1-Ingredient Eggnog Ice Cream

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Eggnog ice cream is a deliciously creamy and festive dessert that combines the traditional flavors of eggnog with the smooth texture of ice cream. This is the easiest ice cream you'll ever make, because it's made with just 1-ingredient... eggnog! That's right, you can pour eggnog into your ice cream maker and make ice cream. The result is a rich, creamy eggnog ice cream perfect for Christmas.
A glass dish filled with scoops of eggnog ice cream sprinkled with ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick inserted into the dish.
A glass dish filled with scoops of eggnog ice cream sprinkled with ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick inserted into the dish.

Why this recipe works

I love to make ice cream in my ice cream maker at home. I’ve always wondered if I could pour some eggnog into my ice cream maker to make a simplified 1-ingredient eggnog ice cream. Maybe you’ve wondered if “can you put eggnog in an ice cream maker?”, too. No heavy cream, no whole milk, no egg yolks, no custard base. So I tried it for you eggnog fans! 

You can pour eggnog right into your ice cream maker and make ice cream! It works! While it may not be as creamy as a traditional french ice cream that has more fat and eggs, this eggnog ice cream is super simple and so delicious. 

It has all the flavors of eggnog in creamy ice cream form. Are you willing to give it a try? Follow my tips and tricks to help you make it yourself at home!

You’ll love this recipe because:

  • It’s one ingredient. It does not get much easier than one-ingredient ice cream. Just pour the eggnog into your ice cream maker and make ice cream! 
  • It’s a great way to use up leftovers. If you’re like me and find yourself with leftover eggnog over the holiday season, this ice cream recipe is a great way to use that up! 
  • It’s fun! This is a great experiment to do with your kids. How can one ingredient make ice cream? It’s magic!

Here’s what you’ll need:

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Equipment notes

I show two ice cream makers that I recommend in the equipment links above.

The first one is the Cuisinart ICE30BC ice cream maker. It’s a 2 quart ice cream maker that churns ice cream using a cold ice cream bowl. For this ice cream maker, you’ll need to freeze the bowl in your freezer for at least 24 hours before you start churning. This Cuisinart ice cream maker is very basic, but does the job very well. I’ve had this for 12 years and it still works great. It’s a minimal investment so if you’re just getting started with making homemade ice cream, this is my recommendation.

If you are making ice cream often, I’d suggest investing in a compression ice cream maker like the Breville Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker. This is the ice cream machine I now use most often because I make a lot of ice cream. You don’t have to freeze the bowl before churning as there is a compressor in the ice cream machine to cool the ice cream as it churns. This compressor ice cream maker has a much larger investment, so I don’t typically recommend it unless you are like me and make a lot of ice cream. It’s very nice to not have to take up freezer space with the ice cream bowl.

Ingredients

A half gallon jug of eggnog on a table with a text overlay over it.

Ingredient Notes

  • eggnog – All you need is a carton of eggnog. It can be store-bought or homemade eggnog.

Step-by-step instructions

Did you know you can make 1-ingredient eggnog at home? All you need is an ice cream maker and some leftover eggnog! The steps below with matching photos are meant to help you see the recipe at various stages so that you can make this creamy homemade eggnog ice cream recipe perfectly every time.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

The bowl of an ice cream maker filled with eggnog before churning into ice cream.
Add the eggnog to the bowl of your ice cream maker.
The bowl of an ice cream maker filled with eggnog ice cream.
Churn according to your ice cream machine’s instructions. My compressor ice cream maker takes about 45 minutes, whereas my basic ice cream maker takes closer to 30 minutes.
A white and black loaf pan filled with eggnog ice cream with pine cones scattered on the table.
Either eat the ice cream straight from the ice cream maker, or place it in a loaf pan to freeze for 3-4 hours, until firm.
A glass dish filled with scoops of eggnog ice cream sprinkled with ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick inserted into the dish.
Let the ice cream soften at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before scooping with an ice cream scoop and serving.

Expert Tips

  • Use a full-fat eggnog for the creamiest eggnog ice cream. Low-fat or reduced-fat eggnog is not the way to go here. Your ice cream will be really icy and hard. 
  • If you’d like to add some additional spices, feel free to add a teaspoon of cinnamon or fresh nutmeg to your ice cream. 
  • Serve this ice cream with a dollop of eggnog whipped cream for extra flavor. You can also serve a scoop of eggnog ice cream with some espresso for an eggnog affogato. 

FAQs

Do you need an ice cream maker to make eggnog ice cream?

With this 1-ingredient eggnog ice cream recipe, you will definitely need an ice cream maker. Non-churn ice cream recipes usually require the use of sweetened condensed milk to make them light and creamy. You’ll want to find a recipe using that instead of this recipe.

Is eggnog ice cream gluten-free?

As long as your eggnog is gluten-free, this easy eggnog ice cream recipe is gluten-free!

Can I add rum or other alcohol to this recipe to help it from freezing too hard?

Yes, you can add 2 tablespoons of rum, whiskey, or other alcohol. This will give the ice cream a slight boozy flavor and will also prevent it from freezing over too hard. I didn’t use it in this recipe because I wanted it to be a true 1-ingredient ice cream recipe. 

Do I have to freeze the ice cream in a loaf pan after churning in the ice cream maker?

No, you don’t. Feel free to start enjoying your ice cream as a soft-serve straight from the ice cream maker. It’s delicious!

An ice cream scooper that has scooped some eggnog ice cream from a larger loaf pan.

Storage Instructions

Storage: For best results, store eggnog ice cream in a freezer-safe container with a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper pressed to the top to prevent freezer-burn. For best flavor and texture, consume within 2 weeks. 

Related recipes

A glass dish filled with scoops of eggnog ice cream sprinkled with ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick inserted into the dish.

1-Ingredient Eggnog Ice Cream

Eggnog ice cream is a deliciously creamy and festive dessert that combines the traditional flavors of eggnog with the smooth texture of ice cream. This is the easiest ice cream you'll ever make, because it's made with just 1-ingredient… eggnog! That's right, you can pour eggnog into your ice cream maker and make ice cream. The result is a rich, creamy eggnog ice cream perfect for Christmas.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Freezing Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 112kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups eggnog, homemade or store-bought

Instructions

  • If your ice cream machine requires it, chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until frozen solid.
  • Pour 3 cups of cold eggnog into the bowl of your ice cream maker.
  • Churn according to the ice cream machine’s instructions, until the ice cream is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. My ice cream maker takes about 40 minutes to churn.
  • Once churned, spoon the eggnog ice cream into a freezer-safe container, such as a loaf pan. Press some plastic wrap or parchment paper to the surface of the ice cream.
  • Freeze for 3-4 hours, until firm.
  • Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before scooping and serving.

Notes

  • This is a 1-ingredient eggnog ice cream recipe. Since the only ingredient is eggnog, this ice cream freezes a little harder than a traditional ice cream that has a custard base and more fat in it. You will need to let the ice cream sit out for about 15 minutes so it can soften a little and make it easier to scoop. 
  • If you prefer, you can eat the ice cream as a soft-serve consistency right out of the ice cream maker. It’s so delicious!

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 210mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 262IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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