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Homemade Eggnog with Mini Gingerbread Men

Name: Homemade Eggnog with Mini Gingerbread Men
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 9 h 10 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups whole milk; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 Â½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided; 5 whole cloves; 12 large egg yolks; 1 Â½ cups sugar; 4 cups light cream; 2 Â½ cups rum (optional); Â½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1 Â½ cups whipped cream (optional); Cinnamon stick, for garnish (optional); 1 Â½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting cookie cutters; 1 Â½ teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; Â¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; Â½ cup sugar; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 tablespoon honey (warmed in microwave for a few seconds); 1 tube white decorating icing (optional)

Store-bought eggnog? Humbug! Say cheers to the holiday season with a glass of Homemade Eggnog with Mini Gingerbread Men with or without the rum.

Jessi Heggan

Print Recipe

Makes: 24 servings
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes
Recipe Created By: Jodie Shield
Featured In: Illinois Farm Bureau Partners

Ingredients

Eggnog:

4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
5 whole cloves
12 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups sugar
4 cups light cream
2 ½ cups rum (optional)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ cups whipped cream (optional)
Cinnamon stick, for garnish (optional)

Mini Gingerbread Men:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting cookie cutters
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey (warmed in microwave for a few seconds)
1 tube white decorating icing (optional)

Instructions

For the eggnog: In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the milk, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla and cloves. Stir while heating for 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and slowly bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low.
In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until light yellow. Add sugar and whisk again until light and fluffy.
Pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking quickly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Continue adding the hot milk and whisking a little at a time until all milk is incorporated.
Pour eggnog mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the eggnog boil.
Strain eggnog to remove cloves. Let cool for about 30 minutes, then stir in the cream, rum (if using), remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla and nutmeg. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
For the gingerbread men: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the egg and warm honey and beat for about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Transfer dough to a surface lined with plastic wrap and roll into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to about ¼-inch thick.
Gently remove the top piece of parchment paper. Dip a mini gingerbread cookie cutter into flour and cut dough into gingerbread men. Use a spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake cookies in batches for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack, then use icing to draw a smiling face and buttons, if desired.
Pour eggnog into punch glasses or mugs. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a cinnamon stick (if using) and garnish with a mini gingerbread man before serving.

Tips & Notes

Lighten it up: To lighten the eggnog, substitute 2% milk for the whole milk, reduce the sugar to 1 ¼ cups and skip the whipped cream. For the gingerbread men, substitute white whole-wheat flour for the all-purpose flour for added fiber.

Tips: