Why This Recipe Works

Unlike grocery store eggnog, which is often watery and pumped full of sugar, our ideal nog is creamy (but not too heavy) and just a touch sweet. Cooking the eggnog resulted in a velvety texture and put to rest any safety concerns about serving uncooked eggs. Opting for heavy cream over milk and whipping half of it before adding it to the eggnog made for a richer sip. Root beer mimicked the caramel notes of the rum traditionally used in this recipe. Cutting some of the sugar kept the sweetness in check.

Before You Begin

Root beer adds some of the same caramel notes as rum does in our alcoholic version.

Instructions

Whisk 3/4 cup cream, egg yolks, and sugar in medium bowl until thoroughly combined and pale yellow, about 30 seconds; set aside. Bring milk and salt to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

When milk mixture comes to simmer, remove from heat and, whisking constantly, slowly pour into yolk mixture to temper. Return milk-yolk mixture to saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 160 degrees, 1 to 2 minutes.

Immediately pour eggnog into clean bowl. Stir in root beer and nutmeg. Fill slightly larger bowl with ice and set eggnog bowl in ice bowl. Refrigerate until eggnog registers 40 degrees, 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Just before serving, using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining 3/4 cup cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Whisk whipped cream into chilled eggnog. Serve, garnished with extra nutmeg. (Eggnog can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)