Merry Christmas Eve!!!  We are deep deep into the holiday season and this post is a little late, but if you caught my IG post from yesterday you already know why :)  

The holidays are the perfect time to pull out grandma's punch bowl set.  I myself have not been gifted my grandmother's punch bowl set...yet, (that's a hint dad, you know you don't need it, I NEED it!)  so I picked up my own at our local antique mall last spring.  When it comes to punch bowls I prefer a classic cut glass look, thick and durable.  You can also find silver bowls, which I love for iced punches.  I'm linking a fantastic article here from Southern Living that has a ton of festive holiday punches, with and without alcohol.  I've been through two recent holiday seasons while pregnant so I'm a huge fan of a spiced mocktail.  

So, pull down that punch bowl set, give it a good wash, and get ready to serve hands down the best, booziest eggnog you've ever made. 

• 4 Cups Bourbon (use actual bourbon y'all.  It doesn't need to be Blantons, but not the cheap stuff)
• 2 1/4 Cups Sugar
• 12 Large Egg Yolks (these will be raw, so use a quality farm fresh egg.  We use Vital Farms, which are widely available.)
• 8 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream (you read that right, 8 cups)

Pour the bourbon into a large mixing bowl (or just use the punch bowl from the start.)  Add the sugar and let it sit out several hours, or overnight if you have time to wait.  Make sure the sugar is totally dissolved into the bourbon before you move on to the next step, you can stir it often to help with this process but it's not necessary.  

Once the sugar has dissolved into the bourbon, separate all 12 egg yolks out (NO WHITES!  Although we accidentally did this the first year and it wasn't bad... just super frothy) into a mixing bowl and beat until they are an ugly yellow color.  Fold the egg yolks into the bourbon-sugar mixture and let sit for at least two hours, but overnight if you can wait.  While you're waiting, keep this mixture in the refrigerator because of the yolks.  Give it a good stir every so often.

Add the 8 cups of cream to the mixture and again, let it sit for two hours, overnight again if you can wait, stirring periodically.

Get a little agave or maple syrup on the rim of your punch cup, and then dip in cinnamon (like salting a margarita glass)  Ladle in about 4 oz of eggnog, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.  More than two glasses of this stuff and you might turn into Cousin Eddie so drink with caution, it's STRONG.  

**It does seem like this recipe takes days to make, and that's true, but you can also make some major short cuts to get this ready for tonight or Christmas Day.  I hope you enjoy!