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This Dr Pepper eggnog recipe is a 2-ingredient holiday drink: fill a glass about three-quarters with cold Dr Pepper, then top it off with eggnog. The fizz of the soda and the creamy, vanilla-spiced eggnog meet in the middle for a sweet, frothy, milkshake-meets-soda flavor people online have nicknamed Dr Nog. It takes about a minute and zero skill.
I love a weird holiday drink experiment, the kind that makes everyone at the table make a face before they take a sip. This one had me skeptical too, because soda and dairy sounds like a curdled mess waiting to happen.
Then I actually tried it, and the flavors are shockingly complementary. If you’re a fan of either Dr Pepper or eggnog on its own, I really do recommend giving it a shot. It is firmly in the same fun, festive lane as the holiday drinks in my fall cocktail recipes roundup, just with way less effort.
What makes this Dr Pepper eggnog so good
The magic is the contrast. Eggnog on its own can feel heavy and almost too rich, but the carbonation in Dr Pepper lightens it up and makes the whole thing feel frothy and drinkable. Meanwhile the eggnog rounds out the sharp soda bite into something creamy and dessert-like.
Dr Pepper also has those dark, almost cherry-and-caramel background notes that play really well with the nutmeg and vanilla in eggnog. It tastes a little like a spiced cream soda float. Fair warning though, it is definitely way on the sweet side, so if you aren’t into super sweet drinks, this might not be your thing. If creamy sweet drinks are your thing, you’ll also love my copycat Orange Julius.
Is Dr Pepper good with eggnog?
Yes, Dr Pepper is surprisingly good with eggnog, as long as you like sweet drinks. The 23 flavors in Dr Pepper lean toward cherry, caramel, and spice, which echo the warm vanilla and nutmeg in eggnog instead of clashing with them. The carbonation keeps the eggnog from feeling too thick, so you get a light, creamy fizz rather than a heavy glass of nog. It won’t curdle the way milk and citrus soda might, because eggnog is rich and stable enough to hold up to the bubbles.
What is Dr Pepper and eggnog called?
The Dr Pepper and eggnog combo is affectionately called Dr Nog. It started as a viral holiday curiosity drink, the kind of would-you-try-it dare that makes the rounds every December. The name is a simple mashup of Dr Pepper and eggnog, and it’s the easiest way to ask for one if you’re explaining the drink to family who think you’ve lost your mind.
What is in a dirty Dr Pepper cocktail?
A dirty Dr Pepper is part of the dirty soda trend, usually built from Dr Pepper, a splash of coconut cream or half-and-half, and a flavored syrup like vanilla or coconut. Dr Nog is basically the holiday cousin of that drink, swapping the cream and syrup for a single pour of eggnog, which already brings the dairy, sugar, and spice in one bottle. If you want to go down the dirty soda rabbit hole, Food Network has a good explainer on what a dirty soda is.
Another drink that follows the same dirty soda logic is the Coke Espresso Drink with Cream, which swaps the soda for Coke and layers in a shot of espresso and a pour of cream.
If you want to stay in the Dr Pepper lane, 2-Ingredient Whipped Dr Pepper takes the same 2-ingredient idea and turns it into a creamy soda float by whipping heavy cream with a splash of Dr Pepper and spooning it right over iced Dr Pepper.
Tips for the best Dr Pepper eggnog
Keep both ingredients cold
Pour straight from the fridge. Cold soda holds its fizz longer and cold eggnog blends in smoother, so the drink stays frothy instead of going flat and warm.
Pour the soda first, eggnog last
Fill the glass about three-quarters with Dr Pepper, then float the eggnog on top. Adding the eggnog last gives you that pretty layered look for a second before it swirls together.
Adjust the ratio to your sweet tooth
More eggnog makes it creamier and richer, more Dr Pepper makes it lighter and fizzier. Start at three-quarters soda to one-quarter eggnog and tweak from there.
Stir gently or not at all
A soft stir marbles the two together. Stir too hard and you knock all the bubbles out, so go easy if you want to keep the fizz.
Serving and variations
Serve it right after you pour it, while it is cold and bubbly, since this is a make-and-sip-now drink rather than something to store. A tall glass shows off the creamy swirl, and a light dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon on top makes it feel a little more special for a holiday spread.
Want to switch it up? A scoop of vanilla ice cream turns it into a proper Dr Nog float, and grown-ups can add a splash of spiced rum or bourbon for a boozy version. If you like building cozy drinks like this, my hot cocoa bombs and cinnamon Korean banana milk are two more easy crowd-pleasers.
Equipment
- highball glass
- measuring cups
Ingredients
This makes one drink. Scale it up by the glass for a crowd.
- Dr Pepper, cold (enough to fill a glass three-quarters full, about 9 oz)
- Eggnog, cold (enough to top off the glass, about 3 oz)
- Optional: ground nutmeg or cinnamon, for dusting
No eggnog on the shelf yet? A store-bought holiday nog works perfectly here, and a dairy-free oat or almond nog makes a lighter version. Diet Dr Pepper keeps the flavor while cutting some of the sugar. For another festive, creamy sip, try my Korean banana milk two ways.
Instructions
- Fill a tall glass about three-quarters full with cold Dr Pepper.
- Slowly top off the rest of the glass with cold eggnog, pouring over the back of a spoon if you want a clean layered look.
- Give it one gentle stir to swirl the two together, keeping as many bubbles as you can.
- Dust with a little nutmeg or cinnamon if you like, and drink it right away while it is cold and fizzy.
If you’re into easy, festive drinks that bring people together, my homemade hard apple cider is another fun one for a holiday gathering. And if you’re new to eggnog in general, The Kitchn has a nice piece on why we drink eggnog at Christmas.
If you try this Dr Pepper eggnog recipe, leave a star rating on the recipe card below and let me know in the comments what you think. I really want to know if you’re team Dr Nog or team never-again.
Print
Dr Pepper Eggnog (Dr Nog)
- Total Time: 1
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
A 2-ingredient holiday drink that layers fizzy Dr Pepper with creamy eggnog into a sweet, frothy soda float nicknamed Dr Nog. Mix it in about a minute.
Ingredients
- Dr Pepper, cold (enough to fill a glass three-quarters full, about 9 oz)
- Eggnog, cold (enough to top off the glass, about 3 oz)
- Optional: ground nutmeg or cinnamon, for dusting
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the soda. Fill a tall glass about three-quarters full with cold Dr Pepper.
- Top with eggnog. Slowly top off the glass with cold eggnog, pouring over the back of a spoon for a clean layered look.
- Swirl gently. Give it one soft stir to marble the two together while keeping the bubbles.
- Finish and serve. Dust with nutmeg or cinnamon if you like, and drink right away while cold and fizzy.
Notes
- Use cold Dr Pepper and cold eggnog so the drink stays frothy instead of flat.
- Start at a 3:1 soda-to-eggnog ratio and adjust to taste; more eggnog is creamier, more soda is lighter.
- Stir gently, since stirring hard knocks out the carbonation.
- This drink is very sweet by nature; Diet Dr Pepper cuts some of the sugar.
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a float, or a splash of rum or bourbon for an adult version.
- Prep Time: 1
- Category: Drinks
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 drink
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg