The holidays are a time to zhuzh up everything coming out of the kitchen, and that includes the beverages.  This year I wanted to come up with a simple yet festive and satisfying drink for you all to enjoy. 

As with many of my favorite recipes, this one is traditional with a fresh twist, which feels so comforting right now.  I’ve already enjoyed this recipe several times this December, and I’m looking forward to knocking back a few more come Christmas Day.

I would love to know some of your favorite holiday drinks.  Drop a comment below!

Growing up in suburban Chicago, I was raised on milk with every meal.  I would have a glass with my Eggo waffles or Bay’s English Muffins for breakfast, a carton with my PB&J and apple slices for lunch and at least two glasses with my Mom’s famous spinach spaghetti casserole at dinner.  It’s safe to say looking back that I consumed an unhealthy amount of dairy, but…we really took it to the next level come December!

That first week of December like clockwork, Ron the milkman would drop off a quart or two of thick, rich, creamy eggnog.  My brothers and I would pounce on it, inhaling its sweet spicy aroma and marveling at its soft golden hue. 

These days I’m less inclined to combine milk and eggs in a beverage, but I still love the texture and flavor of a classic ‘nog.

I created a drink years ago while I was going full on homesteader in the woods of New Hampshire. I was making my own almond milk at the time, and I remembered that the drink had many of the same properties of eggnog.  It had the same creamy richness with a little sweet to punch it up, but it was missing the spice that I loved in the traditional drink.

For this recipe, I blended together rich homemade almond milk with Medjol dates for sweetness and ripe banana for additional sweetness and creaminess, then added a nice layered blend of spices, a hit of saltiness and a whiff of vanilla.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do, and if spiking it is your thing - go for it! If you’re staying dry like me, keep it as is and pass it around to your whole crew.

Happy holidays!