Eggnog Milkshake (Creamy, Spiced Holiday Treat in 5 Minutes)

December hits and suddenly my blender gets more use than it does all year combined. This eggnog milkshake started as an accident — I had leftover eggnog from the holidays and half a tub of vanilla ice cream, and I figured I'd just throw them together. That was three years ago and now my family expects it every December without fail.

What I like about this one is how little effort it takes. You're not baking anything, you're not babysitting a stovetop. It's a blender, five minutes, and you've got something that actually tastes like the holidays. The nutmeg is what does it — don't skip that. First time I made it I was light on the nutmeg and it just tasted like a plain vanilla shake. The spice is the whole point.

Saad goes crazy for this. He's had it every Christmas Eve for three years running and I'm pretty sure if I skipped it this year he'd notice immediately. I make the kids' version without any alcohol, obviously, and then I make a small batch for the adults with a splash of bourbon stirred in at the end. Both versions disappear fast. If you want something easy to serve at a holiday gathering alongside something like these sweetened condensed milk snowball cookies, this milkshake fits right in.

One practical thing to know: this is best made and served immediately. I've tried storing the blended mixture and it separates a bit even in the freezer — totally fine if you stir it back together, but the texture fresh out of the blender is noticeably better. So I blend right before I need it, which honestly takes less time than washing an extra dish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Ready in five minutes flat: I'm not exaggerating — this is literally a measure-and-blend situation. No cooking, no chilling, no waiting. On a chaotic December evening when everyone is hungry and excited and I have zero bandwidth left, this is exactly what I want to be making. Everything goes into the blender at once and you're done before the glasses are even set out.

• Works for kids and adults at the same table: I blend the base for everyone, pour the kids' portions, then stir a splash of bourbon into the remaining mixture for the grown-ups. Nobody feels left out and I'm not making two completely separate drinks. It's the same glass, same whipped cream topping, same festive nutmeg dusting — just one version has a little something extra.

• Store-bought eggnog works perfectly: I know some recipes act like you need to make homemade eggnog from scratch for this to be good. You don't. The carton from Walmart or Costco does the job completely fine. I've used both and my family cannot tell the difference when it's blended with ice cream and spices. Save the homemade eggnog for sipping on its own if you want — for this shake, the store-bought stuff is honestly ideal.

• The texture is genuinely thick and satisfying: This isn't a thin holiday drink — it's a proper milkshake that you eat with a spoon until it softens enough for a straw. The ratio of 2 cups ice cream to 1½ cups eggnog gives you something with real body to it. If you prefer it thinner, you can add a little more eggnog. But the thick version is what my family always asks for.

• Tastes like the holidays without being complicated: There's something about the combination of eggnog, nutmeg, and vanilla that makes a room feel like Christmas. I don't know how to explain it better than that. It's the kind of thing you sip while watching a movie with the kids, or set out for guests when they arrive and you're still finishing dinner prep. Simple to make, genuinely festive to drink.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups eggnog (store-bought works great — I use the carton from the grocery store)
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus extra for garnish
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but I always add it)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whipped cream for topping (optional but highly recommended)
• Maraschino cherry for garnish (optional)
• Splash of rum or bourbon (optional, for an adult version)

Directions

• Step 1: Blend everything together — Add the eggnog, vanilla ice cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to your blender. Blend on high for about 30 to 45 seconds until it's completely smooth. Stop once and scrape down the sides if a chunk of ice cream is sticking to the wall — this just makes sure everything incorporates evenly.
• Step 2: Check and adjust the consistency — Pour a little out and see how thick it is. If it's thicker than you want, add a splash more eggnog and blend for a few seconds. If it's thinner than you like, drop in another small scoop of ice cream. This is entirely personal preference — I keep mine quite thick so it almost needs a spoon at first.
• Step 3: Add alcohol if using — If you're making an adult version, add a small splash (about 1 to 2 tablespoons) of rum or bourbon to the blender and pulse just two or three times to combine. You don't want to blend it fully again or the ice cream will get too soft from the warmth of the motor.
• Step 4: Pour and garnish — Pour the milkshake into glasses — tall glasses look nicest. Add a swirl of whipped cream on top, dust with a pinch of nutmeg, and add a maraschino cherry if you like. Serve immediately with a wide straw or a long spoon.

Tips for Success

• Don't skip the nutmeg: I made a version once where I was running low on spices and I halved the nutmeg to stretch what I had. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't right either — it tasted like a plain vanilla shake with some eggnog flavor in the background. The nutmeg is what makes it taste like the holidays. Use the full half teaspoon, and definitely dust a little extra on top when you serve it.

• Use cold eggnog straight from the fridge: If your eggnog is room temperature or even slightly warm, the ice cream melts faster during blending and you end up with something closer to a thick drink than a proper shake. I keep my eggnog carton in the coldest part of the fridge and pull it out right before I blend. Same with the ice cream — scoop it quickly and blend right away rather than letting it sit out first.

• Add the alcohol at the very end: If you're making an adult version, blend everything else first, then add the rum or bourbon and just pulse a couple of times. Adding alcohol at the start and blending it fully heats the mixture slightly from the motor and thins out the texture more than I like. A few quick pulses at the end is enough to incorporate it without losing the thick consistency.

• Make dairy-free work with the right swap: I've made this with oat milk eggnog (So Delicious makes a good one and Target usually carries it in December) and coconut milk ice cream. The texture is slightly different — a little less thick and rich — but the spiced flavor still comes through and it's genuinely good. If you have someone at your holiday table who can't do dairy, this works well as an alternative. Just don't use rice milk eggnog — it's too thin and watery for this.

• For a bigger batch, double everything: I always make a double batch because a single recipe makes about two generous glasses and there are four of us. The blender handles it fine — just make sure you don't overfill past the max line. Blend in two rounds if your blender is on the smaller side rather than cramming it all in at once.

Variations

• Chocolate eggnog milkshake: Add 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup to the blender along with everything else. The chocolate actually plays really well with the nutmeg and cinnamon — it goes in a different direction but it's genuinely good. My husband prefers this version and I make it for him separately while the kids get the plain spiced one. A little drizzle of extra chocolate syrup on top of the whipped cream makes it look nice too.

• Caramel eggnog milkshake: Drizzle caramel sauce along the inside of the glass before you pour the milkshake in, then drizzle a little more on top of the whipped cream. It's a small step but it makes the whole thing look like it came from a coffee shop. I've also stirred a tablespoon of caramel sauce directly into the blender — that gives you a more evenly caramel-flavored shake rather than pockets of sweetness.

• Eggnog coffee shake: Add a shot of cooled espresso or about ¼ cup of very strong cold brew to the blender. This is my version for afternoons when I want something that feels festive but I also need caffeine. The coffee cuts through the richness of the eggnog nicely. If you make this one, I'd leave out the cinnamon and just keep the nutmeg — the coffee and cinnamon together gets a little too busy.

• Eggnog milkshake float: This one is fun for kids — pour a glass of eggnog soda (ginger ale plus a splash of eggnog works if you can't find actual eggnog soda) and drop a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It's not the blended shake version but it's lighter and the kids think it looks impressive. Zainab actually prefers this to the blended shake — she likes the fizz.

Serving and Storage

Serving

Serve these immediately after blending in tall glasses with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg. A maraschino cherry on top makes it look festive without any extra effort. This pairs really well with holiday cookies — I usually set these out alongside a plate of snowball cookies or keep a jar of spiced Christmas jam on the table for spreading on shortbread between sips. Wide straws or long dessert spoons work best since the shake starts thick and softens as you drink it.

Storage

Honestly, this is really meant to be made and drunk right away. If you have leftover blended mixture (without whipped cream), you can pour it into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to one day. When you want it, let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes and then stir it back together — the texture won't be quite as smooth as fresh but it's still good. Don't store it in the fridge without freezing; it separates and gets watery pretty quickly. Skip the whipped cream topping until you're ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without any alcohol?

Yes, and honestly that's how I make it most of the time. The base recipe has no alcohol at all — the rum or bourbon is completely optional. It tastes full and rich and festive without it. The alcohol version is just a bonus for adults who want it.

Does store-bought eggnog work or do I need homemade?

Store-bought is completely fine for this recipe. Once it's blended with vanilla ice cream and spices, any difference between homemade and carton eggnog is basically undetectable. I've used the carton from Walmart and the one from Costco and both work well. Save homemade eggnog for drinking on its own if you go to the trouble of making it.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

You can blend it a couple of hours ahead and freeze the mixture without the whipped cream topping. Give it a good stir or a quick 10-second blend before serving to get the texture back. That said, the best version of this shake is fresh out of the blender — if you can time it to blend just before serving, do that.

What dairy-free eggnog works best in this recipe?

Oat milk eggnog gives the best texture — it's creamier than almond milk versions and holds up better when blended with ice cream. So Delicious and Califia both make oat milk eggnogs that you can find at Target or Whole Foods in November and December. Pair it with coconut milk vanilla ice cream for a fully dairy-free version. Avoid rice milk eggnog — it's too watery and thins the shake out too much.

How do I make it thicker?

Add more vanilla ice cream, one scoop at a time, and blend briefly after each addition. The ratio in this recipe (2 cups ice cream to 1½ cups eggnog) already makes a thick shake, but if you want something closer to soft-serve consistency, cut the eggnog back to 1 cup. The temperature of your ingredients matters too — colder ice cream and cold eggnog straight from the fridge will always give you a thicker result than ingredients that have been sitting out.

This milkshake has become one of those things my family just expects to appear every December — I didn't plan for it to become a tradition, it just did. Five minutes of effort, ingredients you can grab from any grocery store, and everyone at the table gets a glass that actually feels like a celebration. That's the kind of recipe I keep coming back to.

If you're making this for a holiday gathering, I'd suggest blending it in batches right as guests arrive rather than making it all at once and letting it sit. The first glass out of the blender is always the best. Pair it with something to eat alongside — a slice of pumpkin pie works really well if you want to lean into the spiced, cozy direction.

And if you're looking for a lighter cold drink for non-winter months, my frozen watermelon slush uses the same five-minute blender logic and is just as easy to throw together. Different season, same effortless energy. December belongs to the eggnog shake, though — this one isn't going anywhere. 🥛❄️✨

If you liked this, here are a few more recipes from my kitchen worth trying:

• Sweetened Condensed Milk Snowball Cookies — the perfect thing to set out alongside these shakes at a holiday party
• Spiced Christmas Jam — a festive jar that makes everything taste like December
• Pumpkin Pie — the classic holiday slice that pairs so well with a spiced drink
• Frozen Watermelon Slush — for when you want the same effortless blender energy in the warmer months
• Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls — a weekend brunch treat that belongs next to a cold holiday drink