The short answer: to make egg liqueur, whisk 8 very fresh egg yolks with 250 g icing sugar and the seeds of 1 vanilla pod, then whisk in 300 ml cream. Heat it over a pan of simmering water to 70 °C on a thermometer and hold it there for 2 minutes. Cool it, stir in 250 ml white rum, bottle it and keep it in the fridge. It makes about 850 ml at roughly 12% alcohol.
Egg liqueur, Eierlikör in German, is a thick, custard yellow liqueur made from egg yolks, sugar, cream and a spirit. Germans pour it over ice cream, bake it into Eierlikörkuchen and bring a bottle to Easter lunch. The Dutch version is advocaat. This homemade eggnog liqueur keeps for weeks rather than days, because it is bottled with alcohol and kept cold.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Work | 30 minutes |
| Wait | 1 hour to cool, then it is ready |
| Makes | About 850 ml |
| Alcohol | Roughly 12% |
| Keeps | About 4 weeks in the fridge |
Ingredients
- 8 egg yolks from very fresh eggs, size M, at room temperature
- 250 g icing sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, or 1 teaspoon homemade vanilla extract
- 300 ml cream, or unsweetened evaporated milk
- 250 ml white rum, vodka or German Korn, at least 38% alcohol
- A cooking thermometer, a heatproof bowl and a pan it sits on
The spirit: a clear spirit keeps the vanilla and egg flavour in front. White rum is the classic. Brandy gives a darker, rounder liqueur.
The vanilla: a split pod leaves black specks. Homemade vanilla extract gives the flavour without them, and vanilla bean paste gives both. In coffee, Eierlikör and a spoon of vanilla syrup go well together.
The eggs: use the freshest eggs you can buy and check the date. Freeze the whites for meringues.
How to make egg liqueur
- Set up the water bath. Bring 5 cm of water to a gentle simmer in a pan. The bowl must sit above the water, not in it.
- Whisk the yolks. Off the heat, whisk the yolks, icing sugar and vanilla seeds for about 3 minutes until pale and thick.
- Add the cream. Whisk in the cream in a thin stream.
- Heat to 70 °C. Set the bowl over the water and whisk without stopping. Check with the thermometer. When it reads 70 °C, keep it between 70 and 75 °C for 2 minutes, lifting the bowl off the pan if it climbs. It thickens to a pourable custard.
- Cool. Take the bowl off the pan and stand it in cold water. Whisk now and then until it is at room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Add the spirit. Stir in the rum. Adding it to the cooled custard keeps the alcohol in the bottle instead of in your kitchen air.
- Bottle. Pour it through a sieve into clean bottles, close them and chill. It sets thicker in the fridge.
Why heat it to 70 °C
Raw yolks can carry salmonella. Food safety guidance is to bring egg dishes to 70 °C for 2 minutes. Above about 85 °C the yolks scramble. Whisking over water keeps you inside that window, and the thermometer tells you where you are.
Some old family recipes skip the heat and rely on the alcohol. We do not. A thermometer and 10 minutes of whisking are cheap.
The NOIDS Herb Lab is the wrong tool here: its programmes run at 100 °C and above, which would scramble the yolks. Use the pan.
How strong is it
This recipe comes out at roughly 12% alcohol. Shop-bought Eierlikör in the EU must have at least 14%. For a liqueur closer to that, use 300 ml spirit instead of 250 ml. For a milder one, use less spirit and drink it sooner.
Eierlikör, advocaat and eggnog
| Eierlikör | Advocaat | Eggnog | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Germany, Austria | The Netherlands | UK, US |
| Texture | Thick but pourable | So thick it is eaten with a spoon | Thin, like milk |
| Spirit | Rum, Korn, brandy | Brandy | Rum, bourbon or none |
| Kept | Bottled, in the fridge for weeks | Bottled, in the fridge | Made fresh, drunk within days |
How to use it
- Over ice cream: 2 tablespoons over a scoop of vanilla.
- Eierlikörkuchen: the classic German loaf cake uses 250 ml egg liqueur in the batter.
- In coffee: a spoonful stirred into hot coffee, topped with whipped cream.
- Over waffles or fruit: pour it cold, like custard.
How long it keeps
- Closed, in the fridge: about 4 weeks.
- Opened: keep it cold and finish it soon. The vanilla fades and the texture thickens over time.
- Separation: a yellow layer of fat on top is normal. Shake the bottle before pouring.
- Throw it away if it smells sour or shows mould.
Clean the bottles with boiling water before filling them. Label them with the date.
Questions
How long does homemade Eierlikör last?
About 4 weeks closed in the fridge. Keep it cold from the moment you bottle it and finish an opened bottle soon.
Can I make egg liqueur without heating the eggs?
Many old recipes do, but heating the yolk mixture to 70 °C for 2 minutes is the safer way. It takes 10 minutes with a thermometer.
Which alcohol is best for Eierlikör?
White rum is the classic. Vodka and German Korn taste cleaner, brandy richer. Use a spirit with at least 38% alcohol.
What is the difference between Eierlikör and advocaat?
Both are egg yolk liqueurs. Dutch advocaat is usually made with brandy and is thick enough to eat with a spoon. German Eierlikör is thinner and poured.
Why is my egg liqueur lumpy?
The yolks got too hot. Above about 85 °C they set. Pour it through a fine sieve; next time take the bowl off the pan as it nears 75 °C.
What can I do with the egg whites?
Freeze them in a labelled bag and use them for meringues or macarons. Thaw them in the fridge overnight.
