Serves 12
I love those cartoned vegan eggnogs but let’s face it, they’re not much more than sweet, flavored soy milk. Real eggnog should be thick, frothy and creamy. Not cloyingly sweet, but just sweet enough to heighten the seductive aromas of nutmeg and cinnamon. Of course a healthy shot of rum is in order, too.
When a super-glamorous actress contacted me for a vegan eggnog recipe that wouldn’t make her feel like she ate an entire cake, I immediately thought of two ingredients: coconut milk and avocado. Yes, they’re heavy ingredients but in a good way! When blended with almond milk and other ingredients they are just rich enough to give plenty of body and creaminess. And if you’re concerned about your nog tasting like avocado, trust me, it won’t! It will just take like blissful holiday dreaminess. Or maybe that’s the rum talking.
Just a few pointers to make sure your nog comes out as perfect as possible. Make sure that the avocado is perfectly ripe but not overly ripe. And keep all your ingredients COLD. Don’t skip that part of the directions, if the ingredients are warm the texture and flavor will be off, even if you chill it afterward. Also, avocado doesn’t keep that well, so definitely make this as close to serving time as possible. For the best, freshest flavor, serve immediately. But you can also keep it tightly sealed and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
And for those teatotalers, you can definitely enjoy this nog in straight-edge form! Just add extra milk in place of the rum. You can also use light coconut milk if you like, it will just be less rich (obviously.) But really, this isn’t intended to be a low-fat drink, it’s definitely an indulgence, so keep in mind that a little goes a long way.
1 ripe avocado
1 13 oz can coconut milk
3 cups almond milk
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Tiny pinch cloves (less than 1/8th teaspoon)
Rum to taste (start with 1/3 cup and see from there)
Cinnamon sticks for garnish if you have them (I didn’t for this pic)
Pour coconut milk into a container. Place coconut milk and avocado in the freezer for about 45 minutes. They shouldn’t be frozen but they should be really, really cold (a little iciness on the coconut milk is ok.)
Slice avocado in half, remove the pit, peel it and place in a blender. Add all of the other ingredients as well. Blend until smooth. That’s it! Sprinkle with a little extra nutmeg and garnish with a cinnamon stick if you like.
This is super yummy…my egg nog drinking husband is a believer!
This was delicious! I don’t drink and don’t have rum in the house, but next time I’ll use rum extract. I thought 1/2 cup of agave would be too much, but found it lightly sweet; it was perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
This looks great! I want to make this for a party I’m having next week (about 15 ppl) do you think this recipe will make enough for everyone to try some? Or should I double it?
Thank you!
This is great. I made this as described and just added more rum to individual glasses. It was good, thick and “noggy”. A hint of avocado green taste, but that was easily ignored. BUT THEN, the next day, instead of adding more rum to my glass, I added Whipped vodka. Tastes exactly like eggnog and no trace of avocado.
EZ and much yummier than store bought ones <3
might go ez on the nutmeg/ adjust to taste.
used some coconut creamer instead of coconut milk and agave. half recipe is a lot for 1.
How do you even make recipes this delicious? FGHJFGHIUJBGFTRERTYG
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is there any really good substitute for RUM? Please say there is a yummy one!
unsweetened almond milk? Unsweetened coconut milk?
do you have something that can be as good as avocados in recipes? Because i’m allergic, but I’m crying when I see this recipe!!
Always hated traditional eggnog. As I kid I thought it tasted like spiced slime. As an adult, I only used the leftover nog from the holidays that I put in the freezer to make French toast and pound cakes.
Now this recipe — this I love and could drink by the blender-full if it weren’t for all the fat. Cool, creamy and light. It’s before noon here, so I haven’t put the rum in yet. (Well, whaddaya know! By the time I finished typing this message the clock read 12:01 pm – Rum time!)
Gotta go fill up my second glass! Thanks Isa!
This is my favorite! I’ve been raving about it since the 2010 Holiday season! Making some tonight!!
Isa, this is perfect
Hey, now I have a reason to look forward too the winter! Thanks for mixing vegan eating and drinking with fun – like drinking…
How long will it last in the fridge?
Just made this and it is a great nog. Thanks for this no soy version!
hmmm….made this twice, and the first time drank so much at one go that I got a little sick…in a good way 🙂
First time, I made the recipe exactly as written (delicious).
Second time, with the following changes: 1/2 recipe, lime instead of lemon, vanilla rum to cover both the alcohol and the vanilla flavoring, soymilk instead of almond. It’s what I had on hand, and the soymilk was tasty enough to drink straight up, so I figured it would be good in the nog. It was 🙂 Drinking it to nurse a headcold and get through grad school applications!
I’m late to this party but this is literally the best thing.i hate eggnog with eggs but this is soooo delicious. Thank you for being amazing.
can you use maple syrup instead of agave nectar?
thanks
amyo
sure!