An eggnog latte is a latte made with steamed eggnog in place of some or all of the milk, finished with a dusting of nutmeg. It is rich, creamy and gently spiced, with espresso cutting through the sweetness. This homemade eggnog latte takes only a few minutes, and you control exactly how strong, sweet and festive it gets.
The recipe below is built around real espresso, but you can make a fine version with strong brewed coffee or even instant. Below you will find the ingredients, numbered steps, plus iced, non-dairy and no-espresso variations, and a few safety notes worth knowing before you froth.
What Is an Eggnog Latte?
At heart, an eggnog latte is just a seasonal twist on a standard milk-and-espresso drink. If you want the foundation, our guide to what a latte is covers the espresso-plus-steamed-milk format; here, eggnog stands in for part of that milk. Eggnog is a thick, sweet, spiced custard-style drink made from milk, cream, sugar, eggs and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Steam it into a shot of espresso and you get a dessert-like holiday latte.
The drink became a winter staple thanks to coffeehouses. The Starbucks eggnog latte, a long-running seasonal menu favorite, helped turn it into a holiday-season ritual for many people, which is why so many home recipes are framed as copycats. You do not need a cafe to make one, and the homemade version lets you dial in the sweetness and spice yourself.
What You Need
For one roughly 12 oz (350 ml) mug:
- 1-2 shots of espresso (about 1-2 oz / 30-60 ml), or 1/3 to 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee. New to pulling shots? See espresso explained.
- About 1/2 cup (120 ml) eggnog, store-bought or homemade.
- A splash of milk (2-4 oz / 60-120 ml) to thin the eggnog. Whole milk works best, but any milk does.
- Ground nutmeg and/or cinnamon to finish.
- Optional: whipped cream on top.
The single most useful thing to know: do not try to steam or froth straight eggnog. It is much richer and more egg-heavy than milk, so on its own it tends to seize, curdle or scramble when heated and aerated. Thinning it with milk (roughly 2 parts eggnog to 1 part milk, or up to equal parts) keeps it smooth and frothable.
How to Make an Eggnog Latte: Step by Step
- Pull the espresso. Brew 1-2 shots and pour them into your mug. If you are using brewed coffee instead, make it strong so it stands up to the rich eggnog.
- Combine the eggnog and milk. Pour the eggnog and the splash of milk together in a small jug or saucepan. This blend is what you will heat and froth.
- Warm gently. Heat the eggnog-milk mix until it is steaming but not boiling, about 150-160 F (65-70 C). Use a steam wand, a small saucepan over medium-low heat, or 60-90 seconds in the microwave. Stir or whisk so it heats evenly. Eggnog scorches easily, so go slow and do not let it boil.
- Froth it. Aerate the warm mixture with a steam wand, handheld frother or whisk for 30-60 seconds until it is foamy and noticeably thicker. Because eggnog is dense, the foam will be soft and velvety rather than airy.
- Combine. Pour the steamed eggnog over the espresso, holding back the foam with a spoon, then spoon the foam on top.
- Finish. Dust with ground nutmeg (and a little cinnamon if you like). Add whipped cream if you want it extra indulgent. Serve right away.
Taste as you go. Eggnog is already sweet, so you usually will not need to add sugar. If it is too rich, add more milk next time; if it is too thin, use more eggnog.
Iced, Non-Dairy and No-Espresso Versions
The same idea adapts in several directions. Here is a quick comparison.
| Version | How it differs | Quick method |
|---|---|---|
| Hot (classic) | Steamed eggnog over hot espresso | Warm and froth the eggnog-milk blend; pour over shots; dust nutmeg |
| Iced | Cold and refreshing | Pour cooled espresso over ice, top with cold eggnog thinned with a little milk, stir, sprinkle nutmeg |
| Non-dairy | No milk or cream | Use a plant-based eggnog (oat, almond, soy or coconut "nog") thinned with the matching plant milk |
| No-espresso | No machine needed | Use strong brewed coffee or 1-2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water as the base |
For an iced eggnog latte, skip the heating entirely: cold eggnog is naturally creamy and does not need frothing. For a non-dairy cup, plant-based eggnog alternatives appear in stores each winter and behave much like the dairy version, though they froth a little differently. For a no-espresso cup, a heaped spoon of instant coffee or a small, strong brew of drip coffee gives you enough backbone. Love seasonal coffees? Compare this with our pumpkin spice coffee method, the other great winter staple.
A Note on Eggnog, Alcohol and Caffeine
Food safety. Traditional eggnog contains eggs. Store-bought cartons are typically pasteurized and safe to use straight from the fridge. If you make eggnog from scratch, use a cooked (custard-style) or pasteurized-egg base, especially for children, pregnant people, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system, who may prefer to avoid raw egg entirely.
Alcohol is optional and adults-only. Eggnog has a long association with spirits, and some people stir a small measure of rum, brandy or bourbon into the finished latte. Treat that as an optional variation for adults only, keep the pour modest, and please drink responsibly. The default recipe here is completely non-alcoholic. If you are after the boozy side of coffee, see our coffee cocktails guide instead.
Caffeine. One to two shots of espresso carry roughly 60-130 mg of caffeine, with brewed coffee in a similar range and instant a little lower. If you are sensitive or it is late in the evening, a decaf base makes a perfectly good eggnog latte too.
Tips for the Best Cup
- Mind the ratio. More milk in the blend means easier frothing and a lighter drink; more eggnog means richer and sweeter.
- Do not boil. Overheating eggnog curdles it and dulls the flavor.
- Finish with fresh nutmeg. Grating it over the top makes a real difference to the aroma.
- Match the spice. A pinch of cinnamon or a drop of vanilla rounds out the holiday character.
That is all there is to it. An eggnog latte is one of the easiest ways to turn an ordinary espresso into something that tastes like the holidays, and once you have the eggnog-to-milk ratio sorted it becomes a five-minute habit. When the season ends, the same steaming and frothing skills carry straight over to every other milk drink you make.