Industry Predicts Eggnog Shortage, Forgets That Anyone Can Make Their Own Eggnog At Home

Brace yourselves for the coming week, America: we may have to face the period between Christmas and New Year’s with slightly less commercially available eggnog than you expect available in stores. You might have to drink slightly less, buy a different brand, or perhaps even make your own.

Eggnog, you see, is marketers’ official flavor of December in the same way that pumpkin spice is the official flavor of fall, and red velvet is the official flavor of Valentine’s Day. One might think that the availability of everything from beer to jelly beans to coffee drinks in egg nog flavor would mean that people would become bored with the beverage.

Nope: people who like nog really like it. The Wall Street Journal checked with a few companies that make and distribute eggnog, and say that it’s selling out faster than expected.

The Organic Valley farm co-op, which distributes its products nationwide, reports that sales are up by about 60% this year. The owner of Ronnybrook Farm in upstate New York, which distributes regionally, says that it produced 25% less eggnog than it could have sold this year.

People drink it plain or with added alcoholic spirits, and they have perhaps forgotten that homemade nog is not a difficult thing to make. The commercial stuff, which generally uses pasteurized eggs, is easier and safer to drink by the glass instead of guzzling it all at one party, though.

In summary, when you hear reports of an impending eggnog shortage, remember what we learned when discussing the alleged Reddi-wip shortage: it’s possible to make your own. Everything will be okay.

While we haven’t vetted these recipes (maybe that will be our next “We Tried It” project?) here are some very popular recipes to get you started making your own eggnog at home, if you don’t have your own classic ancestral version.

“Amazingly Good Eggnog” from Allrecipes
A guide with a video from The Kitchn
Eggnog from Scratch, with five-star reviews
Martha Stewart’s classic eggnog, with three different kinds of booze