A Holiday Tradition That Enhances the Season: Catherine Kroeker-Klassen’s Homemade Eggnog

Every December, as the holiday rush kicks in, Catherine Kroeker-Klassen steps into her kitchen looking for something that the lead up to the Christmas season rarely offers… stillness. She is the chair of the Manitoba Egg Farmers Board of Directors and an egg farmer herself, but at Christmas time, she is the keeper of a family tradition centred around a simple, carefully made batch of homemade eggnog.

The tradition started nearly a decade ago, Catherine remembers thinking about the pressure of holiday gifting and how commercial the season can feel. She wanted something more personal; something rooted in the values she carries as a farmer.

“I figured, hey, I have access to a ton of eggs,” she said. “I wanted a way to connect with family and neighbours in a way that was meaningful.”

Her kitchen, which she calls her “happy place,” became the heart of that experiment. After trying a few recipes, she and her family found one they loved, and the annual eggnog tradition took shape. Her son, when he was a teenager, took on the task of separating egg yolks or measuring ingredients. Her husband, naturally, became the official taste tester.

Like many holiday traditions, not every year is perfect. Catherine remembers last year’s batch for all the wrong reasons.

“I was not paying attention well enough,” she said. “If you’re not precise with the temperature, you can end up with scrambled eggs. And that’s not good.”

Even seasoned bakers know the heartbreak of a recipe gone wrong. Eggnog, she said, is closer to baking than cooking, a precise balance of temperature and timing. Patience is essential. So is a thermometer.

“Use a thermometer to temper the eggs and make sure everything is at the right temperature,” she said. “And have everything prepped before you start because once you’re stirring, you can’t walk away.”

Her recipe itself is simple but intentional. She prefers whole or 2 per cent milk for richness, along with whipping cream, egg yolks, sugar and spices. Nutmeg is an essential upgrade, and when she can get her hands on fresh nutmeg or white Mexican vanilla, she says it elevates the flavour that much more.

The result is a creamy, festive drink that tastes like the holidays, one she packages in glass bottles, topped with labels she designs herself. When she hands them out to neighbours, the reactions are always enthusiastic. She even includes a note on the label explaining that the eggs are tempered, not raw, easing any concerns.

“It’s a little different than baking,” she said. “People love getting baked goods, but eggnog is something special.”

She makes small batches throughout the season or larger ones when she’s sharing it with friends, family or neighbours. Homemade eggnog keeps for about a week, though it rarely lasts that long in her house.

For Catherine, the tradition is less about the drink and more about the feeling it creates. Her eggnog tradition offers a reminder that meaningful moments don’t need to be elaborate. They just need to be shared, preferably with something sweet, homemade and filled with local eggs.