Best Keto Eggnog

Name: Best Keto Eggnog
Prep time: 11 min
Cook time: 2 min
Ingredients: 4 large egg yolks; 3 tbsp granulated allulose; 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk; 1 cup heavy cream, divided; 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving; 1 tsp vanilla extract; pinch of salt; 2 oz bourbon or brandy (optional)

⏲ ~13 min total · prep 11 · cook 2 · 4 servings

Dinner⏱ 20 min total🔥 3.0g net carbs

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Nov 2, 2026

Ingredients

4 large egg yolks
3 tbsp granulated allulose
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 oz bourbon or brandy (optional)

Instructions

Whisk the yolks with the allulose in a medium bowl for 2 minutes, until they turn pale yellow and fall from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
Heat the almond milk, 1/2 cup of the cream, and the nutmeg in a 2-quart saucepan over medium until steaming with small bubbles crowding the edge — do not let it boil.
Temper the yolks: slowly stream in 1 cup of the hot milk in a thin thread while whisking nonstop, so the yolks warm gradually instead of scrambling.
Pour it all back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 2 to 3 minutes, until the custard coats the back of the spoon and reads 160°F; the first hint of steam off the surface is your cue to pull it.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher to catch any curdled flecks, then stir in the vanilla, salt, remaining 1/2 cup cold cream, and the bourbon if using.
Serve warm in small cups dusted with more nutmeg, or chill it and pour over ice.

Why this recipe works

Tempered yolks A cup of hot milk streamed in a thin thread warms the whisked yolks gently, so they thicken the custard instead of scrambling. Pale, ribbon-thick yolks are the base of the whole glass.
Allulose Granulated allulose dissolves fully in the warm custard and stays smooth when chilled. It sweetens the pitcher while holding a cup at 3.1 net carbs.
Cold cream finish The remaining half cup of cream goes in off the heat, stopping the cooking and thinning the custard to drinking consistency. It reads rich without sitting heavy.

Tips for making this recipe well

Never a boil

Small bubbles crowding the edge of the pan is where you stop. Boiled milk scorches, and the nog carries that cooked smell in every cup.

The spoon coat

The custard is done at two to three minutes, when it coats the back of the wooden spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clean line. Pull it then, at 160°F.

Strain regardless

A fine-mesh sieve catches the few curdled flecks everyone gets on the first try. Smooth nog hides its small sins.

Grate the nutmeg fresh

Pre-ground nutmeg fades in warm milk; freshly grated stays fragrant to the last sip. Grate a little extra over each cup at serving.

Chill if you can wait

An hour in the refrigerator thickens the nog and rounds the spice. Warm is for today; cold over ice is better tomorrow.

Serving suggestions

Three point one net carbs a cup, and the eggnog needs no defending. Serve it warm in small cups with nutmeg grated over the top, or chilled over ice for the version people come back for. The bourbon or brandy is optional; two ounces makes it the grown-up pour, and without it the glass still stands as a spiced custard drink. Small cups. It is rich enough that a little goes further than anyone plans.

Storage and meal prep

Cooked custard keeps. Refrigerate the nog in a sealed pitcher for three to four days and whisk before pouring, because it settles and separates slightly when cold. Do not freeze it; the cream breaks and the texture turns grainy, and no amount of whisking brings it back. Make it a day ahead on purpose, since the nutmeg and vanilla round out overnight. Warm only the portion you plan to drink, in a small pan over low heat.

Variations worth trying

Without alcohol Leave out the bourbon and add half a teaspoon more vanilla. It drinks as a spiced custard, and the same cup works for kids.
Dark rum Rum in place of the bourbon is the classic route. Same two ounces, same moment, stirred in off the heat.
Mocha nog Whisk a teaspoon of instant espresso into the warm milk with the nutmeg. Against the yolks it reads as chocolate.
Cinnamon stick Add a small cinnamon stick to the pot with the milk and pull it before tempering. The spice lands gentler and rounder than ground cinnamon in the cup.

Frequently asked questions

Are raw eggs safe here?

The eggs are not raw. The custard stage brings the mixture to 160°F, which is past the safety line for egg dishes while staying below a scramble. The spoon-coat test confirms it before you strain.

Why did my custard scramble?

Heat too high, or the hot milk went in too fast. Stream it in a thin thread while whisking nonstop, then cook over medium-low with constant stirring. A few curds are normal, and the sieve catches them.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Coconut milk and coconut cream work in the same measures, though the flavor shifts noticeably toward coconut. The custard stage behaves the same way. Almond milk alone, without the cream, makes a thinner and less rich drink.

How strong is it with the bourbon?

Two ounces spread across small cups reads as a warm sip rather than a cocktail. Halve it or skip it without changing anything else. The custard stands on its own either way.

Can I double it for a crowd?

Yes. Use a wider pot, expect the custard stage to take an extra minute, and temper the same way. Make it the day before and chill it; a party is the wrong time to be whisking over a stove.

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