Holiday season, with large dinners, rich desserts and drinks, is upon us. Save calories without sacrificing flavor with this lightened-up eggnog!

It's here: holiday season. Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner, cookie swaps, Christmas parties ... Eating healthy? See you after New Year's!

But wait! Today's #SundaySupper is all about lightening up holiday food. One of my favorite holiday indulgences is egg nog. It's basically a custard (meaning lots of whole milk, cream, sugar and eggs), flavored with nutmeg and alcohol, usually brandy or rum. One 8-ounce cup can set you back 225 to almost 350 calories!

The lightened-up eggnog still has dairy, and it still has eggs. But I used fat-free half-and-half and fat-free sweetened condensed milk. The condensed milk, along with a small spoonful of flour, helps thicken up the mixture, so we can use fewer (calorie-heavy) egg yolks. Since the condensed milk is sweetened, we don't need additional sugar. In the end, it's about half the calories of full-fat eggnog.

This mixture isn't quite as thick as the full-fat version. But the flavor is definitely there. We also save some extra calories by pouring a 6-ounce cup instead of an 8-ounce cup.

If you want to make this recipe kid-friendly (without the alcohol), you can replace the brandy with ¾ of a teaspoon of brandy or rum extract.

Continue to Content

Lightened Up Eggnog

Yield: 4 (6-ounce) beverages

Print

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups fat-free half-and-half
• ¼ cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk, NOT evaporated milk
• ½ tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp
• ⅛ tsp freshly-grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Yolk of one large egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp brandy or rum
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place the half-and-half, condensed milk, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
2. Once the dairy mixture boils, gradually pour about a third of the mixture over the egg yolk, whisking constantly. Once fully whisked, pour the egg/dairy mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Whisk until the mixture boils again, and cook for a minute. If the mixture bubbles up to the top of the saucepan, briefly pull it off the burner so it doesn't bubble over. You may need to do this a few times.
3. After it cooks for a minute, pour the eggnog into a pitcher or tall container. Stir in the brandy or rum and the vanilla. Let cool at room temperature for about half an hour, then place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
4. Pour 6 ounces into a mug or glass, garnish with a little freshly grated nutmeg and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 146Carbohydrates: 23gSugar: 18gProtein: 6g

Did you love this recipe?

Leave a star rating below and share it on social media!

Nutrition data calculated with MyFitnessPal recipe calculator.

Don't forget to check the other #SundaySupper lightened-up holiday recipes! 

Drinks

• Lightened Up Eggnog by The Redhead Baker
• Low Calorie Pumpkin Pie Malted Milkshake by Kudos Kitchen by Renee

Appetizer or starter

• Gruyere Cheese Puffs by Sustainable Dad
• Lighten-up Sausage Rolls by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Spaghetti Squash, Pears and Kale with Shrimp by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Lightened Up Cornbread Stuffing by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Spicy Eggplant Dip by Cooking Chat
• Carciofi alla Trapanese by Manu's Menu
• Fresh Salmon Carpaccio by Food Lust People Love

Main Dishes

• Mini Mushroom Shepherd’s Pies by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Grandma's Mac n' Cheese by What Smells So Good?
• Lean Mean Cheeseburger Soup by The Foodie Army Wife
• Roasted Butternut Squash & Chicken Sausage Soup by Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Lightened-Up Fettuccine Alfredo by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

Side Dishes

• Butternut Squash Orzo Pasta by Life Tastes Good
• Hearts of Palm, Artichoke, Avocado and Butter Lettuce by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Quick and Easy Sweet Potato by The Educators' Spin On It
• Lentil & Mushroom Stuffing by Foxes Love Lemons
• Almond-Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli by The Texan New Yorker
• Tangy, Spiced Red Cabbage by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Cranberry Orange Glazed Green Beans by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Green Beans with Rosemary Garlic Butter by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Mediterranean Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Leaner Green Beans by Noshing With The Nolands
• Spiced Tri-Colored Carrot Salad by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Horiatki Salata by Peaceful Cooking
• Healthier Potluck Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad by The Weekend Gourmet
• Farro Stuffing with Cranberries and Walnuts by The Dinner-Mom
• Roasted Parsnip and Apple Soup by Curious Cuisiniere

Desserts

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Sweet Apple Bites by Mama's Blissful Bites
• Individual Cheesecakes by Nosh My Way
• Light and Luscious Chocolate Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Pumpkin Pie Pudding by The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Healthy Brownie Recipe | Applesauce Brownies by The Perfect Brownie
• Peanut Butter Coconut Mini Bars by Basic N Delicious
• The Blondie Recipe by Wallflour Girl
• Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars by Pies and Plots
• Skinny Ninja Cheesecake by NinjaBaker.com
• Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pumpkin Blondie by Sue's Nutrition Buzz