Coconut Nog That’s Rich, Creamy, and Dairy Free

dairy free coconut nog that’s easy to make and healthier than store-bought

This recipe is part of Important Media’s More Love, Less Stuff holiday event. We’re sharing fun ways to redefine holiday traditions to be less about material things and more about gratitude, compassion, and love.

I love a good nog, y’all. For years, I waited impatiently every winter for Silk Nog to hit store shelves. Silk and other vegan milk companies only sell their nog seasonally, and they never came out soon enough for me. The other bummer about store-bought vegan nog is the ingredients list. Here’s the ingredients list for my favorite nog:

Soymilk (Filtered Water, Whole Soybeans), Cane Sugar, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Turmeric and Annatto (Color).

Silk’s nog is Non GMO certified, so at least there are no worries that the soybeans and natural flavors are made from GMO soy or corn, but there are two ingredients that are no good:

1. Natural Flavors is on the EWG’s new list of the worst food additives. Check out that link for more deets on Natural Flavors and the other worst additives in our food.

2. Carrageenan is linked to intestinal inflammation and is a possible carcinogen. No, thank you!

Homemade Coconut Nog: Truly Natural, No Waiting

Instead of picking up a carton of questionable ingredients, you can make your own truly natural coconut nog at home. The full fat coconut milk makes it rich and creamy, and it’s full of the nutmeggy, noggy goodness that screams, “HOLIDAY!” You can drink it warm in a mug or add a splash of booze if you swing that way.

Yield: 4-6 servings, depending on your mug size; adapted from this recipe on my personal website

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 10 minutes; Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can coconut milk (use full fat, not lite)
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon ground vanilla
  
• ground cinnamon, for sprinkling on top (optional)
  

Method

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milks, maple syrup, sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla extract over medium low heat. When you first add the coconut milk, things are going to look a little bit chunky. Don’t give up! Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar and nutmeg dissolve and the nog is totally smooth and heated through, about 10 minutes. Don’t let the mixture boil, because you don’t want a skin to form on the top.
2. Divide between your mugs, sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon, and serve.