Vegan Eggnog

Vegan Eggnog is creamy, rich, dairy-free, and egg-free version of the traditional eggnog. Made from simple plant-based ingredients and heartwarming spices, this vegan eggnog recipe gets ready in minutes and is worth trying!

Christmas calls for happy times. You get so relaxed, enjoy delicious food with your friends and family and make new memories. After a day of the hustle and bustle, you can enjoy the festivity by sitting comfortably on your favorite sofa and sipping deliciously creamy, warm, and comforting eggnog. And I am talking about not just any eggnog, but my vegan eggnog! It is unbelievably creamy, rich, and perfect enough to melt your heart and take away your exhaustion.

Also Check out the Puerto Rican version of egg nog, Vegan Coquito, and Jamaican Sorrel Drink.

 We all need some time to enjoy and cherish the many happy memories and moments in life. As this year passes by, a new one is just around the corner. So, gear up, get your new year’s resolution ready, and sip some homemade vegan eggnog. In simple words, enjoy!

Here is everything you need to know about this amazingly delicious vegan eggnog recipe.

What is eggnog?

Eggnog is a traditional drink mostly associated with Christmas and holidays. The drink is made from eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and sometimes alcohol. It is known for its rich and creamy texture. Eggnog is originated in Britain and has been consumed since the early medieval days. It is still extremely popular and, for some reason, is associated with Christmas and the holiday season. His traditional drink is a compulsory part of the festivity.

Can you make vegan eggnog?

Absolutely! Although the original eggnog recipe uses dairy ingredients and eggs, luckily the nature has provided us with a number of vegan options. So, you can happily make a vegan version of traditional eggnog and enjoy with without any guilt.

You just have to tap into your creative mind and come up with something befitting the original texture and creaminess of the eggnog. This vegan eggnog recipe is just perfect because it ticks all the boxes for perfect eggnog. You can happily make a vegan version and enjoy it!

Ingredient breakdown

By using nine simple ingredients, you can easily make this vegan eggnog. These ingredients are easy to find, economical, and the result is perfectly creamy eggnog. Here is everything you will need to make this vegan eggnog:

• Almond milk: Almond milk is plant-based milk made from almonds. You can easily get it from any grocery store. If you don’t have almond milk, use soy milk or cashew milk instead.
• Star Anise: enjoy the sweet and spicy flavor of a star anise pod in your vegan eggnog. Cook one pod with almond milk, sweet potato, and dates for a strong infusion of flavors.
• Sweet potato: Sweet potato is quite an unusual ingredient to add to the eggnog. It adds so much to this vegan eggnog. It brings in natural sweetness to the eggnog. Furthermore, it also adds creaminess and the orange color actually results in a slight yellow color reminiscent of traditional eggnog. 
• Pitted Dates: naturally sweet dates with a caramel flavor is great for making eggnog. Make sure they are pitted. 
• Coconut Milk:  Adds a lovely flavor to your drink, if you don’t like coconut milk, then leave it out. I used full-fat coconut milk from a can. Fresh coconut milk is even better.  How To Make Coconut Milk?
• Sweetener: Adding maple syrup or sugar will make the eggnog sweet. You can add it according to your liking. You can use coconut sugar or light brown sugar as well, note that coconut sugar will result in a darker drink.
• Vanilla extracts: A dash of vanilla adds flavor and warmth to the eggnog.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds warmth, sweetness, and a woody flavor to the eggnog.
• Nutmeg: Nutmeg also adds warmth and aroma to the drink.
• Black Salt: After I made it, my hubby said it tasted great but the eggy flavor was missing so I added a tiny tiny pinch of black salt. For me it was not necessary but you can see and let me know what you think.

How to make vegan eggnog?

Making vegan eggnog is a piece of cake! Even if you are tired by a day of cooking and entertaining guests, a cup of vegan eggnog will energize you and will give you the warmth you need. Here is how you can make vegan eggnog:

Step 1: Place a large pot over medium heat, add almond milk, star anise, diced sweet potatoes, and dates. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. I also put a spoon over the pot to prevent the liquid from boiling over the sides. A wooden spoon works as well, just be safe.

2:Remove from the heat and cool slightly, discard the star anise.

3: Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes, almond milk dates, to the jug of a high-speed blender, add coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of black salt, and process until everything is well incorporated and you get a smooth consistency mixture.

Step 4: Chill before serving. Pour it into serving glasses and garnish it with cinnamon. Enjoy!

Variation ideas

There are so many different ways you can make vegan eggnog. Although the recipe I have shared is super quick and offers delicious eggnog, I have a few other ingredients that work wonders for this vegan eggnog. Here are a few ingredients you should experiment with:

• Cashew: To add more creaminess to the vegan eggnog, you can add raw cashews to this dish instead of sweet potatoes. Soak them in hot water for an hour and blend them. They make this drink super creamy and tasteful.
• Maple syrup: You can add maple syrup or even agave syrup to this drink instead of sugar. Maple syrup adds a caramel-like flavor, whereas agave syrup brings in sweetness.
• Coconut cream: Coconut cream is a thick, dense cream that comes from coconut milk. You can easily get it by placing coconut milk in the refrigerator. The cream will come upon the surface.
• Cardamom: Cardamom is yet another spice that adds warmth to the eggnog. It has a minty flavor which works wonders for this drink.
• Turmeric: turmeric might seem like a weird ingredient to add to the eggnog but will add beautiful light-yellow color to it. Plus, we all know the benefits of turmeric, so no question there.
• Cassava/Yuca -substitute sweet potato for boiled cassava. 

Can you serve vegan eggnog hot?

Yes, eggnog goes both ways. You can serve it hot as well as cold. If you are serving it hot, I recommend you keep in mind a few things:

• Skip adding sweet potatoes if you are planning on making hot eggnog.
• Instead of sweet potato, use arrowroot starch. It will work as a thickening agent and will make the vegan eggnog thick.
• Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the mixture starts to simmer and you get thick and creamy eggnog.

How to store vegan eggnog?

Traditional eggnog is not known for its longer shelf life. Even if you store it in a refrigerator, it has a high chance of going bad. 

However, with the vegan version, you get to store it for longer.  if, in any case, you have leftover, you can store it in an air-tight container or jar and refrigerate. It will last for up to 5 days. 

Check out my other Christmas Dinner Recipes.

Other Holiday Drinks, Soursop Juice, Tamarind Drink, Turmeric Milk, Vegan Irish (Sea Moss) Drink.

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