Here’s how to make the best thick, smooth, creamy vegan eggnog recipe at home, with absolutely no eggs or dairy required!
Why you’ll love this vegan eggnog recipe
Tastes like the classic. This completely dairy free eggnog is the perfect recipe for Christmas or the holidays. One sip of the sweet and spicy beverage, and you’ll want to drink it all year long.
High protein. Just one large serving provides over 10 grams of protein!
Low calorie. The single serving recipe is under 100 calories. It can also be sugar free, gluten free, nut free, cholesterol free, low fat, low carb, and keto friendly.
No heavy cream. Unlike traditional eggnog, today’s vegan version is made without cream, and even non vegans may appreciate that there are no raw eggs.
Also be sure to try these Vegan Snickerdoodles
What does eggnog taste like?
Many people will tell you that the traditionally smooth holiday spiced drink tastes like creamy custard or melted ice cream (umm, yes please).
Others say it tastes like Christmas in a glass, with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. The typical non vegan version is normally made with milk, sugar, heavy cream, whipped egg whites, and egg yolks.
You can actually buy vegan eggnog at the grocery store these days. Look for brands such as Elmhurt, Califa Farms, Silk, Almond Breeze, or Trader Joe’s.
However, even store bought vegan eggnog brands can be high in calories and sugar, and I often find them to taste a little too sweet. For example, Trader Joe’s almond nog or oatmilk nog are nice treats on occasion, but with 22 grams of sugar in just one cup, they are not exactly healthy.
Enjoy eggnog along with a plate of Vegan Christmas Cookies
Step by step recipe video
Dairy free eggnog ingredients
The recipe calls for nondairy milk, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, sweetener of choice, silken tofu, a pinch of salt, and pure vanilla extract.
Use your favorite vegan milk, such as almond milk, soymilk, or oat milk. Or go with canned coconut milk or nondairy creamer for a super thick, milkshake like taste.
Be sure to buy pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavoring. And do not forget the pinch of salt, which brings out the sweetness and compliments the spices.
I love pure maple syrup here. Something about the flavor of maple just works so well when paired with holiday spices. Feel free to choose regular sugar, agave, or a sugar free alternative like monk fruit or stevia.
Look for soft tofu in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Mori-Nu also makes a shelf stable silken tofu that works well for this recipe.
Vegan eggnog with no tofu
To whip up a soy free eggnog, simply go with an equal amount (half a cup) of any of the following options instead:
- Vegan vanilla ice cream, Greek nondairy yogurt, or Coconut Ice Cream.
- Raw Thai coconut meat
- Ripe avocado – this option will turn the drink slightly green but it is surprisingly tasty.
- Banana, if you love the idea of banana flavored eggnog
- Baked sweet potato puree (Here’s How To Cook Sweet Potatoes)
- Or you can substitute two thirds cup raw cashews or macadamia nuts (soaked for six to eight hours, then drained and patted dry)
How to make vegan eggnog at home
This healthy eggnog recipe is incredibly easy.
It makes one large serving. To yield a larger amount or serve an entire family or dinner guests, you may double or triple the recipe.
- Start by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or with an immersion blender. I like to use a personal size blender like a Magic Bullet, which allows me to put it in the dishwasher for quick cleanup afterwards.
- Process until thick and smooth. Taste, then add more spices if you wish.
- If you want to spike the homemade eggnog, add a few drops of rum extract or a very small splash of brandy, rum, Cognac, or bourbon.
- Dust with an optional shake of additional ground cinnamon to garnish.
- Drink cold, or heat in the microwave or on the stovetop for a hot beverage.
It’s especially delicious for breakfast with Baked Apple Cider Donuts or Tofu Scramble Recipe.
Vegan Eggnog
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dairy free milk of choice (120g)
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk or additional dairy free milk (120g)
- 1/2 cup silken tofu (100g) (or one of the soy free options listed above)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (2g)
- 3 – 4 tbsp pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice (60g)
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/16 tsp ground cloves
- optional splash brandy or rum
Instructions
- If using a sweetened milk, you may wish to use less sweetener.
- 1. Add all vegan eggnog ingredients to a blender.
- 2. Blend until thick and smooth.
- 3. Taste, then add more spices and sweetness to taste, if desired.
- 4. Enjoy cold in a glass. Or warm up in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove top until hot.
Notes
Vegan Holiday Recipes
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
or these Chocolate Snowball Cookies
This is great Katie! Thank you for putting this up. I have never liked real eggnog, but this has so much more fun in it. I think I’ll put bourbon in mine…and a little maple syrup for my nieces!
My favorite holiday song is Pearl Bailey and Five Pound Box of Money. Have a great holiday! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWLfSInlZ6Y
looks great, i love all those flavours! out of curiosity, whats the lemon juice for?
It adds a nice flavor kick. But I know people don’t always have lemon juice on hand, and the shake will still be good without it.
I have made my own eggnog with tofu before, but I made mine much thicker!
This recipe is amazing!! I love eggnog, but can’t drink the traditional kind.
And I love oldies… I may be in my twenties, but basically all I listen to is 60s, 70s and Sinatra! They’re still popular for a reason.
I don’t know too much old music
But I think a lot of the new stuff on the radio is trash and it sounds like a robot being tortured, while a guy sings about how good sex or money is.
I have never ever had eggnog before!
I love 80’s music. Not exactly crazy old, but I love it!
I love eggnog and can’t wait to try this, but can I tell you how excited I am to have a recipe that uses a smaller amount of Mori-nu? The ones I have made recently (baked french toast, lemon squares) all use a cup and I have probably a half cup begging to be used!
Does this egg nog have the same creamy texture as normal egg nog? Or is it just the flavor that’s right?
It depends on the milk you choose. I haven’t had traditional eggnog in years, but I have had Silk nog and I can say that with the Silk almondmilk it is comparable to the Silk nog. If you use canned coconut milk or add some creamer, it is even creamier than the Silk nog.
Hi Katie. Is there a soy substitute I can use? I’m not supposed to have tofu.
Hi Kristin, I’m not Katie but if you click the “View Nutrition Information” link (under the ingredient list) she gives a few substitution suggestions.
this looks delicious! does it taste like egg nog?? or more like a shake?
I haven’t had traditional eggnog in years, so the only thing I have to go by is Silk nog (as well as asking others’ opinions). Based on all of this, I think it tastes like eggnog.
Wow!!! This looks soooo good!!! I am definitely going to try to try this! However, I actually have never had eggnog, due to the fact that I thought it would taste like, well, eggs! And though I like most types of eggs, I wouldn’t like to try it in a shake. 🙂 But, I’d really like to try this shake!
By the way, I wonder if it’d be possible to make a healthy s’more shake? All the recipes I’ve looked up have marshmallow fluff, which I can’t find here! Plus, it isn’t that healthy… at all. 🙂 Maybe it’d be easier to use vegan chocolate chip cookies instead of graham crackers… Who knows!
Hmmm… I can try! I have marshmallow extract, so I wonder if that would work.
Yum! This is a must try! Love eggnog for the holidays!!
I just saw this on Veg News’ Pinterest board! I can’t wait to try this over the weekend. Thanks for all the amazing recipes! 🙂
I haven’t made my own eggnog before. This looks easy enough for me to make. Bookmark this page for sure.
I just have to comment on how much I appreciate your extra nutrition facts/substitutions link. It’s so thoughtful of you to include all that information and I realize the extra work that goes into it. You even manage to do it without distracting from the post and original recipe.
Thank you for all your hard work and wonderful recipes!!!
Thank you for this! I’m lactose intolerant, and I’ve been pining away for eggnog for years.