Freezing Eggnog Is Easier Than You Thought

It's that time of the year when the scent of freshly cut Christmas trees, gingerbread baking, and oranges riddled with the sweet and spicy smell of cloves fills the house. It's also eggnog season, which may have, at the very least, gotten the people who listen to NPR excited. You probably hear it every November and December, but eggnog is a drink that you either love or hate. And if you do, indeed, love it, you probably want to figure out a way to enjoy it longer.

Per Food52, eggnog, this creamy, thick and rich Yuletide beverage, was born from a drink known as a posset. A posset, according to Merriam Webster is a sweetened and spiced curdled milk, mixed with ale and served hot. Today, as Kitchn shares, homemade eggnog is traditionally made with raw eggs, sugar, milk, heavy cream, and alcohol in the form of bourbon, rum, or cognac, and sprinkled with a little nutmeg. Unfortunately, as Can You Freeze This? points out, homemade eggnog has a pretty short lifespan with it only staying fresh for a single day. Store-bought eggnog on the other hand can last for up to seven days once opened and when properly stored in the refrigerator. The difference between their shelf lives is a result of the store bought version being pasteurized. But don't despair, eggnog lovers. As it turns out, it's easy to freeze your holiday cheer and enjoy it whenever you want.

If eggnog is not frozen and stored properly, Can You Freeze This? notes that you can experience changes to the texture you might not enjoy. According to the Foods Guy, freezing store-bought eggnog is easy peasy. Simply put the unopened carton of eggnog standing straight up in the freezer until it is frozen. Once it is rock hard, place the frozen carton into a Ziplock freezer bag to protect your precious nog from freezer burn. They also note that your frozen eggnog needs to be kept at a constant temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Once frozen, it can last in the freezer for four to six months.

Freezing homemade eggnog is a little more involved. Foods Guy points out that before you begin the freezing process, you need to make certain your homemade eggnog is cool. If it is cool, you can then pour it into a Ziploc freezer bag or freezer safe container. The eggnog is going to expand a bit when it freezes and you will want to leave about two inches of space in the container to accommodate for this, otherwise you will have a fun mess to clean up. When you are ready to enjoy your eggnog, allow for it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If you notice that the ingredients have separated you can throw it into a blender to whip it back into drink ready shape. Once defrosted, you cannot refreeze.