Ice cream:: Let’s be super honest. I used vanilla Carb Smart. This is considered a personal choice item for occasional use on the Trim Healthy Mama plan…if you stick to the serving size. Obviously the recipe above does not. Therefore Carb Smart in this recipe is not exactly on plan. It IS quick and easy and probably healthier than the original eggnog I grew up drinking. To be completely on plan, use an on plan ice cream. Duh. I have tons of recipes for vanilla ice cream here on my website, and this recipe for Scoopable Vanilla Ice Cream is my favorite.

The ice cream you use will drastically affect the end eggnog result, hence why there is no nutritional info (or allergy info) given. I think it goes without saying that the richer the ice cream is, the better (and more calorie dense) the eggnog will be. However, I think this recipe would be a great way to use up that homemade vanilla ice cream that didn’t quite turn out like you thought it would (i.e. block of ice). You can easily adjust the almond milk and sweetener in the eggnog to make up for deficiencies in the ice cream.

Raw egg:: Yes, I use raw egg in this. I grew up drinking raw eggs in eggnog and eating cookie dough and I’m still alive, BUT of course consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. If you prefer not to eat (drink) raw eggs this is probably not the eggnog recipe for you (although you can buy pasteurized eggs in some places). I have an eggnog ice cream recipe that you might want to check out instead.

Sweetener:: Feel free to use your favorite low glycemic sweetener (to taste) in place of the THM Super Sweet Blend. Always taste and adjust to your own preference, even when using the sweeteners I use!

Molasses:: Molasses gives this eggnog a little “brown sugar” flavor. ¼ teaspoon per serving is allowed on Trim Healthy Mama for flavor. I prefer Grandma’s molasses available from Walmart or local grocery stores, although THM prefers blackstrap. The nutrition info isn’t that different and Grandma’s tastes much better. If you prefer not to use molasses you can add a dash of maple extract, but go easy on that so it doesn’t take over.

Mexican vanilla:: You can totally just use regular vanilla, but I recently found Mexican vanilla with the Hispanic foods in Walmart and I love it in this eggnog recipe because it tastes nostalgic. My mom always bought Mexican vanilla when she could get a hold of some. You do have to be careful that the Mexican vanilla you buy doesn’t contain coumarin (Google it), but the Molina Mexican Vanilla Blend that I have does not and I love the flavor. It probably doesn’t have the purest ingredients out there so it’s totally up to you, but it’s what I use in this recipe.