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    Home » Beverages

    Vegan eggnog with cinnamon & vanilla

    Updated: May 13, 2025 · Published: Nov 1, 2021 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 14 Comments

    Jump to recipe
    Text overlay: Vegan eggnog. Glass of nog by pinecones and cinnamon sticks.

    Homemade vegan eggnog is unbelievably creamy. With a base of store-bought non-dairy milk plus a healthy portion of raw cashews, the end result is luxuriously indulgent and full-bodied.

    It’s the perfect non-alcoholic holiday drink for Christmas and other winter get-togethers. Spike it with hard alcohol for those who prefer their drinks on the boozy side.

    Plus, it’s ready in 5 minutes!

    Glasses of vegan eggnog with cinnamon stick garnish.

    You know the holiday season is in full swing when eggnog starts appearing on store shelves. But did you know you can also make vegan eggnog at home?

    By using both store-bought non-dairy milk and raw cashews, this easy vegan eggnog recipe is thick, rich, and perfectly spiced.

    It gets sweetness from pitted dates. And it’s finished with a splash of vanilla.

    You can make just the amount you need.

    Halve the recipe and enjoy a glass or two while roasting chestnuts. Or make a double batch if you’re having a house full of guests for a holiday party.

    I also offer unique ways to use eggnog at the end of this post!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Why readers love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Can I add alcohol?
    • Storage instructions
    • More ways to use it
    • FAQ
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why readers love this recipe

    5 stars

    “I was in a real hurry to try this recipe. I’m not a vegan, but I have a lot of food intolerances, so I do tend to gravitate towards the vegan sections at the store.

    Most of the commercial vegan eggnogs are expensive and have a strange after taste that I don’t like. This one was perfect. It’s quick, easy, and tastes great.

    I will be making this all season long. It is so creamy and full bodied, and satisfying.” – Mari

    Ingredients

    Labeled ingredients for vegan eggnog on table.

    Non-dairy milk: You can use any kind of plain, store-bought non-dairy milk that you prefer as the base for this drink.

    Silk plain unsweetened cashew milk is the kind I keep on hand for day-to-day use. And that’s what I used here.

    If you use sweetened milk, you’ll want to use fewer dates, or else it will be too sweet. If you use a vanilla flavored milk, you can use less vanilla extract.

    Raw cashews: Using a combination of store-bought non-dairy milk plus raw cashews make this vegan eggnog extra creamy. Look for raw cashews with other nuts at the grocery store.

    I recommend raw cashew pieces over whole since they tend to be less expensive. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s.

    Medjool dates: Pitted dates add natural sweetness. They can be replaced with your preferred sweetener like maple syrup or agave syrup.

    Vanilla extract: This adds lovely dessert-y flavor. For the best flavor, avoid imitation vanilla.

    Seasonings: Ground cinnamon (plus cinnamon sticks as optional garnish), ground nutmeg, and cardamom.

    Kala namak: (Optional) Kala namak, also known as black salt, is a sulfurous salt that is popular in Indian cuisine. It’s also beloved in the vegan sphere, because it adds an eggy quality to dishes.

    It has a strong sulfurous scent. So a little bit goes a long way. Add a pinch to give a bit of egginess to your nog.

    If you don’t have kala namak or don’t like it, you can absolutely skip it. It’s pretty subtle in the drink. You can replace it with a pinch of sea salt to balance the sweetness of the drink. Or skip the salt altogether.

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make the recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Cashew cream in Vitamix blender pitcher.

    Combine the following in a high-speed blender:

    • Non-dairy milk
    • Raw cashews
    • Pitted Medjool dates
    • Vanilla extract
    • Ground cinnamon
    • Ground nutmeg
    • Cardamom
    • Kala namak or sea salt

    Blend until everything is fully combined & there are no crunching sounds in the blender.

    You can drink it right away. But I recommend transferring it to a covered container & popping it in the refrigerator for a few hours. It gets even thicker, richer, and creamier as it chills and condenses.

    To serve, pour the vegan eggnog into glasses.

    Hand holding glass of nog over pine cones and branches.

    Garnish with a dash of cinnamon and/or a cinnamon stick.

    Can I add alcohol?

    Hand holding glass of nog with cinnamon stick garnish.

    Of course!

    This is really delicious as a non-alcoholic drink.

    In fact, traditional eggnog originally had alcohol added to it as a way to cure the raw eggs in it! Of course, since this is a vegan recipe, that’s unnecessary.

    That being said, you can certainly spike this festive holiday beverage with your preferred hard liquor.

    I recommend about 1 Tablespoon of hard liquor for a one cup serving. If you want to get boozier, add more.

    Simply add the liquor to each glass, pour in the vegan eggnog, and stir to combine. Then finish with a dash of cinnamon.

    Although it isn’t the most classic option, I like using vodka because of its neutral flavor. You can still taste the specific spices & flavorings of the nog without getting overpowered from the alcohol.

    Brandy is the most traditional alcohol for eggnog. Or you could use dark rum, Cognac, whiskey, or bourbon.

    Storage instructions

    Glass milk bottle on table filled with vegan eggnog. Man drinking glassful of nog in background.

    This dairy free nog will last in the refrigerator five days or more.

    Usually when I’m making nut milks (like strawberry milk or almond milk), I try to finish it within about 3 days because it starts to separate.

    However, since this vegan eggnog also uses store-bought non-dairy milk, the stabilizers in the milk help the eggnog to last longer than nut milk alone.

    More ways to use it

    Egg-free French toast with strawberries, maple syrup, and icing sugar.

    In addition to drinking this delicious vegan eggnog by the glassful, you can use it in other drinks & dishes!

    Use it as dipping liquid for French toast

    Leftover vegan nog makes for easy & decadent vegan French toast!

    Add it to coffee instead of creamer

    Use about ¼ to ½ cup of vegan eggnog in a standard coffee cup to really get a hit of nog flavor.

    Make an eggnog latte

    Have an espresso machine? Steam the nog for a vegan eggnog latte.

    Upgrade your hot cocoa

    Make hot cocoa with vegan eggnog instead of non-dairy milk.

    Make eggnog overnight oats

    Cover ½ cup of old fashioned rolled oats in ½ cup of vegan eggnog. Then stir & pop it in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least a couple of hours).

    In the morning, you can enjoy it cold or warmed in the microwave. Top it with candied pecans, and sliced bananas.

    FAQ

    How can I make vegan eggnog if I don’t have a high speed blender?

    If you don’t have a high-speed blender, your standard blender will probably need a little bit of help with the raw cashews and dates.

    You have three options with the cashews.

    1. Grind dry raw cashews in a clean coffee grinder. Then add the flour-like cashews to your standard blender.
    2. Soak raw cashews in water for several hours. Then drain & blend with the other ingredients.
    3. Cover the raw cashews in hot water. (Even a microwave works here!) Let them soak for 10 to 30 minutes, drain, and blend with the other ingredients.

    To soften the dates, soak pitted cashews in warm water for about 30 minutes. Drain & add them to the blender with the remaining ingredients.

    Or you can replace the dates with your favorite liquid sweetener like agave syrup or maple syrup. Add whatever amount suits your tastes.

    Egg nog in glass with cinnamon stick.

    If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan eggnog in glass with dash of cinnamon & cinnamon stick.

    Vegan eggnog

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 7 votes
    Lean into those festive holiday spirits with a glass of vegan eggnog! It's easy to make at home and endlessly creamy. Plus, it's sweetened with dates!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Keyword: christmas drink, holidays, non-alcoholic

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups non-dairy milk
    • ¾ cup raw cashews soaked if necessary
    • 6 Medjool dates pitted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for garnish
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • Dash of cardamom
    • Pinch of kala namak or sea salt (optional)
    • 4 cinnamon sticks optional garnish

    Instructions

    • In a high-speed blender, combine non-dairy milk, raw cashews, pitted Medjool dates, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, a dash of cardamom, and a pinch of kala namak (or sea salt). If you'd prefer, you can omit the salt altogether.
      Blend until everything is fully broken down, and you don't hear any crunching in the blender.
    • You can drink it right away, but it becomes much thicker and richer if refrigerated for a few hours.
      Move the vegan eggnog to a covered jar, and refrigerate for several hours, so that it can condense.
    • When you're ready to serve it, pour the vegan eggnog into four glasses.
      If you like, garnish each drink with a shake of ground cinnamon or grate a cinnamon stick over each one with a spice grater. Put a cinnamon stick into each glass as garnish (optional).

    Notes

    For the non-dairy milk, I use plain Silk unsweetened cashew milk. But feel free to use the store-bought non-dairy milk of your choosing. If you use a sweetened milk, you can use fewer dates. If you use a vanilla flavored milk, you can use less vanilla extract.
    If you don’t have a high speed blender, you’ll need to soften the raw cashews & dates before blending. (If you have a high speed blender, you can skip this part.)
    To soften the raw cashews for a standard blender do one of the following:
    1. Grind the dry raw cashews in a clean coffee grinder. Then add them to the standard blender with the other ingredients.
    2. Soak raw cashews in water for about 4 hours. Drain & blend with the other ingredients.
    3. Cover the raw cashews in hot water (or microwave them in water). Let them soak for 10 to 30 minutes. Drain and blend with the other ingredients.
    To soften dates for a standard blender (or if yours are exceptionally dried out), soak pitted dates in warm water for about a half an hour. Drain and add them to the blender with the other ingredients.
    If you’d like to spike your eggnog with alcohol, I recommend adding about a Tablespoon of alcohol in a one cup serving of nog. Vodka is my preferred option, because of its neutral flavor. Or you can go traditional with brandy, Cognac, bourbon, or whiskey.
    Storage instructions: Store leftover vegan eggnog in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will keep for five days or more.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 992IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 399mg | Iron: 3mg

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

    Reader Interactions

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      5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Shell

      November 30, 2023 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      This is so easy and delcious!
      I love the photos – so festive!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        December 27, 2023 at 10:22 am

        Thanks, Shell! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Earlene

      November 13, 2021 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      Oh my! This is heaven in a glass!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 13, 2021 at 1:11 pm

        I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Earlene!

        Reply
    3. Mandy

      November 01, 2021 at 10:02 pm

      I can’t believe that I’ve never tried making my own vegan eggnog! Thank you for sharing this! And I love that you’ve provided some ideas for ways to use it….I will definitely have to try it in oatmeal and my coffee. I’m really looking forward to making this!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 02, 2021 at 3:00 pm

        Yay! I can’t wait to hear what you think. I’ll be sharing another fun way to use it later on this week. I hope you’re well!!

        Reply
    4. Susan

      November 01, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      Oh fun! I am definitely putting this on my holiday list. Intrigued by adding black salt to it, such a good idea that I have never seen in a vegan eggnog recipe before!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 02, 2021 at 3:00 pm

        Thanks, Susan! I always love finding more uses for black salt. I look forward to hearing what you think of the nog!

        Reply
    5. Shell

      November 01, 2021 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      This is an easy way to make a vegan version of this holiday classic! Delicious.

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 02, 2021 at 3:01 pm

        Thanks, Shell! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    6. Mari

      November 01, 2021 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      I was in a real hurry to try this recipe. I’m not a vegan, but I have a lot of food intolerances, so I do tend to gravitate towards the vegan sections at the store. Most of the commercial vegan eggnogs are expensive and have a strange after taste that I don’t like. This one was perfect. It’s quick, easy, and tastes great. I will be making this all season long. It is so creamy and full bodied, and satisfying. I make your cashew salad dressing every week, and I love that to. It’s amazing how many things you can use cashews for, and most people can’t tell the difference between a vegan Alfredo and the one made with dairy. I enjoy your blog and your recipes. I always get some great ideas.

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 02, 2021 at 3:03 pm

        Wow, you are lightning fast, Mari! I’m impressed that you made the nog so quickly! I’m delighted that you enjoyed it, and thank you for the kind words. I’m so glad you’re a fan of the cashew dressing too. It’s one of my long-time favorites. Cashews are pretty amazing! It’s hard to believe I used to only enjoy them by the handful as a snack. (Though they’re great that way too!) Thank you again!

        Reply
    7. David

      November 01, 2021 at 9:57 am

      5 stars
      This nog is so smooth and creamy – I love it!!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 02, 2021 at 3:03 pm

        Thanks, David! That’s nice to hear!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cadry!

    I’m the creator behind Cadry's Kitchen and author of Living Vegan For Dummies.

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    That’s why it’s my passion to share mouthwatering plant-based recipes that taste like home.

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