Light and healthier spiced eggnog recipe that is dairy-free, vegan and lower in fat and sugar! This holiday vegan eggnog recipe is a great alternative to soothe an eggnog craving!
Homemade eggnog is easy to make and this one has (almost) all healthy ingredients! Eggnog happens to be one of my favorite traditional holiday cocktails I love to enjoy as dessert. It is sweet, creamy and a fabulous treat that doesn’t taste like it has an alcohol in it.
Ever just crave a delicious cup of eggnog?
Picture this with me. You are at the grocery store in the milk section and the carton of eggnog just made its way out in public. The carton is just glowing like a halo floating above it behind chilled glass doors. It marks the start of the holidays, Christmas parties and family parties snuggled up at home! And we all get excited!
I know I sure do this every holiday!
But as soon as I enjoy a cup I realize, that one cup I just enjoyed was really two servings (because a serving of eggnog is ½ cup) and those two servings were loaded with tons of fat and sugar I surely did not need. Eggnog just tastes so. darn. good!
Then I wake up the next morning and feel like I have gained 20 pounds overnight and I am congested from all the dairy.
Dear eggnog, I love you, but thank goodness you only visit once a year for the holidays!
And then there is this vegan eggnog. Vegan eggnog is healthier, lower in fat and contains no eggs or dairy! This is my go-to eggnog recipe all the time and it is super tasty!
What to mix with eggnog
Eggnog is usually mixed with rum, brandy or bourbon. Using a higher alcohol will cut the sweetness, so if you need, add a dash more sugar to adjust to what alcohol is mixed in. This recipe uses dark rum and brandy.
Vegan Eggnog Recipe: Ingredients
Plant-based milk, cashew milk (or can use almond milk): Start with a thick dairy-free milk. Some vegan recipes call for almond milk. Oat milk or hemp milk is thicker and has a different taste that might alter the flavor. I prefer cashew milk that is unsweetened. It only has 25 calories per cup, contains no added sugar, and has a slight natural sweet taste. It is also super thick, resembling a similar consistency of cream.
Canned lite coconut milk (or can use full fat): Use canned lite coconut milk for more creamy flavor. I like to use lite for my vegan egg nog and if your worried – it does not have a “Coconut” flavor after all the ingredients are blended together. Also using lite cuts fat and calories😊. You can totally use full fat for an even thicker eggnog.
Xylitol sugar or maple syrup: I prefer to use Xylitol sugar. It is low glycemic and contains less calories than regular sugar. Maple syrup can also be use in an equal amount to sweeten up the drink naturally.
Liquor: Brandy and dark rum for a little fun!
Orange juice: Orange juice adds more natural sweetness and zest to this eggnog recipe. It is also loaded with vitamin C and folate, and if you get fortified, contains calcium an other beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Flavors from nutmeg and lemon zest: Lemon zest and nutmeg is wonderful to flavor savory meal, drinks and baked goods. I suggest using fresh nutmeg and using a fine grater to grate the seed right into the drink. The flavor will be more intense and robust!
To make eggnog whisk together all the ingredients on the stove-top on low heat for about 5 minutes and heated. Serve at once or chill first then serve in glasses with fresh nutmeg sprinkled on top.
How does this eggnog cocktail compare to a traditional recipe
- It has an eggnog flavor from nutmeg and the creaminess of cashew milk and coconut milk.
- It does taste different than a traditional eggnog drink because nothing compares to real cream. But this is a great way to fix that craving in a healthy way.
- It has much lower fat, and the fats it does contain are from canned coconut milk and cashew milk.
This is such an easy eggnog recipe to make this holiday! You can also turn this into a non alcoholic eggnog recipe by skipping the alcohol 😉. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
If you like this recipe you may also like these other cocktail recipes:
Vegan Eggnog Recipe (Healthy & Low Fat)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cashew milk unsweetened (or can use almond milk unsweetened)
- 1 (15 ounce can) lite coconut milk (or can use full fat, but it will have more fat)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (or Xylitol)
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup Dark rum
- 3 Tablespoons Brandy
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- In a saucepan on low heat add all the ingredients. With a whisk, mix ingredients together and heat on low for 5 minutes until it is heated, mixing throughout.
- Serve at once or refrigerate covered to chill. Serve in glasses and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Notes
Nutrition
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