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
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- 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 (4) eggs
- 2 large (2) egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (91 g) granular Swerve Sweetener
- 1/3 cup (91 g) allulose, or BochaSweet
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 4 cups (1 kg) unsweetened almond milk, or hemp milk
- 2 1/2 tsp (2.5 tsp) vanilla extract, divided
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp (0.5 tsp) ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (119 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp 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 tsp 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Have made this twice now, bringing up just over 165F as directed in recipe. Am a bit confused about all the comments talking about bringing it to 180F. Did you change the instructions?
No curdling problems but I stirred the heck out of it with my plastic cooking whisk.
Please consider a different way than posting a comment for your give a ways. I read the comments to see how others have done with the recipe and find that those blog posts with a give a way make the comments much longer to go through and much less useful.
Have a great holiday!
Sad – mine curdled as well and it wasn’t up to 160 yet. Looks like others are having the same trouble. I’ll try blending it in the Vitamix. I made mine with 1/4 cup Gentle Sweet – flavors are good.
HI,
I made as directed and over low heat. It just curled. I am afraid to try to make it again. A lot of ingredients down the drain. I had to do something incorrectly.
This was smelling wonderful and looking silky. Then the next second, it curdled. I think I cooked it too long. So I beat it with an electric mixer to break up the eggs. Now I have a very passable cooked custard. Yum.
Custard is good! Yep, if you look away or take it beyond the 165 to 170 mark, it can curdle fast!
Eggs aren’t dairy!
The article states “…if you wanted to go dairy-free (besides the eggs, of course)…”
Eggs are not dairy ☺️
I googled “recipe low carb almond milk egg nog” and Voila!. Thank you for posting this. Last year the grocery markets in my area had sugar-free low carb almond milk egg nog but not this year. I can only find the regular version made with sugar. And, I do love a bit of egg nog during the holidays 🙂
Could you tell me what the carb count would be if I used sugar instead of Stevia and erythritol please? And how much is a serving?
Bummer, my eggnog was mostly scrambled eggs. I wish I had read the comment about cooking temperature. I checked a few other recipes after my failure and it looks like 160 is a standard cooking temp for eggnog. The flavor was good, so I might try it again.
You know, I adapted this recipe out of one from the America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook, which said 180F. But I think you’re right. Mine doesn’t become scrambled eggs but it does get a little too thick (just made a half batch the other day). I am going to experiment with the temperature too…
Is it necessary to use the stevia? I just can’t seem to get past the strange aftertaste and find it overpoweringly sweet.
Thanks much!
Kristie
You can easily skip it if you like and if it’s too sweet. Or you can add more granulated sweetener.
So excited about the Eggnog recipe. Thank you !
Would it get weird if I whipped the cream and just made it all at once? I’m a little daunted by the idea of bringing out the beaters every time I want some eggnog.
Not at all. I just think that the cream might separate a bit as it sits in the fridge. But a few stirs and it will come back together easily enough.
Twice in a row I’ve ended up with scrambled eggs and it’s not at 180 yet. Am I doing something wrong?
Can it be made with coconut milk?
I am sure it can, it will just have more carbs.
Bummer! I just tried making the eggnog and my mixture turned to scrambled eggs and it hadn’t even gotten to 180 yet. Now that I’ve googled, it seems that it shouldn’t go above 160 if you’re going to avoid that. It was looking so lovely and creamy, too. 🙁
HI Melanie. I am sorry that happened, but I created my recipe following the guidelines from Cook’s Illustrated, which is one of the leaders in recipes and cooking. I had no issues and to really kill off any bacteria and to thicken it properly, you need to be up at at least 175F. I am honestly not sure what happened in your case. I’ve made this recipe several times, and I’ve also made custards for ice cream, which I also bring up to 175 -180F and have never had them curdle. One quick question…what kind of thermometer were you using? Your best bet is an instant read thermometer…tends to be more accurate than a candy thermometer and gives you an almost instantaneous reading so you don’t need to worry about overcooking.
I definitely don’t have an instant read thermometer, so that could contribute to the problem, but I have made lots of your ice creams and never had an issue with going to 180 then. Strange! I’ll probably attempt it again sometime, but I don’t have enough almond milk to give it a go right now. I think I’ll just go to 160 and see what happens. It looked lovely and creamy at that point, and all the recipes on the first page of google (including Alton Brown!) said to go to 160.
Stick with 160 if it works for you! I don’t want you to have another ruined batch. So sorry about that, but I am stumped on that one.
This came out delicious. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I am the only in my home that will drink it. I had a nice mug for breakfast. 🙂 I also made it without the use of a thermometer and started to notice that the mixture was beginning to become like scrambled eggs. I took it off the burner immediately and onto the freezing front porch where it sat till it chilled a bit. Afterwards, I whipped it…added the h.c….and while it’s probably not exactly as it should be…it was still awesome. Thank you. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
That actually sounds pretty great to me!
an immersion blender fixes up those lumps, and I have found that the taste is not affected! I’ve made this recipe a few times – sometimes I get lumps, and sometimes I don’t. It depends on how closely I’m watching it. It’s been delicious every time.
Great recipe! I ran a link on my history and food blog.
Fred Opie
My roommate loves eggnog and I absolutely love shortbread! I had my first cup of eggnog this past week. :p I like to eat my shortbread alone.
Thanks for commenting on my eggnog post. I'm glad I can handle a little sugar in my diet, but I use less of it in all recipes than most people do. I also don't have a problem with dairy but still enjoy using nondairy milks. We have rice milk on our oatmeal every day and also use almond milk occasionally.