Advocaat—Traditional Dutch Eggnog

Traditional Dutch Advocaat liqueur recipe in three glasses

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Cool/Chill: 3 hrs 30 mins
Total: 3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 8 to 12 servings
Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 cups

Advocaat (pronounced ad-vuh-cah) is a traditional Dutch custard made of egg yolks and brandy. Sometimes referred to as Dutch eggnog, advocaat is similar in flavor but richer and thicker than the eggnog you might be used to. It is so thick that you can—in fact, must—eat it with a spoon.

This drink is often called ''advocaat of the devil'' because once you start nipping at the sweet nectar, you cannot resist the temptation to have more. While commercial advocaat can be difficult to find outside of Europe, it is easy to make from scratch from a few common ingredients.

How to Serve Advocaat

Take a Dutch adventure right in your own home and enjoy advocaat as a thick, seasonal tipple during the winter holidays. Serve it in petite glasses with a little whipped cream or mix it with sparkling lemonade for a snowball cocktail. It's also delicious when poured over homemade vanilla ice cream or used as a filling in desserts, pastries, and cakes. 

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.


While not raw, the egg yolks in advocaat are only lightly cooked. The USDA recommends using in-shell pasteurized eggs in recipes that include raw and partially cooked eggs.


Choosing The Best Brandy for Advocaat

Select your favorite brandy or cognac to use in this recipe or explore new-to-you spirits.

Make Ahead

Advocaat will store well in an airight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, making this treat easy to prepare in advance of holiday parties and gatherings.

"The advocaat was very good. It was thick enough to eat with a spoon, yet thin enough to sip if you prefer. If you are concerned about raw eggs and can't find pasteurized eggs, you may choose to cook the advocaat to 160 F." —Diana Rattray

Dutch Advocaat eggnog in two glasses
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 10 large egg yolks

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 1/3 cups sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups brandy, or cognac

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • Whipped cream, optional

  • Cocoa powder, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Dutch advocaat gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Beat 10 large egg yolks, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/3 cups sugar until the mixture is thickened.

    Egg yolks, salt and sugar whisked together in a white bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Slowly trickle in the 1 1/2 cups brandy or cognac and keep beating until it is well blended.

    Whisking in liqueur to the egg mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and warm over 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.

    Mixture poured into a saucepan with a whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. When the mix is thickened and very hot, remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

    Whisking in the vanilla extract to the thickened Dutch eggnog

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Allow the advocaat to cool and then place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or until you're ready to serve in small glasses or espresso cups.

    Dutch advocaat in glasses cooling

    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 with whipped cream and cocoa powder

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Storing Advocaat

Advocaat will keep in the fridge for up to three days. 

How Strong Is Advocaat?

The alcohol content of commercial advocaat ranges from 14 percent to 20 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). While it's difficult to make accurate estimates with homemade versions, this recipe will produce an advocaat of about the same strength.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Thinner- if you prefer a thinner consistency, add a bit of cream.
  • Tokkelroom- fold some whipped cream through the drink to create a decadent dessert called tokkelroom.
  • Schelvispekel- replace the brandy with schelvispekel, a Dutch spiced brandy, for an interesting variation. 
  • Add Spice- for spiced advocaat, add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, or to taste.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
202 Calories
4g Fat
23g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 202
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 170mg 57%
Sodium 148mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 61mg 1%
*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.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Shell Eggs From Farm to Table. Food Safety Education; USDA.gov. 2020.