Mine tastes perfumey. Possibly the nutmeg??? I misread the directions, it said 2 tsp of vanilla and nutmeg. After I added the nutmeg, I read through the directions again and realized my mistake. Is there any way to fix it?
Also, I used a candy thermometer (it’s what I have). My temperature did reach 165. It seemed to coat a spoon but isn’t very thick. Can I add arrowroot to get it thicker? It’s the thickness of milk.
Melissa Z says
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I used 2 tsp of nutmeg.
Carolyn says
Wow, that’s a lot of nutmeg. I am not sure what you can do to fix that other than making more eggnog to thin it out. For thickening, I would suggest using some glucomannan.