Instant Pot Eggnog

Published October 13, 2018. Last modified November 14, 2019 By Gary White

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This Instant Pot eggnog recipe is exactly what you want it to be: safe, delicious, and easy. Then add a cup of bourbon and make it truly special.

Christmastime is my favorite time of the year for sure. And one of the reasons is because of all the treats that are associated with this season. I specifically look forward to eggnog. But I've never actually made it until now! So I did a TON of research figuring out what method I'd like to try and what flavors I wanted to use. Well, the method I wanted to use didn't exist, so I made one for myself.. and YOU! And this Instant Pot eggnog is nothing less than amazing.

Why Use The Instant Pot for Eggnog?

A while ago, I (unsuccessfully) used the "keep warm" setting to sous vide a steak. It was overcooked, but I discovered something. The hold temp for "keep warm" is 160 degrees. So when I found out the foodsafe temperature for pasteurizing eggnog is 160, it seemed like a perfect match. And it is, except for one thing. When I just added the eggnog to the pot, the hotspots caused some of the egg to scramble. So I needed a barrier from the heat... A water bath! So this Instant Pot eggnog is perfectly pasteurized, with a method that will ensure that you don't overheat the eggs - which is the biggest challenge when doing this on the stovetop. It's pretty awesome.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe uses the "keep warm" function on the Instant Pot, which is 160 degrees Fahrenheit- the food safe temperature for pasteurizing eggnog. And, the even and consistent heat of the Instant Pot is perfect for this step.
The water bath protects the eggnog from hotspots that could otherwise cause the egg to scramble.

The Process

Place trivet in pot, along with 5 cups of water. Turn on sauté setting...

...and bring to a boil.

Add eggs to blender.

Blend until fully broken up into a hom*ogenous mixture, about 15 seconds.

Add sugar...

...blend until fully incorporated.

Finally, add milk, cream, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Blend for about 30 seconds, until all combined.

Pour eggnog into a large pyrex dish (1.75 quart).

Place pyrex dish on top of trivet. Water should come up about halfway on the sides.

Whisk eggnog frequently while water comes back up to a boil.

Once the eggnog reaches 150 degrees, switch Instant Pot to "keep warm" setting.

Continue mixing frequently until the eggnog reaches 160 degrees. Then transfer to an airtight container and chill overnight.

And this is the AMAZING Result…

FAQs

Can I use the yogurt pasteurize setting?No. We tried it and the eggs scrambled slightly.

How long does it keep in the fridge? 3 days. One week if you add alcohol.

★ Did you make this Instant Pot Eggnog? Please give it a star rating below! ★

Perfectly pasteurized eggnog made simple.

5 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Gary White

Ingredients

▢ 6 eggs
▢ ⅔ cup sugar
▢ 2 cup whole milk
▢ 1 cup heavy cream
▢ ½ tsp. vanilla extract
▢ ½ tsp. nutmeg
▢ ¼ tsp. salt

Instructions

Place trivet in pot, along with 5 cups of water. Turn on sauté settingand bring to a boil.
Add eggs to the blender.Blend until fully broken up into a hom*ogenous mixture, about 15 seconds.Add sugar andblend until fully incorporated.Finally, add milk, cream, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse 10 times (for about 30 seconds) until all are combined.
Pour eggnog into a large pyrex dish (1.75 quarts).Place the pyrex dish on top of the trivet. Water should come up about halfway on the sides.Whisk eggnog frequently while the water comes back up to a boil.
Once the eggnog reaches 150ºF degrees, switch Instant Pot to the “keep warm” setting.Continue frequently mixing until the eggnog reaches 160ºF degrees. Then transfer to an airtight container and chill overnight.

Video

Notes

Boozy Eggnog: If you prefer a boozy eggnog, add 1 cup of bourbon and mix well just before chilling overnight. DO NOT heat the alcohol up or it will lose all its goodness!

Can I use the yogurt pasteurize setting?No. We tried it and the eggs scrambled slightly. However, when you follow the methods in this post, the eggnog will reach 160 F, thefoodsafe temperature for pasteurizing eggnog.

How long does it keep in the fridge?3 days. One week if you add alcohol.

Nutrition

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Becky
January 30, 2018 at 9:28 pm

I have never tried a home made eggnog before and have only had the thick eggnog they sell at the grocery store. This eggnog was light and very tasty. I will be adding this to my Christmas recipes and look forward to having it every year!
Reply
Sharon Austerman
October 13, 2018 at 3:58 pm
Would you have any idea how to make boiled custard in the instant pot?
Reply
- Gary
  October 13, 2018 at 5:15 pm
  Not currently. I did a Google search and there are a few recipes online already.
  Reply
- cheryl
  December 13, 2019 at 8:41 am
  You would do it the same way borrowed custard is eggnog without all the spices
  Reply
James Voita
November 09, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Why not just use the yogurt pasteurize setting?
Reply
- Gary
  November 11, 2018 at 9:14 am
  Because these are eggs and just milk, they scramble slightly. I tried it. Good thought though!
  Reply
Ellis
November 17, 2018 at 1:22 am
Degrees: there are 3 types of degrees. Kelvin, Celsius and Fahrenheit. In Europe for instance we always add the abbreviation of °C to the degree figure.
Reply
- Gary
  November 20, 2018 at 11:44 am
  Fahrenheit. Obviously we're not talking 160 degrees Celsius.
  Reply
Denise
November 23, 2018 at 8:40 am
Any idea if this could be made using Swerve or Splenda? We have a diabetic in the family and I'd love to make this but without the real sugar. Thank you!
Reply
- Gary
  November 27, 2018 at 9:42 am
  I'm sure it could, I don't see why not. But I haven't tried that.
  Reply
- Nancy
  December 10, 2018 at 10:32 pm
  
  It can. Except I do it in my Vitamix. ;)~
  Reply
  - Sheila
    May 31, 2020 at 4:47 pm
    how do you make it in your vitamix?
    Reply
    - Gary White
      June 01, 2020 at 8:30 am
      Sorry, I don't have a Vitamix, so I cannot advise on this.
      Reply
Rhea Thielbar
December 03, 2018 at 9:22 pm
Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe!! I have always been afraid of making eggnog, fearing I would mess it up and cause everyone to get sick. Your instructions are very detailed and easy to follow along. Will be trying this in the next few weeks.
Reply
Stelios
December 11, 2018 at 12:05 am

How long does it last in the fridge ??
Reply
- Gary
  December 11, 2018 at 9:04 pm
  3 days. One week if you add alcohol.
  Reply
Jan
December 14, 2018 at 4:42 pm
I am so looking forward to making this "the safe way". When I was a child, my brother and I made it in the blender, no pasteurization there and yum it was good Also, store bought, no matter if it's organic or not is still not good.
Thank you for your experimentation and recipe results.
See Also
3-Ingredient Buttery Shortbread Cookies
Reply
- Gary
  December 17, 2018 at 9:40 pm
  Thanks Jan! I developed this recipe so that my pregnant wife could enjoy eggnog in good conscious, so I totally understand where you're coming from.
  Reply
Kari
December 15, 2018 at 5:08 pm

Delicious and so easy!
Reply
- Gary
  December 17, 2018 at 9:38 pm
  I agree completely! Thanks for giving it a try.
  Reply
Carla
December 05, 2019 at 2:07 pm

Most delicious egg nog I’ve ever tasted. Thank you!
Reply
- Gary White
  December 05, 2019 at 2:39 pm
  Glad you enjoyed it!
  Reply
Liz
December 08, 2019 at 6:22 pm

Fantasic! I could drink this all by myself! Seriously, I could!
Reply
Kat
December 12, 2019 at 2:38 pm
Could this recipe be done in an Ace Blender?
Reply
- Gary White
  December 13, 2019 at 9:26 am
  I don't see why not. 🙂
  Reply
Megg Plant
December 12, 2019 at 6:08 pm
It sounds like you are taking away the heat when it reaches 160F. Is that correct, or does it need to hold there for a few minutes to be pasteurized? I love homemade eggnog! When I was a kid I had the coolest teenage babysitter who introduced me to homemade eggnog - oh! And it was chocolate!!!
Reply
- Gary White
  December 13, 2019 at 9:25 am
  It just needs to reach 160F. You do not need to hold it there. Here are some sources for more information:
  https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/making-homemade-egg-nog
  "If using regular eggs that have not been pasteurized use a recipe in which you cook the egg mixture to 160 F. At 160, the egg mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Follow the recipe carefully. Refrigerate it at once."
  https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/egg-products-preparation/shell-eggs-from-farm-to-table
  "To make a recipe safe that specifies using eggs that aren't cooked, heat the eggs in a liquid from the recipe over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160 °F. Then combine it with the other ingredients and complete the recipe."
  Reply
Linda
December 12, 2019 at 7:28 pm
Once the temp reaches 150* do you put the lid on it while in the keep warm mode till it reaches 160*. Also, you mentioned Sous vide for cooking a steak, if I wanted to try to cook a steak that way, can you tell me the steps you took? Do you bring water to a boil first and then set it to keep warm? What should the temp of the water be for adding the steak, and do you put it in a bag or what?
Reply
- Gary White
  December 13, 2019 at 9:20 am
  No lid. Unfortunately the steak did not turn out well, so I have no yet perfected that method enough to share tips.
  Reply
Judy
December 12, 2019 at 11:24 pm
The metric system is also used here in Canada! A long time now,
Reply
- Gary White
  December 13, 2019 at 9:33 am
  Yes, the US is one of only 3 countries that doesn't use the metric system. My comment above was more of a reference to how hot 160C would be. That's 320F, nearly 100 degrees hotter than the temperature at which water boils. 🙂 However, I have updated the recipe to note Fahrenheit to avoid further confusion.
  Reply
NoraAnn Johnson
December 14, 2019 at 8:22 pm
I am so excited to try this! My family loves eggnog and I’m going to put it in nice jars as part of their Christmas gifts! Anyway, I was just wondering what size instant pot you used with the 1.75 qt Pyrex? I have an 8qt and 6qt instant pot. Thanks!!
Reply
- Gary White
  December 15, 2019 at 8:58 am
  We used a 6qt. 🙂
  Reply
Dryxel
December 18, 2019 at 7:56 am
Did you use egg yolks or the whole egg? Other recipes I've looked at only use egg yolk...
Reply
- Gary White
  December 18, 2019 at 8:42 am
  Whole eggs.
  Reply
  - Dryxel
    December 18, 2019 at 8:50 am
    
    Ty for the quick response I'm going to try it tonight
    Reply
    - Reese
      December 29, 2019 at 7:31 pm
      At this point i am very frustrated. I have followed your instructions to the best of my ability and for some reason the 'keep warm' setting does not continue to heat the eggnog to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
      Reply
      - Gary White
        December 30, 2019 at 9:23 am
        Hi Reese. Did you keep the IP on sauté until it reached 150 degrees before switching to keep warm? If you did, and the eggnog still did not rise to 160 on keep warm, try switching to sauté on low. Once the temp begins to rise to 155, switch back to keep warm to prevent overheating. If the temp begins to drop again, continue switching to sauté as needed.
Amy Hbarg
December 23, 2019 at 11:59 am

I made this for a dear friend who is fighting cancer. She had lost her appetite and a ton of weight and needed something with calories that tasted decent. We found it was just as good with less sugar (something to avoid when dealing with cancer). I'm making it again today and thought I would add a confident 5-star rating. Cheers!
Reply
Jean
December 28, 2019 at 11:57 pm
Please would you try to create an eggnog yogurt? Shoot me an email to let me know!
Thanks,
Jean
Reply
- Gary White
  January 02, 2020 at 9:47 am
  At this time we don't have plans to develop a yogurt, but if anything changes we will let you know.
  Reply
Joanie
January 02, 2020 at 12:27 am

These were easy to follow instructions and a delicious recipe. Making my own eggnog allows me to use organic ingredients, so this was a home run for me. Extra nutmeg and a little rum made for an absolutely delicious New Year drink. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Reply
Jean DeNio
February 25, 2020 at 8:43 pm

Best. Eggnog. EVER!!!
Reply
Gina Young
December 22, 2020 at 11:56 pm

Good detailed instructions! I made eggnog years ago in my Home Economics class and loved it! The stuff you buy at the store is too thick and not as flavorful. This is so good and so easy! So very happy to have a recipe that uses the whole egg! Perfect! The first thing I cooked in my new instant pot and I am impressed!!
Reply
J B
December 30, 2020 at 4:55 pm

My husband loves it and says it's much better than store bought. Not too hard to make and instructions were spot on.
Reply
Monica
December 14, 2021 at 12:57 pm

Wow! I have been making this exact recipe for years. However, I did it over the stovetop.
I found your recipe for Instant Pot and it saved an amazing amount of time and effort -- and it tasted exactly the same.
Thank you so much!
Reply
Monica
December 14, 2021 at 1:57 pm

Is it possible to double, or even triple the recipe? We have large parties this time of year. It would be great if I could make larger amounts.
Reply
- Gary White
  February 14, 2022 at 9:21 am
  I think in order to do larger batches you would need to use a large double boiler. Which is essentially what this method is.
  Reply
Patrick Redfern
December 15, 2021 at 8:28 am
Do you think I can substitute all the dairy products for vegan? Such as milk and heavy cream non dairy substitutes?
Reply
- Gary White
  February 14, 2022 at 9:20 am
  I don't think the milk alternatives will respond the same way.
  Reply

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Instant Pot Eggnog - Perfectly Pasteurized (2024)

Why Use The Instant Pot for Eggnog?

Why This Recipe Works

The Process

And this is the AMAZING Result…

FAQs