Raise an extra-large mug to this creamy festive beverage! Usually containing milk, cream, and eggs, it’s a miracle there’s not just one but a plethora of vegan options for eggnog. Whether you save it for Christmas Eve or down nog all season long, here is an exhaustive list of all the vegan nogs available on the market, as well as five fabulous recipes to make it at home. Cheers!
What is eggnog?
Original versions of eggnog can be dated back hundreds of years to medieval England. The milk-based beverage typically included dairy cream, sugar, egg, wine or beer, and an assortment of thickening agents from oats to bread. Food historians have dated spiced eggnog, or posset, as far back as the 1200s. It was a food reserved for aristocratic circles as ingredients such as spices and sugar were cost-prohibitive to most. Fast-forward to the British colonization of North America, and eggnog gained accessibility due to the abundance of dairy and rum. The rum soon became an essential ingredient, as the alcohol prevented the beverage from spoiling in a time before the invention of refrigeration.
Crazy Vegan Kitchen
Today, commercially sold eggnog contains milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, spices, and often dry milk powder and stabilizers. Note, you won’t find alcohol pre-mixed into these products. In lieu of booze to kill bacteria, today’s eggnogs are pasteurized and refrigerated. There are generally two types of nog—those meant for mixing with alcohol and those meant for drinking straight from the carton. The mixing variety tends to be sweeter and thicker—two necessary components to balance out the booze. The products intended for enjoyment sans alcohol are often slightly less sweet and less viscous.
Given the heavy use of animal ingredients in traditional eggnog, it may seem difficult to find a vegan version. Fortunately, there is a vegan version of everything—including this holiday drink.
What is vegan eggnog made out of?
Crafting vegan eggnog isn’t as straightforward as replacing all the animal ingredients for vegan swaps. Yes, the dairy is easy to replicate, but you can’t (or at least, you shouldn’t) replace the egg yolk with a plant-based alternative such as JUST Egg. In order to achieve the richness of classic eggnog, brands use a variety of thickening agents from pure oat milk to more processed ingredients like gellan gum. If you’re making vegan eggnog at home, cashews are a reliable bet as they contain high amounts of fat.
Full-fat non-dairy milk, sweetener, spices, and optional binding agents (for store-bought varieties) are all that’s needed to make vegan nog. Here are the best store-bought vegan eggnogs to buy and recipes to make.
Vegan eggnog you can buy
Check out these nine vegan nogs the next time you’re stocking up on groceries.
Chobani
1 Chobani Oat Nog
Really, Chobani, you make such incredible oat-based dairy products. From your creamers to your yogurts and now this nog, will you please drop the dairy and focus solely on the oats? Truly, it’s your calling.
Find it here
@vegantraderjoes/Instagram
2 Trader Joe’s O’Nog
First came the almond beverage nog, now, this tiki-themed grocer is leaning into the oat trend. Look for the cartoon oat wrapped in a festive green-and-red striped scarf as you scan the aisles for this limited-time offering.
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Califia Farms
3 Califia Farms
This behemoth of a vegan beverage brand was one of the first to debut a dairy-free nog. Made with the company’s beloved almond milk and a good amount of sugar, this treat is light and sweet. It beckons for a tipple of rum or brandy!
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Elmhurst
4 Elmhurst Oat Nog
Made with just six ingredients, this is the cleanest store-bought eggnog you can find on supermarket shelves. The beverage is exceptional served warm or chilled and marries excellently with coffee for those inclined to swap their daily creamer for something a bit more festive.
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Good & Gather
5 Good & Gather Plant-Based Oatmilk Holiday Nog
Even Target is getting on the vegan nog bandwagon this year. This beverage is thick and creamy—perfect by the glass or poured into a shot of espresso for a foamy vegan eggnog latte!
Find it here
So Delicious
6 So Delicious Coconut Holiday Nog
Blast Mele Kalikimaka as you sip on this coconut-based holiday bevvy. The hint of coconut takes you to the tropics while the nutmeg brings you back to cozy winter nights. If you’re adding a bit of libation, rum is the way to go.
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Almond Breeze
7 Almond Breeze Almondmilk Nog
Light and sweet, this drink is great for kids on its own or adults when spiked with alcohol. Rum, brandy, or bourbon, it’s all good. It also ranks on the lower end of the caloric spectrum when it comes to vegan eggnog; while some brands sit around 100 calories per half-cup serving, this product contains 70 calories per serving.
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SIlk
8 Silk Original Soy Nog
Made with super sturdy soy milk, this nog can stand up to heat. Steam it for a foamy latte, warm it over the stove with a bit of rum, or get creative and use it in your next batch of baked goods. This product was made for these Soy Nog Whoopie Pies with cinnamon-chocolate cream cheese frosting.
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9 365 by Whole Foods Market Almond Nog
Spiced primarily with nutmeg and made with almond milk, this nog is on the thinner side and meant for drinking straight from the fridge or lightly warmed on the stove. It’s also a stellar pairing for holiday cookies.
Find it here
Vegan eggnog recipes you can make
Ready to get festive in the kitchen? Don’t miss these five vegan eggnog recipes.
Bittersweet
1 Vegan Holiday Eggnog
Four ingredients (plus water) are all you need to make a cheers-worthy holiday beverage. Naturally sweetened with dates and flavored with vanilla bean and freshly grated nutmeg, this thick and warming drink will bring on the cozy without the sugar rush.
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2 Soy Egg Nog
Spiked generously with your choice of alcohol, this one is for the adults. It’s fairly viscous and heavily spiced—two characteristics that demand you sip slowly and enjoy the libation.
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Minimalist Baker
3 Easy Vegan Eggnog
Canned coconut milk lends a deliciously rich texture to this cinnamon, cardamon, vanilla, and nutmeg-spiced brew. The author encourages readers to top with a floater of bourbon, a mound of non-dairy whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Take a photo for the ‘gram.
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4 5-Minute Eggnog
These days, guests typically don’t call at a moment’s notice and invite themselves over. Still, it helps to have a few quick recipes in your holiday hosting arsenal for convenience sake. Throw cashews, dedicated coconut, and spices into a powerful blender and chill in the fridge until said guests pop by.
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My Darling Vegan
5 Vegan Eggnog
If you can, try using fresh spices for this luxurious vegan nog. It may not be your everyday eggnog, but the freshly grated nutmeg and telling flecks of pure vanilla bean will make any celebration far more festive.
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For more vegan holiday finds, read:
Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
