Traditional Dutch Advocaat—Eggnog With a Twist

Written by
Karin Engelbrecht
Magazine editor, restaurant reviewer, and food writer who focuses on Dutch cuisine.
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Karin Engelbrecht
Updated 02/04/20
Traditional Dutch Advocaat liqueur recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
  • Total: 15 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yield: 1 1/2 Cups (4 to 6 Servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
457 Calories
9g Fat
45g Carbs
12g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 1/2 Cups (4 to 6 Servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 457
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 347mg 116%
Sodium 327mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 12g
Calcium 53mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This drink is often called ''advocaat of the devil'' because once you start nipping at this sweet nectar, you cannot resist the temptation to have more. Take a Dutch adventure right in your own home and enjoy advocaat as a thick, seasonal tipple during the winter holidays, pour it over vanilla ice cream or use as a filling in desserts, pastries, and cakes. 

A note about consistency: the Dutch prefer their advocaat thicker than the eggnog you might be used to. So thick that you can—in fact, must—eat it with a spoon, sort of like a thick malt you eat with a spoon only it's eggnog-flavored. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a bit of cream.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Dutch advocaat
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Beat the egg yolks, salt, and sugar until the mixture is thickened.

    Beat egg yolks
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Slowly trickle in the brandy or cognac, but keep beating until it is well-blended.

    Trickle liqueur
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and warm over a low heat, continuously whisking. It is important to be patient. The advocaat is ready when it's nicely thickened and hot, but not boiling. If it boils, the alcohol will evaporate, and you'll lose a lot of the flavor and half the fun.

    Pour mixture
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. When the mix is thickened and very hot, remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.

    Mix
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Allow the advocaat to cool and then place in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve in small glasses or espresso cups.

    Serve in glasses
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Top with whipped cream and a bit of cocoa powder to serve in the traditional manner or just serve with whipped cream or plain. Enjoy!

    Dutch advocaat liqueur recipe
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness.

Tips

  • Fold some whipped cream through the drink to create a decadent dessert called tokkelroom.
  • The advocaat will keep in the fridge for up to three days. 
  • Replace the brandy with Schelvispekel, a Dutch spiced brandy, for an interesting variation. 

Party Ideas

Advocaat, with its custard-like flavor, makes for an interesting holiday party drink as a twist on American eggnog. It's just about a dessert in itself, so stay on the light and/or small side with fudge, salted caramels, petits fours, a selection of nuts and dried fruits, nut bread, tiny cupcakes, or holiday cookies. Some richer options that pair well with advocaat are cream puffs, a creamy chocolate pie topped with whipped cream, apple pie, cherry pie or raisin pie with sour cream—an especially good choice for wintertime parties.