Rich, creamy and boozy vegan eggnog. This simple recipe uses cashew nuts instead of egg to create a deliciously thick creamy drink perfect for the holidays.
So this vegan eggnog doesn’t have any eggs in it. Of course, because it’s vegan.
Some people get a bit outraged by naming something with the original term and then just putting ‘vegan’ in front of it.
Like our vegan cheesecake. I am often told on facebook that it should be called a ‘cashew cake’. Um….no.
When you want to make a cheesecake without cheese then ‘vegan cheesecake’ is what you go looking for!
So this is a vegan eggnog, notwithstanding the fact that there is no egg.
I did go all out and make a full on boozy version. With bourbon no less.
If you’re not a fan of boozy things then you can leave it out and just have a delicious creamy holiday drink.
How To Make Vegan Eggnog
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
This recipe is pretty forgiving and flexible. You’re creating a creamy, sweet, boozy drink, which isn’t terribly hard.
I chose a mix of coconut milk and coconut cream as the base ingredients along with cashews to thicken and, sort of, approximate the effect that egg would have in eggnog.
Add this to a blender jug along with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and sugar.
Blend until smooth.
Pour this out into a pot or saucepan.
Gently heat on the stove until it just reaches a simmer. Them remove from the heat.
Add Bourbon!
Add in the bourbon and then give it a blend with your hand blender, pour it into a jug and put it into the fridge to let it chill completely.
Well, you can really serve it hot or cold, but we liked these served nice and cold.
It tastes like the most creamy dreamy liqueur. That you made yourself! You should definitely be proud.
Ingredient Notes
Coconut milk/coconut cream. I used the full fat canned variety of coconut milk and coconut cream. If you wanted to switch for a different kind of plant milk you could do it, but it would be less creamy and rich. It would still be pretty delicious though, so that’s up to you.
Cashews. The cashews as mentioned are sort of my ‘egg replacer’ in the way that they thicken up the drink so nicely. If you’re not a fan of cashews you could use cornstarch as a thickener instead, I haven’t tested it this way, but it’s something you could try if you can’t do cashews.
Sugar. I used regular white granulated sugar, but you could switch for a different type of granulated sugar such as coconut sugar or even a liquid sweetener like maple syrup. It would change the color of the drink though.
Bourbon. We used Wild Turkey bourbon which was lovely in this. Use any bourbon you like, or switch it for rum!
Turmeric. A pinch of turmeric would help recreate the color of a classic eggnog. I didn’t use any when I made this eggnog but if you want the color to be a little more yellow, then this would work great. Just don’t use too much, as a little goes a long way when it comes to using turmeric for color.
Storing Tips
Keep your eggnog stored in the fridge and enjoy it chilled. Consume it all within around 5 days.
It’s not recommended to freeze it.
More Delicious Vegan Drinks
- Vegan Dom Pedro
- Vegan White Russian
- Vegan Jello Shots
- Vegan Pina Colada
- Vegan Kahlua Coffee
- Vegan Iced Coffee
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Eggnog
Ingredients
- 3 cups Coconut Milk (720ml)
- 1 cup Coconut Cream (240ml)
- ½ cup Raw Cashews (75g)
- ⅔ cup White Granulated Sugar (130g)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ¾ cup Bourbon (180ml)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients except the bourbon to the blender jug and blend until completely smooth.
- Then pour out into a saucepan and gently heat, whisking constantly until it just reaches a simmer. You will notice it will thicken quite a bit during this process.
- Then remove it from the heat and add in the bourbon.
- Blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot to remove any lumps that have formed while it was heating. Alternatively you can strain it.
- Place into a jug and place into the fridge to chill for a few hours until completely cold.
- When you’re ready to serve, give it a stir and pour out into glasses. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
Video
Notes
- We used canned coconut milk (full fat, unsweetened) and canned coconut cream (unsweetened).
- We used Wild Turkey Bourbon. You can use any bourbon you prefer, or switch it for rum.
- You could add a pinch (very small pinch) of turmeric if you want to more closely resemble the color of a traditional eggnog.
- This recipe makes 5 cups of eggnog.
- Keep it stored in the fridge and enjoy within 5 days.
- Nutritional information assumes that 5 cups of eggnog could serve 6 people at a little less than a cup per person.
My first vegan eggnog and I really enjoyed the taste! Of course everone has their own preferences and I added less sugar and more bourbon 🙂
How long does it last in the fridge?
Glad you enjoyed it! It lasts around 5 days in the fridge.
Would you recommend straining if being sweetened with dates?
If they don’t blend in well, then sure you can strain it.
Hey Alison, I tried making the recipe. The flavor was super awesome but after a day in the fridge, the consistency was extremely thick as if it was a heavy cream and I was unable to serve it as a drink. Would you suggest not heating it or adding a bit of water for a less thick texture?
Thanks!
Hi Ivana, that can happen if it thickens too much during heating. Also there can be a bit of variance between different brands of coconut milk. To thin it out you can just add it to the blender with a little non-dairy milk and/or maybe some ice, blend again and serve.
I didn’t have the same ingredients available here in Mexico. I used coconut milk (like almond but coconut) and a can of coconut milk the full fat. It turned out really good. Probably a little thinner than your recipe but super worth it. Thank you!!!
So glad it was a success! Thanks for sharing Ralph!
Hi is it necessary to soak the cashews beforehand?
Thanks!
No it’s not needed.
Delicious. Not sure I understand why it has to be cooked. It was nice and delicious as is.
It cooks so it can thicken a bit more like regular eggnog. But glad you enjoyed it!
This is sooooooo delicious!
Thanks Henry!
I am so excited to try this when fall/winter comes back around! I LOVE eggnog. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS!
Awesome! Hope you love it Jessica!
Hi!! Can I omit the Bourbon or replace it for another non-alcoholic drink?
You can replace it with some non-dairy milk. 🙂
Ok. Thanks a lot!! 🙂
Previously when I’ve used cashews in recipes because I don’t have a high-powered blender the recipe has suggested soaking the cashews overnight first. If I were to make this using only an immersion blender would you recommend this?
Hi Gwendolyn, yes, sure if you’re using only an immersion blender it will be best to make the cashews as soft as possible beforehand. 🙂
Made it with almond milk and a spoon of almond butter instead of the coconut milk and cream and it was really good.
I will use less sugar.
The aroma of the spices really came out after a day in the fridge.
I forgot the stars
Awesome! Thanks so much for the rating! xo
My goodness this is so good. I made it with two changes. I replaced the bourbon with cashew milk and I added 3 cloves during the cooking part then took them out. I have tried bought vegan eggnog and this is so much better. Thanks so much for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it Soundra!
Love it
Thanks Donna! 🙂
Is there something else I can use instead of an immersion blender since I don’t have one? I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Hi Michelle, the last time we made this we didn’t need to immersion blend at all, it was totally smooth. The immersion blender is just in case any lumps form while heating, but you can also just strain it if that happens.