This dairy free and egg free Vegan Eggnog is way easier than the classic! Blended with soaked cashews, milk, and warm spices, this rich and creamy drink is perfect for the holidays.
Sure, you can buy dairy free eggnog, but it’s so easy to make yourself and tastes 10 times better! Enter my Vegan Eggnog recipe. It’s rich, creamy, and the best holiday drink.
All you need are simple ingredients, like cashews, non-dairy milk, sugar, and a handful of spices. Blend them all up and you’re done. It’s a deliciously thick drink that can be served cold, warm, or even steamed with espresso for vegan eggnog lattes.
It’s kid-friendly as-is, but when the holiday party gets going, spike each glass of nog with some whiskey or rum. Top it off with vegan whipped cream and a little nutmeg, as well as a vegan shortbread cookie for some extra fun.
What is eggnog?
Traditional eggnog is a thick and creamy drink made with eggs, milk, cream, and warm spices. It’s known for being thick, sweet, and warming, and is enjoyed around the holidays as-is or with a shot of rum, whiskey, or brandy.
Vegan-friendly eggnog is even easier to make than the classic, and it’s lighter, too! It has a similar texture and the same comforting, warm flavors. All you need are 4 basic ingredients, common winter spices, and a blender.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Raw cashews – Soaked and blended cashews will help thicken the vegan nog (just like eggs do in the traditional recipe). If you don’t have cashews, you can use raw slivered almonds instead.
- Non-dairy milk – Use the plant milk you love the most, like cashew, oat, almond, or coconut milk.
- Granulated sugar – Or use pure maple syrup as a natural sweetener.
- Vanilla extract
- Ground nutmeg – If you can, grate the nutmeg yourself for the best flavor.
- Cinnamon – A must in any warm and comforting holiday drink.
- Cloves
- Whiskey or rum – Only if alcoholic eggnog is your thing. If not, serve it without (this way, the kids can enjoy it too).
How to make vegan eggnog
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Start by soaking the cashews. Pour boiling water over the cashews in a bowl and let them soften for 5 minutes. Afterward, drain the water and transfer the nuts to a blender.
Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and spices to the blender. Blend until smooth, then taste and add more sugar or spices if needed.
Let the eggnog chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. This will give it time to thicken and for the flavors to get to know each other better (leaving you with a tastier nog).
Serve each glass with 1 ounce of rum or whiskey (optional) and top with a little coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Don’t forget the vegan sugar cookies on the side!
Is eggnog served hot or cold?
Both ways are delicious. I prefer to serve it chilled after it’s set in the fridge for a few hours. If you prefer it to be warmed, heat the blended mixture in a pot on the stove until it’s warmed through.
Variations
- Nut free – Try using a block of silken tofu or hemp seeds (no need to soak) instead of the nuts.
- Less sweet – Start by blending the eggnog with only ¼ cup of sugar. This should add enough sweetness without overwhelming the drink. You can always add more if it isn’t sweet enough.
- Spiked vegan eggnog – If desired, serve each glass of eggnog with an ounce of whiskey, rum, brandy, or bourbon.
- Dairy free eggnog latte – Brew a shot of espresso and steam the eggnog for vegan eggnog lattes!
Storing
Serve the dairy free eggnog once it’s done chilling or keep the batch in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Want more vegan holiday drinks?
These holiday drinks are easy to make and extra comforting for the holiday season:
Vegan Eggnog
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (see notes for alternatives)
- 3 cups non-dairy milk
- 1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 ounce whiskey or rum, per serving, optional
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes.
- Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Add them to a blender along with the non-dairy milk, sugar (you can start with the 1/4 cup), vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves and blend until very smooth. Taste, add more sweetener or spices if needed.
- Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, it will thicken up and give the flavors time to mingle. Serve alcohol free or add 1 ounce of whiskey/rum to each glass, as desired. I also topped mine with a little coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Notes
- Cashew free: If you can’t have cashews, you can substitute raw slivered almonds. If you need a completely nut free version, try subbing with a block of silken tofu (12 oz) or using hemp seeds instead (no need to soak).
- I used almond milk, but you could use cashew, soy, coconut or even oat milk. For a richer version, use canned full fat coconut milk!
- I prefer serving eggnog cold, but you could gently heat it and serve. Or steam it and add espresso for Eggnog Lattes!
My husband loves regular eggnog but has found out he is allergic to eggs, cow’s milk, etc so this was a real treat for him! It was absolutely delicious! I made one batch with oat milk and another batch with coconut milk, and he enjoyed them both. The only change he requested is to cut the cloves in half next time, but that is simply personal preference. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Hi Teri. You are welcome! Thank you for sharing this wonderful feedback! I am so glad that your husband loves the eggnog!
So I blend the almonds with it all? Won’t there be small chunks even if soft and sliced?
Hi Lillah. A good, high powered blender will give you a smooth blend. If you prefer not to use nuts, there are nut free options provided in the recipe as well. I hope this helps!
This is so delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I have also made it by swapping out the cashews for pumpkin purée to have a pumpkin spice drink and I enjoy that too.
I always have leftover eggnog. Do you have any recipes that use it as an ingredient? Thanks.
I don’t yet but I need to! I’m thinking eggnog cake, cheesecake, etc. But sorry I don’t have any yet.
As always delicious! Thank you for loving to cook and sharing that love with the rest of us. You never disappoint!
You are so welcome! Glad you love the recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful comments!
Absolutely delicious. My grandsons love it.
Thank you for sharing your review! I’m glad it was a hit with your grandson!
I want to make this tomorrow!
How long will it stay good in the refrigerator?
I hope you enjoy it! It will stay good for about 4 days.
Loved it, just as I love everything on this site. Also, I would have never thought to turn it into a latte which is an inspired idea. A new favorite. Thanks, Nora.
Hi Jose. Thank you for trying my recipes! I’m so glad you enjoy them!
Thank you for this ridiculously easy and super delicious recipe! My eggnog-loving, vegan wife totally adores this! I used soy milk & 2 tbs oats. Make extra!
This is delicious! I was so happy to find this recipe. You’re recipes never disappoint.
Thanks so much!
Amazing! Made a half batch to test it out and wish I made a triple batch. Your recipes never disappoint. My non-vegan eggnog loving mother also gave it her stamp of approval! (which is more valid than mine because I don’t overly love eggnog)
Thant’s great to hear!
Made a single batch of this recently and it was such a hit. It was gone in the first day. This time I made a double batch, so hopefully, it will last a little longer. I added a few Tbs of instant oats to help thicken it a bit. The combination of spices is what makes this recipe so tasty. They’re perfect. I was also happy to find a vegan eggnog without coconut milk. I used macadamia nut milk and only added a small amount of cashews. I didn’t add any alcohol. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome!
Hey Nora
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Loving all your recipes. French toast casserole was amazing!!!
For this eggnog, is it ok to make it 24 hours in advance? I’ll be using tofu instead of nuts.
Thanks as always
You too, thank you so much! Yes it can be made 24 hours ahead of time. Hope you enjoy it!
I can’t wait to try this! I just want to tell you, Nora, every single recipe of yours has been amazing!!! You are our go-to source for all things vegan baking, and more!! Thank you!
You’re so welcome! Thanks for the great comment!
I love this recipe, thank you so much Nora. I only had pecans on hand so those were the nuts I used, came here to say that I recommend pecans for this recipe, absolutely wow- SO DELICIOUS. I had to strain the mixture several times to get rid of the gritty nuts but afterwards it was really good.
thanks
Thanks so much. Glad you loved it!
Question because this looks so delicious and its almost christmas, my family likes it semi-sweet and like sweet so ill probably make two different batches especially one with rum or whiskey but i wanted to add the hemp with coconut milk because of the allergies my family has what do you recommend on sugar?
I’m not sure I totally understand, you’d like to use hemp milk instead of coconut milk? That is totally fine. For the sugar, if you want it less sweet perhaps use just 1/4 cup sugar, and for sweeter add 1/2 cup. You can also taste it and add more if needed. Thanks!
This recipe is so easy and tastes amazing! I can’t get over how delicious it is! I can’t wait to share it with my friends at our holiday gathering this evening!
Thanks for the great comment! I hope it’s a great hit at the holiday gathering.
Wow! This is amazing. I made a half batch and should have made two full batches! Love that there is NO coconut milk. This is a new holiday staple in our house. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome! Glad it was so good!
Better than eggnog! Maybe cal it Holiday Nog? My family likes sweet drinks so I started with 1/2 cup organic cane sugar. I used a quart of unsweetened almond milk. Doubled amounts of all spices plus doubled vanilla. Used fresh nutmeg too. Thank you so much for this treat! I didn’t have rum or whisky but will try that another time.
Thanks for the comment! So glad it came out great!
I love your cashew alternatives! I always use fawn cashews for my eggnog but I’d love to give the almonds a try next! Great recipe Nora and Merry Christmas!!
Thank you so much, and Merry Christmas to you too! It’s nice to switch things up sometimes, and give options for those with allergies/intolerances.
In beverages I sometimes add 2 tablespoons of oats for thickening. If using a high powered blender they become very smooth and just add a bit of thickening. Also could you let us know which espresso machine is doing such a great job for your family?
Oats are actually a really great idea, thank you! Yes, it is this espresso maker: Breville Barista Espresso Machine.
I don’t have any cloves, what should I do? Add more of the other spices, sub it with something, could I use Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pie spice or something?
You could just leave it out, no worries.
Can you use ground allspice if you dont have cloves or do you need the cloves..and are the cloves whole or ground? I think cloves are the same as allspice but I just wanna be sure.
You probably could use allspice instead of cloves, though they are a bit different. The cloves I use are ground, yes. Thank you!