19 Ingredients To Upgrade Your Eggnog This Winter

We wait all year, and fall approaches, we finally see it: eggnog on the shelves at the grocery store. While there are several homemade variations of the seasonal beverage, and even some new takes like eggnog cookies, the traditional recipe remains rather simple. At its heart, old-fashioned eggnog is made with egg yolks, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and nutmeg — it's a velvety, rich concoction that embodies holiday cheer. That doesn't mean you have to stop there. Plenty of eggnog is packed with more spices, like cloves or cinnamon, or topped with a dollop of whipped cream or a dusting of nutmeg, but you can take your beverage even further.

Part of the beauty of eggnog is that it's so versatile. Whether you buy it in stores or make it at home, there are various ways to elevate traditional eggnog, from spiking it with flavored liqueurs to adding bold flavors like caramel, or more unique ones like pumpkin or cayenne. Here, we'll delve into some of the many ingredients you can use to spice up your eggnog this winter.

Caramel pairs wonderfully with eggnog because of its rich, sweet, and slightly buttery taste, which complements the creamy, spiced flavors of eggnog. A simple way to incorporate it is to drizzle caramel sauce around your glass before pouring in the eggnog. If you want more caramel than a drizzle, you can also stir caramel syrup directly into your eggnog. It helps to start with a small amount and adjust as you go — this will help control the intensity of flavor while preserving the texture. After all, caramel is a sticky, sweet delight. If you're a caramel lover who wants a kick, try a caramel-flavored liqueur. For a creative touch, coat the rim of your glass in caramel sauce, and then dip it in crushed graham crackers, nutmeg, or coarse sugar crystals.

By combining pumpkin and eggnog, you can create an autumnal drink that captures the essence of the season. Pumpkin adds a layer of earthy sweetness and a subtle hint of spiciness to your eggnog, which is already spiced and sweet on its own. Pumpkin also brings a host of nutrients, including beta-carotene and vitamins A, B1, B6, and C. Try whipping pumpkin puree into your eggnog for extra creaminess. To take your beverage to a whole other pumpkin-y level, top your pumpkin-infused eggnog with a shake of pumpkin pie spice. With cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, this spice blend will enhance both the pumpkin and the eggnog.

Just as you can add a splash of eggnog to your morning coffee instead of creamer, you can add a splash of coffee or espresso to your eggnog for the same flavorful duo. You could also give your eggnog a bold, boozy kick with your favorite coffee liqueur for a sort of twist on a white Russian cocktail. All you do is gently stir a shot of coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa) into your eggnog. Another idea is to combine regular whipped cream with a bit of coffee liqueur, and then garnish your eggnog with a dollop of creamy goodness.

Tropical, sweet, and slightly nutty, coconut offers a nice contrast to the spiced elements of eggnog, making for a surprisingly tasty combo. There are a few ways that you can incorporate coconut into your eggnog. You can use coconut milk instead of regular milk when making eggnog from scratch, or use coconut cream instead of heavy cream like this recipe for Coquito-style eggnog that's perfect for Christmas. You could also use coconut to make your eggnog dairy-free. To amp up the coconut flavor even more, try adding toasted coconut flakes to the beverage or coat the rim of the glass with them.

The rich and sweet flavors of maple work with the same elements in eggnog, adding depth to the comfort and spice of the beverage. A small drizzle of maple syrup around the glass or in your eggnog is a simple way to blend these flavors together. You could also try a maple-infused whipped cream or maple extract if you love the flavor but aren't big on the sugary syrup. Then there's the idea of using maple syrup to bring some sweetness to variations on eggnog, like this recipe for vegan eggnog, which calls for maple syrup instead of sugar and oat milk instead of dairy.

There are a couple of different ways to incorporate the flavors of Irish cream into your eggnog for a richer tasting drink. You could add a shot of Irish cream liqueur (like Bailey's Original Irish Cream) or a dash of Irish cream extract if you prefer a nonalcoholic version of eggnog. Another way to marry these flavors together is to create an Irish coffee eggnog. Just mix Irish cream liqueur with your favorite freshly brewed coffee. Then add a splash of that combination to your eggnog for some sweet and delicious indulgence with the robustness of coffee.

Peppermint schnapps can amp up the wintery vibes of your eggnog. A little splash can take the creamy, spiced notes of the beverage and transform them into more of a minty-cool direction with a boozy bite. If you want the peppermint taste without any of the alcohol, you could garnish your eggnog with peppermint candy canes, sprinkle crushed peppermint pieces into your drink, or add in a dash of peppermint extract. Any way you choose to go about it, peppermint paired with eggnog is a great way to celebrate and embrace the classic flavors of the holiday season.

We're thinking eggnog but made for a chocolate lover. It's as easy as a drizzle of chocolate syrup around the glass, a topping of dark chocolate shavings, or a dusting of cocoa powder. While milk chocolate might be bordering on too decadent, bittersweet chocolate chips would add a balanced sweetness. Just melt some down, and swirl it into your eggnog for a chocolatey, cozy treat. You could also use a different kind of chocolate, such as Mexican chocolate (a blend of chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg), like in this Mexicocoa eggnog recipe. If you're a fan of spiked eggnog, try adding Crème de Cacao or another kind of chocolate liqueur.

For a different take on alcohol-infused eggnog, skip the rum, and try a ginger liqueur instead. It'll give that same warmness to your eggnog but also add an extra touch of spice. If you want the warmth of ginger but without the kick of alcohol, consider adding ground ginger to your typical eggnog spice blend. Some other ways to get the flavor of ginger without the liqueur into your favorite eggnog is by garnishing your beverage with candied ginger, adding in a drop or so of ginger extract, or topping your eggnog with a simple ginger-infused whipped cream.

If you want to transform your eggnog, turn to ice cream for some inspiration. You could go with a simpler route and do a sort of eggnog float — just pour some eggnog over a couple of scoops of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream. Making an eggnog milkshake is another easy way to pair these flavors. With a little more work, you can also churn your own ice cream that's been flavored with eggnog for a delicious combination of the two. Besides vanilla and butter pecan, some other ice cream flavors to consider are chocolate, peppermint, or hazelnut.

For a nutty and slightly sweet addition to your decadent eggnog, try experimenting with some hazelnut. There's hazelnut liqueur, like Frangelico, which is perfect if you love a spiked version of the beverage. Toasted, chopped hazelnuts would also make a crunchy, unique topping for your eggnog. And by using a food processor or strong blender, you could also puree toasted hazelnuts and create your eggnog base. If you just want a more subtle hazelnut flavor, consider adding a splash of hazelnut coffee creamer — it'll seamlessly blend in to give you a smooth and tasty beverage you can enjoy anytime.

Substituting light brown sugar for white sugar in your homemade eggnog recipe gives the beverage a buttery, almost butterscotch-like flavor. But if you want to keep your recipe the same or if you opt for a store-bought version, you can easily add brown sugar to the finished drink and get a similar flavor. For a more sophisticated drink, try topping the beverage with some caramelized brown sugar brûlée. Sweetening your whipped cream with brown sugar or adding it to your eggnog spice blend are some other easy ways to create that caramelized flavor in your eggnog.

Don't knock it until you try it. Take it from us: Cayenne can give your eggnog a unique kick of heat that is unexpectedly delicious. Start with a dash of cayenne powder on top of your eggnog if you're unsure whether you'd like it. Or you can combine the ground pepper with chocolate for a classic duo sprinkled in your beverage. Mixing together a simple syrup of sugar and water with some cayenne is another way to subtly incorporate the spice. You don't need a lot to get that punch of flavor, so make sure to add cayenne with care.

Instead of adding regular rum to your eggnog, try using spiced rum, which is usually enhanced with caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg. While a shot of alcohol in your drink would suffice, you could also infuse whipped cream with spiced rum and top your spiked eggnog with a dollop of it. If that's too much rum for your taste, try just a splash of spiced rum in your eggnog topped with the boozy cream. You could also incorporate the typical flavors of spiced rum and forgo the alcohol. Just add a rim of caramel, cinnamon, and nutmeg to your eggnog glass.

Vanilla extract is a fairly common ingredient in eggnog recipes, but you can bring its flavor to a new level with other forms of vanilla. For instance, vanilla bean paste has a more concentrated flavor, while vanilla bean-infused sugar could be used as a subtle garnish on top of your eggnog. A splash of vanilla liqueur or a dollop of vanilla-flavored whipped cream are other simple options. If you want an easy, indulgent eggnog, try this recipe that uses both vanilla instant pudding with vanilla extract along with a can of sweetened condensed milk to really amplify the flavors.

For either a dairy-free eggnog or a nutty addition of flavor, try substituting almond milk for the dairy in your recipe. With most dairy milk, the same amount of almond milk can replace it. You might want to use almond milk that's slightly sweetened to account for losing the richness of the cream. However, if you want to keep the dairy, a splash of almond milk can deliver that same nuttiness without taking away the velvety texture the cream gives. Mixing two parts of almond milk and with one part of vegan oil can emulate heavy cream if you want to go entirely dairy-free.

Spiking eggnog with bourbon isn't anything new, but there are other unique ways to incorporate the whiskey, such as trying different flavors of bourbon. With options that include maple, pumpkin, coffee, cinnamon, honey, chocolate, vanilla, and even peanut butter whiskey, there is no shortage of flavor combinations. There are also fun plays on traditional duos, like with this bacon 'n eggnog cocktail that uses bacon-infused bourbon, bacon fat, and candied bacon to create a breakfast-y twist on the beverage. Of course, if you're one for the classics, just add a splash of regular bourbon to your favorite eggnog recipe.

Both chocolatey and nutty, Nutella is a simple ingredient that will add a lot of rich flavor to your eggnog. It's thick, so you won't easily be able to mix a scoop of the hazelnut and cocoa spread into your creamy beverage. But you can melt it down into more of a syrup. Then you can drizzle some in your glass or blend a little into the eggnog. To make a syrup out of Nutella, put the spread in a nonstick saucepan with equal parts water and stir continuously on low to medium-low heat until it becomes smooth and runny.

If you're looking for a sweet, buttery kick, a splash of butterscotch schnapps added into your eggnog will do the trick. To enhance these flavors, you could even rim your glass with a mixture of brown sugar and butterscotch schnapps. Of course, if you don't care for alcohol but can't get over the idea of butterscotch, there are ways to make it happen. Instead of schnapps, you could always use flavored syrup for your drink. Or you could just melt down some butterscotch candies into a rich sauce. Either would be buttery-sweet and perfect for garnishing your eggnog.