With its three types of spirits, Martha Stewart's eggnog is a luxuriously indulgent annual tradition. I tried it to see what the hype is all about.
Martha Stewart has been making eggnog every December for years, so when she posted her recipe again this season, it landed with the familiar thump of holiday comfort—and a faint warning label. The recipe comes from her original book, Entertaining, and it’s the drink she serves at her own holiday parties. It’s rich with cream, clouded with softly folded whipped egg whites, and deliciously fortified with three different liquors. It looks gentle in the glass. It is not. I made it on a gray winter afternoon, thinking I’d take a few careful sips. But this indulgent holiday cocktail had other plans.
How to Make Martha Stewart’s Eggnog
To make Martha’s eggnog, you’ll need eggs, superfine sugar, whole milk, heavy cream, bourbon, dark rum, cognac and freshly grated nutmeg. The full recipe can be found on her website, but the rhythm of making it barely requires a recipe. It’s simple and blissfully Martha: Whisk the yolks and sugar until they’re pale and thick, stream in the milk and cream, then stir in all three spirits. After a good chill in the refrigerator, you fold in whipped egg whites and softly whipped cream for extra luxury just before serving. Release a little snowfall of nutmeg into the glasses for a final flourish, and it’s ready for the table.
Would I make Martha Stewart’s eggnog again?
Without a doubt—but with intention. This recipe is lush, creamy and extravagant in the way only a true holiday drink can be. This is eggnog that behaves more like a dessert than a beverage, with a soft sweetness at the front and a very grown-up backbone underneath. It doesn’t rush you, and it definitely doesn’t disappear quickly. It’s a small-glass, settle-in, glow-at-the-edges sort of cocktail. But by the time you reach the bottom, you understand exactly why Martha has never felt the need to change a thing.
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