Eggnog Gelato Ice Cream

This decadent Eggnog Gelato Ice Cream is the ultimate way to enjoy your favorite holiday drink. It’s sweet, creamy, and has just a hint of spice. You’re just 6 ingredients away from holiday heaven: eggs, sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, and rum/bourbon.

Why this Recipe Works

Eggnog is a creamy rich drink, so it lends itself nicely to becoming a rich gelato ice cream! It works because ice cream and eggnog already share a lot of the same ingredients, such as eggs, sugar and cream.

The underlying molasses flavor of the rum or bourbon, as well as the spicy hit of nutmeg combine beautifully with the dense, creamy taste of the ice cream base. I like to garnish with a stick of cinnamon for extra festive-ness. 

If you love eggnog, you’ll also love my Dalgona-style whipped eggnog with brown sugar bourbon meringue. It’s incredible!

Ingredients & Substitutions

To make this recipe you will need 5 egg yolks, sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, rum/bourbon.

rum & bourbon – I like to use a combination of the two, which also makes it a crowd-pleaser. But if you have a preference for one or the other, you can use it instead of the mix. Also, do not increase the alcohol content in this recipe or the gelato will not properly set.

yolks – this recipe only uses egg yolks. They add a creamy, rich taste, and also contribute to the smoothness of the ice cream. Do not substitute with full eggs or you will not achieve the same texture.

How to Make this Recipe

Whisk the yolks and sugar together until pale yellow. Warm the milk, cream, and nutmeg until it just lightly simmers.

Temper the egg/sugar mixture with the milk/cream mixture. Return to the saucepan and cook until thickened, stirring slowly and constantly. It should get to 170F.

Note: You can use a candy thermometer or infrared thermometer to check the temperature. (Amazon links open in a new tab.)

Remove from heat. Stir in the rum/bourbon. Chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, and up to overnight.

Note: If you cannot wait 4 hours to chill the ice cream before churning it, you can chill it quickly over a bowl filled with ice water. Just stir the ice cream to cool the base faster than your refrigerator can.

Note: Do not add more rum/bourbon than advised in the recipe or the ice cream will not solidify properly.

The next day, add your chilled ice cream to your ice cream maker. Churn (stir setting) until it is the thickness of soft serve ice cream, ~20 minutes. You can enjoy it now as a soft serve, or continue to the final step for ice cream/gelato consistency.

Transfer to a container you can freeze, cover with parchment paper (optional), and freeze for at least 4 hours.

More Ice Cream & Gelato Recipes

Be sure to check out all my favorite gelato & ice cream, or peruse all my decadent dessert recipes.

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