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Eggnog Ice Cream

Eggnog ice cream is a velvety, holiday-spiced frozen dessert made with a warm custard base, slow-cooked to 175°F. Churned creamy with nutmeg and cinnamon, it’s a rich Christmas ice cream with optional rum for extra depth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 476
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Eggnog base
  • 2 cup store-bought eggnog
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp rum or bourbon optional
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 ice cream maker

Method
 

Make the custard
  1. In a Dutch oven, heat the eggnog and heavy cream until steaming, with small bubbles around the edges (aim for steam, not a boil).
  2. In a bowl, slowly whisk the steaming eggnog mixture into the egg yolks and granulated sugar so the yolks don’t scramble.
  3. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the custard reaches 175°F and looks slightly thickened.
  4. Strain the custard to remove any lumps, then stir in vanilla extract, nutmeg, cinnamon, rum (if using), and salt.
  5. Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft, scoopable consistency.
  2. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.
  3. Just before serving, grate fresh nutmeg over each serving for a warm-spiced finish.

Notes

Pro tip: Strain the hot custard and keep the heat at medium-low to prevent any egg curdling—then chill thoroughly for a smoother churn. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months (texture may soften after thawing). For a dairy-reduced option, use lactose-free eggnog and lactose-free heavy cream to keep the same custard method.