I’ve never met a doughy spatula, messy mixing bowl or sauce-covered whisk I didn’t like. My insistence on quality control requires sampling the seasoning, monitoring the mix and rating the ratatouille. I’m drawn to butter batter like sprinkles to a Christmas cookie.
So it came as no surprise after sampling my first sip of eggnog for the year that I had a delicious epiphany. The flavor, consistency and color of eggnog are spot-on with the same characteristics of ice cream custard. Taste buds never lie, and the culinary distance from a cup of Creme Anglaise to a sup of the old ‘nog is a short one.
Because gadgets are my friends, I wondered what would happen if I poured eggnog straight out of the carton into my ice cream maker (a revered gadget deluxe). The answer was simple and quick: delicious eggnog ice cream in about 20 minutes.
While many holiday recipes are often as complex as the blueprints to Chartres Cathedral, this is not one of them. It’s as delicious as it is easy.
RECIPE: World’s Easiest Eggnog Ice Cream
Ingredients
- Quart of eggnog
- 1 T of bourbon or brandy or rum (optional, though recommended)
Equipment: Counter-top ice cream maker
- Forget all other ice cream makers; this small convenient version (in the link above) sports an insert you place in the freezer and remove when it’s ice-cream-making time. While everyone loves the idea of a hand-crank model, this one doesn’t require ice cubes, rock salt or convincing kids that it’s a fun activity.
Preparation (pour, turn on and eat)
- Remove ice-cream-making insert from freezer
- Place on machine, add paddle insert
- Pour in eggnog, leave 2 inches from the top for expansion
- Add 1 T of preferred libation (the alcohol adds a smoothness to the ice cream)
- Add clear cover, turn on machine
- Ice cream is ready when the eggnog is rich, thick and creamy (about 15-20 minutes)
I challenge you to find an easier and more delicious ice cream recipe. Enjoy!
26 responses so far ↓
1 Myrnie // Dec 10, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Now THIS is a great recipe
2 Pam // Dec 10, 2010 at 3:33 pm
You’ve made my day, Tom! This looks delicious, and your presentation beautiful. I worry about having an ice cream maker in my kitchen–lack and will power and all–but I might have to look into this one. Meanwhile, sipping the nog works, too!
3 Chris // Dec 10, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Got to try this!
4 liz // Dec 11, 2010 at 5:22 pm
WOW…and I don’t even like eggnog (too much)
thanks for sharing
5 June // Dec 12, 2010 at 6:26 am
Copious amounts of salivation happening here. I’ll be making this PDQ except I’ll have to use rock salt and an old ice cream maker that sounds like a 747. If I double the booze will it make it less painful?
6 Tom // Dec 12, 2010 at 8:31 am
Yes, June — double the booze the rumblings will be more like mechanical melodies, if not at least the ice cream will come out of the freezer with a soft-serve consistency.
7 pierre // Dec 12, 2010 at 12:17 pm
i agree with you this seems very easy !!
and yes that’s ruight the Chartres cathedral is a beauty !!
cheers de paris
pierre
8 Sasha // Dec 12, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Darn it, now I’m going to have to make this. This just proves that ice cream is a seasonless food.
9 Sasha // Dec 12, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Err, perhaps I should have said ‘an any-weather food’ because eggnog certainly has plenty of seasoning…
10 Eileen @ Passions to Pastry // Dec 14, 2010 at 5:16 am
What a wonderful, easy idea! This brings back memories of a cooking class I took years ago at the Ecole Escoffier Ritz. The chef made a little dense chocolate cake for dessert and poured a bottle of spring wine — nothing more, into an ice cream maker. Voilà, that was it; an easy and tasty sorbet.
11 Laura Bard // Dec 14, 2010 at 8:21 am
You’re killing me! Looks too good not to make. I’m going to try it in the Cuisinart soft serve maker we got last year.. will let you know results
12 Curbstone Valley Farm // Dec 14, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Oh, that’s what I need this holiday season, an easy, sinful, artery-hardening dessert. I knew something was missing
Yikes though, sounds scrumptious…I think I’ll make mine with bourbon!
13 Sophie // Dec 15, 2010 at 6:05 am
Waw!! Your easy to make eggnogg ice cream looks lucious!
14 Sandi // Dec 15, 2010 at 8:11 am
Tom, I forwarded this recipe to my daughter in law, Courtney Jones House, small world, she says hi! Worked with you at Expedia, now she’s a manager with Sales Force. States you are just the nicest guy ever!
15 Tom // Dec 15, 2010 at 8:46 am
Small world indeed Sandi, what a hoot! Give my best to Courtney too and a big hug for those kind words. Glad to hear she’s doing well!
16 nicole // Dec 18, 2010 at 9:40 pm
This looks really good, but I don’t have any Bourbon on hand. Do think I can substitute something, so it’s not to thick?
17 Tom // Dec 19, 2010 at 8:06 am
Hi Nicole, sure you can add vanilla extract or anything with a little alcohol in it as the alcohol lowers the freezing temp. and makes it a little creamier. I bet you could even try a mild vinegar like Sherry vinegar, or even some port or white white.
18 Sherri // Dec 20, 2010 at 8:36 pm
You should get a cut off the sales from ice cream makers! (gg) I read your post and proceeded to buy one for my girls, they LOVE ice cream and I can’t wait to give this a try after Christmas! (It’s a gift for them… they will adore it!)
Thanks for such a great motivator to give this a try! Love your blog!
19 June // Dec 26, 2010 at 8:08 am
Made this ice cream yesterday in my 747 and took it to a pot luck party. It is incredibly delicious! Thanks to your inspiration, there’s a Cuisinart ice cream maker on the way as we “speak”.
20 Tom // Dec 26, 2010 at 8:22 am
Ah June, that warms my heart, knowing I was partly responsible for you getting a new kitchen gadget. And oooo-wee can that thing makes amazing sorbet as well! Merry Merry!
21 Taylor // Dec 26, 2010 at 7:12 pm
this works great with Lactaid Eggnog too!!!
22 Puppin (aka: Ananymous!) // Dec 28, 2010 at 6:47 pm
This looks so yummy!!!!
23 Julie // Dec 30, 2010 at 1:40 pm
I was asking myself the same thing today and I’m glad you could answer that question positively :3 My nogcream is now in the freezer waiting for me.
24 Jim Abbott's Right-Hand Man // Dec 8, 2011 at 6:33 pm
I actually had this very same idea. My girl bought me an ice cream maker as a gift, and upon looking over various ice cream recipes it occurred to me that many of them involved making a creamy base that pretty much sounded like egg nog (minus spices). So I grabbed a carton of egg nog, poured it into my ice cream maker to see what would happen, and found out what you found out — it works. So I had to Google it to see if anyone else had this idea, and found this site.
Just need some flat, soft gingerbread cookies to use as the “bread” in an eggnog ice cream sandwich. Make a bunch of those, stash ‘em in the freezer, and save them for the off-season (so I can enjoy Christmas in my mouth even in spring or summer).
25 Tom // Dec 9, 2011 at 7:37 am
Ah you brilliant man, I like the gingerbread idea a lot. Here’s to ice cream everyday.
26 June // Dec 27, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Hey Tom – making your Eggnog Ice Cream to go after some Beef Pot Pies for dinner tonight. Wish you were here!
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