Life is short; drink dessert first.

If you’re tiring of that eggnog you bought before Christmas, here’s something delicious to do with it. It’s as delicious as it looks. Milkshakey. Eggs with eggnog sauce and Bailey’s and … well, here’s the recipe. And then another, less fussy eggnog cocktail.

They had me at “with bourbon float.” For this, I’m going to ignore the echoes of my sainted mother’s voice in my head, warning me that I’ll spoil my appetite if I have this before dinner.

SPICED EGGNOG WITH BOURBON/CHERRY DRIZZLE

1½ oz Bailey’s or other quality Irish Cream
1 oz Bourbon of choice
1 oz Eggnog
1 Egg white or 3 tbsp pasteurized egg whites

Heering Cherry Liqueur and/or (still more) bourbon to drizzle
Grated nutmeg and cinnamon to garnish
Crushed ice

Combine the first four ingredients in a shaker and shake vigorously with crushed ice for at least 30 seconds—a minute or more is better still. Pour the entire mixture (including the ice) into a large wine glass. Top with more crushed ice and drizzle with more bourbon and/or Heering Cherry Liqueur. Garnish with grated nutmeg and cinnamon.

The nutmeg and cinnamon are essential ingredients. Well into the drink, when they were no longer visible, the delightful aromas and flavors were still there! 

SPIKE IT YOURSELF EGGNOG (A LESS FUSSY OPTION)

Mind you, there are some good spiked eggnogs available at your preferred liquor store, but if you bought good eggnog from a local dairy (e.g., Pittsford Dairy here in the Rochester area), you can easily spike it yourself. Here’s my treatment—Nancy-tested and Nancy-approved.

⅔ cup Eggnog
¾ oz Brandy or Cognac
¾ oz High-proof rum
¾ oz Whiskey of choice
Nutmeg and cinnamon to grate for garnish

Build this in a large-ish glass (at least a double Old Fashioned glass, but as you can see it would also look very fetching in a large wine goblet). Fill the glass half full of ice (or just one large block of ice), add the ingredients to the glass and stir for about 30 seconds to integrate thoroughly and chill. Add ice until glass is almost full, stir very briefly, and grate nutmeg and cinnamon over the drink to taste.