I get way too excited when eggnog shows up in stores. I grab a carton the first time I see it, knowing full well I won't finish the whole thing. The first time I made this, I had just used some of it in an eggnog cream cheese flan and there was still eggnog left in the fridge. It went into a Creami pint, and that became this Ninja Creami eggnog ice cream.
The base is just store-bought eggnog, frozen and spun. Once you have that down, you can blend in cream cheese for eggnog cheesecake, or add ube halaya for a purple ube eggnog pint. Both are in the Variations section below, with amounts in the recipe card notes. If you want a grown-up version, my spiked eggnog ice cream with rum has its own recipe.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love It
- 🛒Ingredients
- Add-Ins & Swaps
- How to Make Eggnog Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami
- Variations
- 🍒Topping and Mix-In Ideas for Eggnog Ice Cream
- 👪Serving Size
- 🌀Tools You’ll Need
- Tips for Smooth Eggnog Creami Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami FAQs
- More Holiday Ice Cream Recipes
- More Cheesecake Ice Cream Flavors
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Eggnog Ice Cream
Why You'll Love It
- One ingredient for the base. Store-bought eggnog already has the dairy, sugar, and spice in it, so there's nothing to measure or cook.
- No gums or pudding mix. The fat and sugar in full-fat eggnog keep the pint scoopable without stabilizers.
- Uses up the carton. If you always buy more eggnog than you can drink, this turns the rest into dessert before it expires.
- Two more flavors from one base. Cheesecake and ube both start from the same eggnog, so you can switch it up all season with one shopping list.
🛒Ingredients
This is just an overview. The full recipe card below has exact amounts and the notes for each variation.
- Eggnog: This is the only ingredient in the base, so the carton you buy decides how the pint turns out. Pick full-fat, because the fat is what keeps it creamy instead of icy. Make sure it's non-alcoholic, since alcohol in the base stops it from freezing solid enough to spin. Store-bought and homemade both work. I used Aldi's ready-to-drink eggnog for these photos.
Add-Ins & Swaps
- Cinnamon or nutmeg: Some brands go light on spice. Blending a little in before freezing brings back the eggnog flavor that cold temperatures tend to mute.
- Vanilla extract: A small amount rounds out the egg and spice notes, which helps when your eggnog tastes flat or overly sweet.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Use this if light eggnog is all you can find. It adds back the sugar and milk solids that light eggnog cuts, so the pint freezes smoother.
- Maple syrup or sugar: Some light eggnogs taste less sweet once frozen, because cold dulls sweetness. A little extra before freezing keeps the flavor balanced.
How to Make Eggnog Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami
- Pour the eggnog. Fill the Deluxe pint to the max fill line. Liquid expands as it freezes, and the line leaves room so the frozen block stays where the blade can reach it. For the cheesecake or ube version, blend those ingredients first, then pour.
- Freeze flat for 24 hours. A level freezer spot gives you an even top, so the blade cuts through smoothly instead of catching on a high side. The full 24 hours makes sure the center freezes as solid as the edges.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes. Leave the pint on the counter about 5 minutes, or about 10 if your kitchen runs cold. This takes the edge off a rock-hard freeze, so the first spin comes out smoother and usually doesn't need a Respin. Spin on Ice Cream. If it looks crumbly or powdery, like this one, that's normal. It just means the pint is still very cold.
- Respin only if it's crumbly. Add a splash of milk and run Respin. The milk gives the blade a little liquid to pull everything together into a smooth, creamy scoop.
- Serve. Scoop it right away, or freeze it 10 to 15 minutes if you like a firmer scoop.
Variations
Eggnog Cheesecake Ice Cream
Blend cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk into the eggnog, and the pint comes out tangier and richer, like a slice of eggnog cheesecake. Crushed graham crackers go in at the end for the crust.
What you'll need
- Eggnog: Still the base and the source of the holiday spice. You use less than the plain version so there's room in the pint for the cream cheese.
- Cream cheese: This brings the cheesecake tang and a thicker body. Soften it first, because cold cream cheese leaves specks that freeze into grainy bits.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Cream cheese isn't sweet, so this balances the tang. Its sugar and milk solids also help the denser base spin smooth.
- Graham crackers: They give you the crust flavor. Adding them during Mix-In keeps them crunchy instead of turning them to dust.
How to make it
Blend the eggnog, cream cheese, and condensed milk until no white specks remain. Freeze flat for 24 hours, then thaw and spin the same way as the base. Make a well in the center, add the crushed graham crackers, and run Mix-In.
If it turns out grainy: The cream cheese wasn't soft enough or wasn't fully blended. Next time, let it sit at room temperature before it goes in the blender, and blend a little longer.
Swaps for the graham crackers
- Gingersnaps, for more spice
- Vanilla wafers, for a milder, sweeter crunch
- Cinnamon graham crackers, for warmth that matches the nutmeg
Ube Eggnog Ice Cream
Ube halaya, the sweet Filipino purple yam jam, turns the eggnog base purple. It adds an earthy, vanilla-like sweetness that sits right alongside the nutmeg.
What you'll need
- Eggnog: The creamy base and the holiday spice.
- Half and half: It thins the thick halaya so it blends evenly into the base, and it adds dairy without heavy cream, which turns waxy in the Creami..
- Ube halaya: Your main ube flavor, color, and body. You can buy it in a jar or make your own with my ube halaya recipe.
- Allulose or sugar: Halaya sweetness varies by brand, so a little extra keeps the flavor balanced once frozen. Allulose works if you'd rather skip sugar, and it also helps keep the scoop soft.
- Ube extract: Dairy mutes ube, so extract brings the color and flavor back up.
- Vanilla bean paste (optional): It rounds out the ube and plays up its vanilla notes.
- Salt: A pinch keeps the sweetness in check and makes both the ube and the spice taste stronger.
How to make it
Blend everything until the halaya fully dissolves. Any streaks of halaya freeze into dense chunks the blade can't smooth out. If your halaya is very thick, microwave it about 10 seconds first. Freeze flat for 24 hours, then thaw and spin the same way as the base.
No halaya? Use ube extract with a little more sweetener. The color and flavor will be lighter, but it still works.
Mix-in ideas:
- Toasted coconut
- White chocolate chips
- A swirl of extra halaya after spinning
Want a grown-up version? My spiked eggnog ice cream with rum has its own recipe.
🍒Topping and Mix-In Ideas for Eggnog Ice Cream
Mix-ins (add with the Mix-In cycle):
- Crushed gingerbread cookies or gingersnaps: Their ginger and molasses go with the nutmeg already in the eggnog, and the crunch breaks up the creamy texture.
- Mini chocolate chips: Small chips spread through the pint evenly, so you get a little chocolate in every scoop instead of a few big chunks.
- White chocolate chips: They add sweetness without competing with the spice, which works well if your eggnog leans strong.
- Toasted pecans: Toasting brings out a buttery flavor and keeps them crisp in the frozen base, the way pecans work in a holiday pie.
Toppings (add after scooping):
- Cinnamon sugar or fresh nutmeg: A light dusting on top gives you the spice aroma right away, before the cold mutes it.
- Caramel or maple drizzle: Both add a toasty sweetness that plays up the eggnog's custard flavor. Drizzle on top instead of mixing in, so they don't freeze hard in the pint.
- Whipped cream: It adds a light, airy layer that turns a scoop into more of a holiday dessert.
For more combinations, check out my guide to the best Creami mix-ins.
👪Serving Size
This recipe is written for the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 24-ounce pint and makes about 4 servings.
If you're using a standard 16-ounce pint, use two-thirds of each ingredient. Everything stays in the same proportions, so the texture comes out the same. You're just filling a smaller pint. For the plain base, you can skip the measuring and fill to the max line. The freeze, thaw, and spin steps don't change.
🌀Tools You’ll Need
- Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker: This recipe is sized for the Deluxe. Its blade is what turns a frozen block of eggnog into a smooth scoop, which a regular freezer or churn can't do with a one-ingredient base.
- Ninja Creami Pint Container: Use the 24 oz Deluxe pint for the amounts in the card. An extra pint is handy if you want the plain base and a variation going at the same time.
- Blender: You only need this for the cheesecake and ube variations. It breaks down cream cheese and halaya fully, so they don't freeze into grainy specks or dense chunks.
Tips for Smooth Eggnog Creami Ice Cream
- Crumbly after spinning? Add a splash of milk and run Respin. A crumbly texture means the pint is still very cold, and the milk gives the blade just enough liquid to pull it together.
- Too soft? Put it back in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Spinning warms the ice cream slightly, so a short rest firms it up without freezing it solid again.
- Icy texture? This usually means the eggnog was low in fat. Next time, blend in a little sweetened condensed milk before freezing. The extra sugar and milk solids keep ice crystals small.
- Some brands freeze harder than others. Eggnogs with added stabilizers can freeze denser, even when they're full-fat. If yours always comes out icy or hard, try a different brand before changing the recipe.
- Not sweet enough? Cold dulls sweetness, so a base that tastes right in the carton can taste flat once frozen. Add a little sugar or maple syrup before freezing, not after.
- Want stronger spice? Blend in cinnamon or nutmeg before freezing. Spice added after spinning sits on top instead of flavoring every bite.
- Saving leftovers? Smooth the top flat before refreezing. A level surface lets the next Respin cut evenly instead of catching on the high spots.
Ninja Creami FAQs
You can, but full-fat eggnog makes a creamier pint. Light eggnog has less fat and more water, so it freezes icier. If light is all you can find, check the Tips section for an easy fix before freezing.
Yes, as long as there's no alcohol in it. The Creami doesn't heat anything, so if your recipe uses raw eggs, use a cooked eggnog recipe or pasteurized eggs instead.
Not in the base. Alcohol doesn't freeze solid, so the pint comes out too soft to spin into a smooth scoop. For a boozy version, my spiked eggnog ice cream with rum starts with non-alcoholic eggnog and adds rum after the first spin.
Yes. Smooth the top flat, put the lid back on, and freeze. It will set hard like regular ice cream, so run a quick Respin before serving to bring it back to a creamy scoop.
Yes. Use ube extract and add a little more sweetener to make up for the halaya's sugar. The color and ube flavor will be lighter, but it still works.
More Holiday Ice Cream Recipes
- Spiced Hot Chocolate Ice Cream: Hot cocoa flavor with cinnamon, made for cold nights.
- Candy Cane Ice Cream: Peppermint and crushed candy canes for a Christmas pint.
- Mango Cranberry Ice Cream: A fruity option when the table already has plenty of spice.
- Maple Walnut Ice Cream: Maple and toasted walnuts that sit well next to eggnog.
- Apple Cinnamon Pie Ice Cream: Apple pie flavors for a holiday dessert spread.
More Cheesecake Ice Cream Flavors
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: The classic, with strawberries and a tangy cream cheese base.
- Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: Blueberries swirled through cheesecake ice cream.
- Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: A tarter berry for a less sweet cheesecake pint.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream: Fall spice and cream cheese, good for Thanksgiving through Christmas.
Did you try this recipe?
Share how it turned out in the comments below, and if you loved it, share it on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram.
Thank you! - Rose
Ninja Creami Eggnog Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Creami Deluxe Ice Cream maker
- 24 oz Ninja Creami Pint Container
- 1 blender (for the variations only)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups full-fat non-alcoholic eggnog, or enough to reach the max fill line
Instructions
- Pour the eggnog into the Deluxe pint up to the max fill line. For a variation, blend the ingredients in the notes first, then pour.2 ½ cups full-fat non-alcoholic eggnog, or enough to reach the max fill line
- Freeze flat for at least 24 hours.
- Let the pint sit on the counter about 5 minutes, or about 10 in a cold kitchen.
- Spin on Ice Cream.
- If it looks crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and run Respin.
- For mix-ins, make a well in the center, add them, and run Mix-In.
- Serve right away, or freeze 10 to 15 minutes for a firmer scoop.
Notes
- Use non-alcoholic eggnog. Alcohol in the base keeps it from freezing solid, so the Creami can't spin it smooth.
- Full-fat eggnog freezes creamier. Light eggnog has more water and turns icier. If light is all you have, blend in 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk before freezing.
- Optional add-ins: Blend in ¼ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg if your eggnog tastes mild, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract for warmth, or 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup if your eggnog isn't very sweet. Add these before freezing.
- 16 oz pint: Use two-thirds of each ingredient, about 1⅔ cups eggnog for the base, and follow the same steps.
- Eggnog Cheesecake: Blend 1½ cups eggnog, 4 oz softened cream cheese, and ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk until no white specks remain. Freeze and spin as above. Then add ½ cup crushed graham crackers in a well and run Mix-In.
- Ube Eggnog: Blend 1½ cups eggnog, ½ cup half and half, ¼ cup ube halaya, 2 tablespoons allulose or sugar, 1 teaspoon ube extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (optional), and a pinch of salt until the halaya fully dissolves. If your halaya is very thick, microwave it 10 seconds first. Freeze flat and spin as above.
- Nutrition is for the base recipe only. The cheesecake and ube versions run higher.
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