It’s time to blow your mind with eggnog bliss: this eggnog ice cream punch recipe is made with mulled strong coffee, creamy ice cream, fluffy cream, and delicious eggnog. It’s the ultimate decadent, easy holiday treat, perfect to make for your tree trimming party this holiday season!
If you’re an eggnog lover, an ice cream lover, and a coffee lover (like me)—this recipe was designed with you in mind. Read on!
The best ingredients for making eggnog ice cream punch
Choosing the best ingredients is one of the most essential parts of making just about any recipe. And no, you don’t need brand names to make the magic happen – just knowing what to look for will go a long distance!
Here’s what I recommend you need to make this magical holiday punch recipe. These simple ingredients, when they’re quality, go a long way to make this great recipe shine.
Coffee
Use a good quality, strong coffee for this recipe. If you want a really strong coffee flavor, you could use espresso; however, since I don’t have an espresso maker, I typically just brew a strong pot of my favourite (unflavored) coffee blend.
If you’re making this punch for an evening event, consider using decaf coffee to avoid serving caffeine too late in the day.
Spices
For this recipe, you’ll want to use real, whole spices. Look for a whole cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and whole allspice berries to give this drink its best flavor.
Eggnog
The best creamy eggnog punch is going to made with the best eggnog. If you’re wondering how to find the best store-bought eggnog without taste-testing a million kinds, no fear!
My mom gave me the best eggnog tip ever, and it’s never failed me: look for a brand of eggnog that lists cream as one of the first ingredients. Not skim milk, not sugar– cream. If that’s the case, 9 times out of 10, you’ve got yourself an excellent, rich, delicious egg nog.
Ice Cream
Personally, I love a good French vanilla ice cream for this recipe. Any good-quality ice cream will do to make this punch extra special for the eggnog lover in your life!
Whipping Cream
Heavy whipping cream (the real 35% heavy cream) is the stuff you want to make this recipe extra rich and indulgent.
How to make eggnog punch
Here’s a breakdown of how to make this incredible drink for your next holiday party. Make sure you check out the previous section of this post for what ingredients to choose; then, take a quick look over this section to see how it’s done.
This recipe makes a pretty big batch; and keep in mind, a little bit per person goes a long way!
Make the coffee
Since I don’t have the option of using an espresso machine, I just make sure to use a good quality coffee, and then I brew it extra strong. From there, pour the brewed coffee into a small pot with the whole spices and simmer that mixture for about 15 minutes (to make sure the flavors are well distributed). Cool this mixture completely.
(See recipe below for detailed amounts.)
Whip the cream
Next, you’ll want to whip the cream until stiff peaks form and set it aside in the refrigerator.
Combine the ingredients
Once those things have been prepared, and you’re ready to serve your eggnog punch, you can combine the coffee mixture, vanilla, eggnog, and whipped cream in a large punch bowl; scoop ice cream over top.
Allow the mixture to sit for a couple of minutes, so that the ice cream scoops have time to settle. Once the ice cream melts a little bit, sprinkle the whole thing with a garnish of ground cinnamon, if desired.
Serve
Ladle the mixture into small punch cups over a single scoop of vanilla ice cream, and serve immediately. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of individual servings if desired.
How far in advance to prepare eggnog ice cream punch
I would recommend preparing the coffee mixture the day before, and then making the punch almost directly before you want to serve it. The reason for this is that the ice cream should melt slightly to give it that extra creamy texture, but you still want to have ice cream chunks in there to keep the punch cold and to add a little extra texture (think of the ice cream as “Creamy ice cubes” for this punch recipe).
That said, aside from the coffee (which needs to be completely cold by the time you use it), this recipe should be prepared directly before you want to serve it.
When to serve eggnog ice cream punch
This recipe is extremely rich, incredibly indulgent, and completely satisfying. Serve this at any Christmas party, for Christmas Eve, or for a delicious treat to enjoy on Christmas day.
Eggnog punch is one of those wonderful recipes that makes Christmas parties of all kinds extra memorable. Also, if you don’t get a chance to enjoy this Christmas drink before or on Christmas, no fear: New Year’s Eve has got you covered as another great option for serving this delicious non-alcoholic punch recipe.
Ways to make your ice cream punch extra special
You can make this recipe extra special with chocolate shavings on top, candy canes for garnishes, or or a dollop of whipped cream on top to make the whole experience even better!
You will need:
- Ingredients (see recipe card below)
- Small pot
- Sieve
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric mixer
- Ice cream scoop
- Punch bowl and cups (to serve)
Eggnog Ice Cream Punch
Ingredients
- 1 c. strong coffee
- 1 3″-4″ cinnamon stick
- 4 whole allspice
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 quart (4 cups) good quality eggnog*
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 c. whipping cream whipped
- 1 pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream + extra, for each cup
- ground cinnamon to garnish
Instructions
At least 2 hours before you want to serve it:
-
Combine the coffee, cinnamon, allspice and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered, until the mixture is reduced and fragrant. Pour through a sieve into a container, and refrigerate until cold.
Assemble the punch:
-
Remove the ice cream from the freezer, and allow to soften slightly. In the meantime, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks, and set aside.
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In a large punch bowl, combine the cold coffee mixture, eggnog, and vanilla extract. Fold in the whipped cream, and then scoop in the ice cream. Allow the mixture to rest for about 5 minutes.
-
Stir slightly to combine, sprinkle with ground cinnamon, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*You can usually tell a quality eggnog by checking the ingredients. If one of the first ones is “Cream,” you’re usually in good shape. Anything made primarily with milk or skim milk is usually not as good.
If you like this recipe, you may also like:
- Lebkuchen (Soft Gingerbread)
- Cranberry Nut Roll
- Hot Chili Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Christmas Cards
- Natural Christmas Ornaments | Dried Oranges & Cinnamon
If you like this recipe, make sure to let me know in the comments or tag me in your eggnog party photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial! I love to see when my recipes are being enjoyed.
Wishing you the best holiday season ever!
Back soon,
Naomi
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