I’ve tried several store-bought vegan eggnogs, and they all taste like regular plant milk with cinnamon – nothing like actual eggnog. Eggnog has a rich, creamy texture, almost like melted ice cream. I want a recipe that gets that flavor and texture right. Anyone have a good one?
Surprisingly, Aldi has a great almond nog this year
Phoenix said:
Surprisingly, Aldi has a great almond nog this year
Aldi never ceases to surprise.
Phoenix said:
Surprisingly, Aldi has a great almond nog this year
Aldi never ceases to surprise.
Here’s a fun fact: employees at Aldi in Germany have to complete a 3-year apprenticeship to become staff. That might be why the customer service is so good over there.
Phoenix said:
Surprisingly, Aldi has a great almond nog this year
Yes! I just had a carton, and it was delicious. Definitely one of the closest to the non-vegan version I’ve tried.
I never got into eggnog when I wasn’t vegan. To me, it’s just thick milk with spices. Is there a specific flavor you’re looking for, or is it more about the texture?
Cedar said:
I never got into eggnog when I wasn’t vegan. To me, it’s just thick milk with spices. Is there a specific flavor you’re looking for, or is it more about the texture?
It’s hard to describe if you’ve never had it, but it has this creamy, rich texture. The flavor reminds me of overripe bananas, but in a good way. It’s more like melted vanilla ice cream than just thick milk.
@Ridley
For creaminess, you could try soaking raw cashews for about 30 minutes, then blending them smooth. A good ratio is about 1 cup of cashews to 3 cups of water for a creamy milk. You can add a little ripe banana (maybe 1 tablespoon at a time) and vanilla, then adjust with water for the right thickness. The flavor might still need tweaking, but this could help with texture.
@Ridley
Eggnog is actually a custard, with egg yolks giving it the richness. It’s not spun into ice cream, though. You might want to look for a vegan ice cream recipe and just cut back on the sugar, since cold things taste less sweet than when they’re frozen.
@Ridley
I’d use almond butter and almond milk for a good consistency, then add some quality bourbon, sugar, and vanilla. The almonds might actually enhance the flavor in a way that’s better than the original.
This recipe looks good. I haven’t tried it yet: https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-eggnog/
I tried the Minimalist Baker recipe for Thanksgiving, but I added some xanthan gum to thicken it up, and it turned out perfect.
The best vegan eggnog I’ve had was the Almond Breeze version. It’s as creamy as heavy cream and actually tastes like eggnog, not like some almond milk with cinnamon thrown in.
This recipe is a bit more work than others, but it’s the only one that gets the texture right. You can find it here: https://rainbowplantlife.com/creamy-vegan-spiced-eggnog/. The other key thing to get the flavor right is to freshly grate the nutmeg.
@Hayes
This looks great, but I wouldn’t use coconut milk if you’re aiming for a traditional eggnog taste. Coconut milk is more for the Puerto Rican version of eggnog. I think I’ll try blending soaked cashews with almond milk, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon – that sounds delicious.
@Sage
It does have a slight coconut flavor, but because it’s so spiced, it isn’t overpowering. If you add alcohol, you almost can’t taste the coconut. I’ve also used a vegan creamer, and it worked well. This vegan creamer is one I like: https://sown.com/our-creamers/unsweetened/.
I used to make a vegan nog for a holiday cocktail special at the bar where I worked. I’d start with vanilla pudding, add baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, just a tiny pinch of salt. If you want it non-alcoholic, skip the alcohol part, but if you want it boozy, add bourbon or dark rum (spiced rum doesn’t work, and clear rum is too weak). Then I’d thin it out with unsweetened plain almond milk and whisk it until it had the right consistency. This recipe came out pretty close to real eggnog texture-wise. These days, there might be an additive that would give it more of that eggy flavor, but I’d have to experiment more.
I really enjoy Chobani’s vegan eggnog. I think they nailed both the flavor and consistency!
Zenith said:
I really enjoy Chobani’s vegan eggnog. I think they nailed both the flavor and consistency!
The flavor is great, and I buy it every week. However, the consistency is thinner than most eggnogs, which might not be what you’re looking for based on your post.
I like this variation. It doesn’t taste too ‘eggy,’ but it has some complexity that a lot of other vegan nog recipes are missing. The avocado adds a nice flavor. Here’s the recipe: https://www.theppk.com/2010/12/matrioshka-eggnog/