This recipe is sponsored by our friends at AE Dairy!
This is every eggnog lovers dream recipe! My Eggnog Affogato with No-Churn Eggnog Ice Cream will satisfy your sweet tooth and make you the hero of your next holiday gathering! Homemade eggnog ice cream made with AE Dairy Classic Eggnog is custardy with the perfect specs of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pair that with homemade caramel made with egg nog and a rich espresso shot and you have a decadent and elegant dessert for any occasion!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
Recipe: Holiday Caramel Egg Nog Affogato
Ready In: 4 hours 45 minutes (mostly chilling time)
Serves: 4 affogatos or have leftovers!
Staple Ingredients: AE Dairy Classic Egg Nog, AE Dairy Heavy Cream, Cinnamon, Espresso, Sugar, Sweetened condensed milk
What Makes It Special: the no-churn egg nog ice cream is super special, its rich and decadent with little specs of cinnamon and nutmeg, and the egg nog in the caramel tunes down the sweetness a bit and gives it almost brown butter flavor. Paired with the bold espresso, this is one you wont be able to put down!
I’ll be honest and say when I first made this and shot the recipe, we stood over the sink and ate the melting remnants of the shoot. It is that good! The no-churn ice cream is simple because it doesn’t require a ice cream maker or special equipment and it has the flavor of an elevated vanilla bean ice cream.
I knew caramel would be a good addition but swapping heavy cream which I usually use, for extra Eggnog really elevated it and gave it the spiced flavor it needed. If you’ve ever had coffee ice cream, this has an exact coffee ice cream taste once the espresso and ice cream melt together.
This is great for a holiday date night in for two or served at your family gathering! The caramel and ice cream can be made ahead for easy serving. Extra caramel, try my caramel apple cider donut bread, or this snickerdoodle caramel swirl ice cream! Find all of my Christmas Recipes and From-Scratch Desserts here for more festive inspiration!
More Holiday Desserts
Key Ingredients
- Espresso: Use freshly brewed espresso. Pull the shots right before serving, instant espresso powder or strong brewed coffee can work in a pinch.
- Heavy whipping cream: Forms the base. Do not swap with half-and-half.
- AE Dairy Classic Egg Nog: Adds holiday richness and that essential subtle spice.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Sweetens and stabilizes the ice cream. This is the no-churn secret. Do not substitute evaporated milk!
- Granulated sugar: The foundation for caramelization. Melt slowly without stirring to avoid crystallizing.
- Salted butter, softened: Smooths the caramel and adds body. Soft butter incorporates better than cold.
- Vanilla extract: Balances the sweetness and complements the espresso.
How to Make The Holiday Affogato
Let’s talk a little about how to make the egg nog ice cream and caramel sauce (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Whip heavy cream, add in egg nog, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon. Freeze until set.
- Combine caramel, let cool. Brew espresso. Drizzle caramel over ice cream and pour over espresso.
For the ice cream:
- In a large mixing bowl whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed using an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, 5-8 minutes. Fold in egg nog, sweetened condensed milk, and cinnamon.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into a metal pan or glass container. Cover, and freeze 4-6 hours until hardened.
For the caramel:
- In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar over high heat. Stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar starts to bubble, stop stirring. Allow to cook over medium-high heat until you get a dark amber color. 8-10 minutes.
- Once amber, turn off the heat. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour in the egg nog, stirring frequently as the caramel will bubble. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Brew your espresso shots, set aside. Once the ice cream is set, remove from the freezer and add a few scoops to a glass. Top with a drizzle of caramel and the shot of espresso. Enjoy immediately. Leftover caramel will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, leftover ice cream can be store in the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe Tip
Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks (not soft) so we get the desired light and fluffy texture! This will take 5-8 minutes with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. You can do this by hand but it will take a bit longer.
And, using AE Egg Nog is a must! It has the taste of a melted vanilla bean milkshake and the perfect spiced flavor. The rich consistency adds the perfect base to our ice cream!
Rachel’s Chef Notes
Serve immediately: you want the ice cream to be chilled and the espresso to be warm, while the ice cream melts it created a custardy, coffee milkshake flavor!
Freeze in a shallow pan: this helps the ice cream to freeze faster so you can have dessert quicker! or make the ice cream in advance!
Do not overwhip the cream: You want soft peaks that you can fold the sweetened condensed milk into. Careful not to overwhip the cream or it can break.
Warm caramel: make sure the caramel is warm and silky before drizzling over the ice cream.
No-Churn Egg Nog Affogato with Egg Nog Caramel
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 shots Espresso
For The Ice Cream:
- 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup AE Dairy Classic Egg Nog
- 14 oz. Sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
For the Caramel:
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1/4 cup AE Dairy Classic Egg Nog
- 3 tbsp Salted Butter , softened
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
For the Ice Cream:
- In a large mixing bowl whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed using an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, 5-8 minutes. Fold in egg nog, sweetened condensed milk, and cinnamon.2 cups Heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup AE Dairy Classic Egg Nog, 14 oz. Sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Pour the ice cream mixture into a metal pan or glass container. Cover, and freeze 4-6 hours until hardened.
For the Caramel:
- In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar over high heat. Stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar starts to bubble, stop stirring. Allow to cook over medium-high heat until you get a dark amber color. 8-10 minutes.1/2 cup Granulated sugar , 2 tbsp Water
- Once amber, turn off the heat. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour in the egg nog, stirring frequently as the caramel will bubble. Mix in the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.1/4 cup AE Dairy Classic Egg Nog, 3 tbsp Salted Butter , 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon , Pinch of sea salt
- Brew your espresso shots, set aside. Once the ice cream is set, remove from the freezer and add a few scoops to a glass. Top with a drizzle of caramel and the shot of espresso. Enjoy immediately. Leftover caramel will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, leftover ice cream can be store in the freezer for up to a month.4 shots Espresso
Notes
- Don’t overwhip the cream: whip just until peaks form, any longer and the cream can breaks causing the mixture to be runny.
- Heavy whipping cream can be whipped in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment as well. Make sure you don’t substitute half and half or milk. I don’t recommend substituting Cool Whip either.
- Freeze in a shallow pan: a shallow metal pan helps the mixture to freeze quickly!
- Smooth caramel: after that sugar in the caramel dissolves, stop stirring so your caramel doesn’t break or turn grainy.
- Fresh espresso: Pull your espresso right before serving so it’s rich and warm to melt the ice cream!
- This recipe can be scaled down to make one affogato, store leftover caramel and ice cream.
Nutrition
Storage, Serving, and Make Ahead
- Ice Cream: Store the eggnog ice cream in a covered container in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
- Caramel: Keep the eggnog caramel covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Rewarm in a saucepan or microwave in short bursts until soft.
- Espresso: fresh is best!
- Serving Idea: serve cold ice cream in glass sundae or martini glasses =, drizzle with warm caramel, and pour over the espresso right before serving!
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would appreciate if you left a star rating on the recipe card above or a comment below sharing your experience! I value your feedback, it would also mean a lot if you could share this recipe or my website with friends or loved ones. Cheers!
Frequently Asked Recipe Questions
Traditional churned ice cream has air whipped into it giving it an airy texture. Since this no-churn ice cream is not made the same way, we incorporate air by whipping the heavy cream.
Sweetened condensed milk adds the perfect sweetness to this three ingredient ice cream, it is also thicker than milk giving a rich, thick texture.
Cover tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. If your container has an airtight lid that is best or cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. As expected, don’t store in the fridge.
Yes, it won’t have the spiced egg nog flavor, but use your favorite jarred salted caramel, just make sure it’s a pourable consistency.
No! This no-churn ice cream is always soft and creamy, ready to scoop.
You can. Dissolve the powder in a very small amount of hot water so it tastes bold and concentrated.
Absolutely! Add a splash of bourbon, rum, or Irish cream before the espresso pour.
Helpful Recipe Tools
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- Stainless Steel Pan: this USA Pan is another one of my favorites, it is non-stick and mine has lasted for years.
- Glass Mixing Bowls: these glass nesting bowls are my favorite for prepping ingredients.
- Small Saucepan: I love this small enamel saucepan for making the caramel. It’s small and easy to clean!
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
