I made this oat milk eggnog recipe last year for a dairy-free alternative to the usual lactose-heavy eggnog.
But as I’m not really lactose-intolerant anymore, the real question is – would I still make this?
My answer: 100%!
I just LOVE this eggnog because it’s creamy, light and tastes like a big glass of Christmas.
Personally, I also love the taste of regular eggnog but it’s hard to drink more than a glass, especially after a giant Christmas dinner…
On the other hand, I could drink this lighter oat milk eggnog all day!
The Secret to Oat Milk Eggnog
This oat milk eggnog contains no eggs or milk, just oat and nog.
Replacing the milk in recipes is usually not too hard because oat milk is a pretty good substitute but eggs are a different story.
Eggs make eggnog smooth and rich. To substitute the eggs I’ve used a cashew cream with a small amount of xanthan gum to help bind it.
These two ingredients work really well together to bring a surprisingly similar texture and mouthfeel to this drink.
Why This Oat milk Eggnog is Better Than the Original
Traditional eggnog is still great but there are a few things that make this recipe a better option.
- It’s lighter, so you’ll still have room for that heavy Christmas dinner.
- Lower in fat than the original.
- It’s 100% plant based vegan.
- No raw eggs.
- It’s refreshing and really tasty with dark spiced rum.
Do I Really Have to Use Xanthan Gum?
No, you don’t but it does improve the texture.
Even without Xanthan gum, the drink is still surprisingly smooth.
You can leave it out if you want and it will still taste great but I think a tiny bit of Xanthan gum really improves the texture.
Tips to Nail this Oat Milk Eggnog
- Blend the cashew cream for at least 1-2 minutes so it’s really smooth. The better the blender, the smoother your oat milk eggnog will be.
- Make this recipe in advance because the cashews need at least two hours to soak and the milk needs time to cool.
- Don’t forget the nutmeg – you’ve got to have nutmeg for that true Chrismas taste.
Necessary Tools
Blender – The better the blender, the smoother the cashew cream will be. The best blender is from Vitamix and is the industry standard in most professional kitchens.
Hand Blender – If you don’t have a good blender you can still make this recipe with a hand blender as long as it has the food processor attachment. I blended the cashew cream in the food processor and then finished the drink with the hand blender.
More Drink Recipes
- The Ultra-refreshing Limoncello Spritz.
- This Easy Pina Colada.
- This BBQ Bloody Mary
- The Incredible Hulk Cocktail
Ingredients
For the Cashew Cream
- 175 g cashews unsalted
For the Rest
- 1 litre oat milk I use Oatly, the barista version
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 5 rasps nutmeg whole
- 1 pc star anise
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 pc clove
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1/16 tsp xanthan gum optional
- dark spiced rum to taste, optional
Instructions
- Soak the cashew creams in cold water for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight a container with a lid in the fridge.
- Heat the oat milk in a saucepan with everything except for the xanthan gum. Heat until steam starts to release from the milk – just under a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
- When the milk has cooled slightly transfer to a jug and refrigerate for 2 hours or until completely chilled.
- Strain the infused oat milk with a fine mesh strainer.
- Drain the water from the soaked cashews and discard. Blend the cashews with a ladle or two of the infused oat milk until smooth.
- Mix all of the cashew cream with the cooled and infused oatmilk and the xanthan gum in a large jug. Blend until smooth and frothy.
- To serve, fill a glass with some ice. Add as much rum as you like and pour the oat milk eggnog over top. Serve with a paper straw and enjoy. Happy Holidays!
Nutrition
More Seasonal Recipes
Every year I make traditional eggnog and age it in the fridge for a month or two before Christmas (most aged recipes can be kept for a year or more bc of their high alcohol content). But this year I was hoping to try a batch with oat milk… any reason to think it won age at least as well as normal whole milk?
Interesting idea. Although I’ve never actually tried ageing this oat milk eggnog, you could be on to something. Keji Lopez from Serious Eats has an interesting article on experimenting with aged egg nog here. Cooks illustrated also recommends adding the dairy to the eggnog after ageing for a better taste. Because this recipe is dairy-free, it may be even better aged.
Still, I have not tested this, but if you do try an aged oat nog, I’d love to hear your results. (I might have to try this!)
Thanks for the awesome idea and happy brewing!