Here’s a recipe for Christmas Eggnog from our first president, in the exact words as they were written by George Washington himself. Our favorite instruction is the last one: “Taste Frequently.”

This was one of Washington’s favorite concoctions for celebrating Christmas at Mount Vernon in Virginia. (Get ready. It will knock your socks off!)

George Washington’s Christmas Eggnog Recipe

“One quart cream, one quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, ½ pint rye whiskey, ½ pint Jamaica rum, ¼ pint sherry

—mix liquor first,

then separate yolks and whites of 12 eggs,

add sugar to beaten yolks,

mix well.

Add milk and cream, slowly beating.

Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture.

Let set in cool place for several days.

Taste frequently.”

Need a Christmas cake to wash that down? Here’s Martha Washington’s “Great Cake” recipe in the exact words in which it was written. It was baked for celebrating what she called “a true Virginia Christmas” at Mount Vernon.

Learn More

Prefer a non-alcoholic eggnog? Here’s a recipe for Non-Alcoholic Eggnog.

Check out our entire collection of Christmas recipes.