If you’re wondering what to serve with your eggnog, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 42 of the most popular side dishes for eggnog.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with eggnog are cranberry orange biscotti, blueberry almond financiers, sour cream lemon bundt cake, and gingerbread rum balls. For savory options, try antipasto skewers, Southern cheese pecan wafers, herbed shortbread, prosciutto-wrapped grissini, or spiced nuts.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Cranberry orange biscotti
Got some leftover cranberries from making homemade cranberry sauce?
Use them to make these fruity cookies. The cranberries add a gorgeous pop of color and a delightful tart flavor.
The orange juice brings some sweetness, but not so much that these cookies will be too sweet for your eggnog.
Why we love this recipe: you can freeze the extras and save them for when you’re in need of a treat.
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Cranberry orange biscotti
Go savory
Olive biscotti
Make it fun
Christmas cookies
Spicy rosemary roasted party nuts
Every holiday party spread needs something savory to balance the sweet eggnog.
And that’s where these roasted nuts come in.
They’re coated with a mixture of cayenne pepper, rosemary, and brown sugar, giving them a caramelized but spicy coating.
(warning, these are REALLY addicting).
Why we love this recipe: they’re great for gifting.
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Spicy rosemary roasted party nuts
Ditch the heat
Italian herbed nuts
Make it different
Bacon pecan brittle
Blueberry almond financiers
Want something fancy with your eggnog? You can’t go wrong with these financiers.
They’re dainty almond cakes that originated in France.
Traditional recipes will use a special pan, but this recipe is adapted for a 12-cup muffin tin.
Psst… not a fan of blueberries? Swap them with your favorite berry!
Why we love this recipe: they look and taste like they’ve come from a highly-rated patisserie.
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Blueberry almond financiers
Make another French classic
Madeleines
Make it familiar
Mini strawberry lemon cupcakes
Sourcream lemon bundt cake
If you love lemony treats, this bundt cake is a must-try.
The cake is made with lemon juice, zest, and extract, so each bite is loaded with citrusy goodness (the icing is lemon flavor as well!).
And the sour cream keeps it light and moist.
Enjoy a slice with warm eggnog for the ultimate holiday snack.
Why we love this recipe: your guests will be lining up for seconds.
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Sourcream lemon bundt cake
Make a classic
Lemon bars
Make it mini
Lemon curd tartlets
Cranberry and brie phyllo cups
These are one-bite wonders.
Creamy brie, sharp cranberries, and woody walnuts. All encased in a crisp and flakey pastry cup.
And if you’re not a fan of this filling, you there are plenty of other fillings you can go for.
Why we love this recipe: it’s got a super short ingredients list.
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Cranberry and brie phyllo cups
An earthy twist
Mushroom stuffed phyllo cups
Use up leftovers
Sun dried tomato and pesto phyllo cups
Brown sugar bacon-wrapped little smokies
Another delicious savory option are these bacon-wrapped smokies.
The key to perfecting this recipe is to chill the seasoned smokies in the fridge before baking them.
This technique dissolves the sugar, so it will quickly crisp up and caramelize under the high cooking heat.
Why we love this recipe: kids and adults will love them equally.
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Brown sugar bacon-wrapped little smokies
Make a favorite
Pigs in a blanket
Swap the meat
Steak bites
Antipasto skewers
Eggnog is a rich, sweet drink and so something salty and fresh is a great contrast – like these antipasto skewers.
You can load them up with tomatoes and basil for a fresh, healthy twist…
Or stack them high with deli meat and olives if you’re feeling indulgent.
Plus, you can make them ahead of time. Win-win.
Why we love this recipe: it’s endlessly customizable.
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Antipasto skewers
Make it different
Caprese skewers
Make it light
Veggie cups
Savory shortbread
Shortbread is traditionally sweet, but it works really well with savory flavors too.
This picture-perfect recipe goes for rosemary and parmesan.
And each cookie is topped with a different herb. Sp pretty! You can also use edible flowers for a more colorful look.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for instagram.
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Herb shortbread
Make bread
Italian zucchini bread
Go sweet
Chocolate-dipped shortbread
Gingerbread rum balls
Turn traditional gingerbread into an adults-only affair with these rum balls.
They’re made with store-bought gingerbread cookies, pecans, and warming spices like cinnamon and cacao powder.
You can keep things simple with a powdered sugar coating, or make them fancy with sprinkles, toasted coconut, or melted chocolate.
Why we love this recipe: they don’t require any baking.
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Gingerbread rum balls
Make it different
Champagne cake balls
Skip the alcohol
Cookie butter truffles
Eggnog pie
This isn’t a side dish, but I want to introduce you to this oh-so-festive dessert you can whip up with any leftover eggnog.
The eggnog is mixed into some custard and paired with a gingerbread crust. YUM.
Pro tip: to achieve a silky smooth custard, strain the filling and let it rest for about 15 minutes to reduce the air bubbles.
Why we love this recipe: it’ll make your kitchen smell amazing.
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Eggnog pie
Make it fusion
Eggnog gingerbread tiramisu
Make it quick
Eggnog cookies
Cheese-stuffed pretzel bites
Pretzel bites are usually served with a cheese dip, but why not combine the two for a tasty, hand-held snack?
Just thinking about biting into these soft, cheesy pretzels is enough to make my mouth water.
And the best part? You might already have everything you need in your cupboard.
Why we love this recipe: you can get the whole family involved in making them.
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Cheese-stuffed pretzel bites
Stick with the basics
Soft pretzel knots
Ditch the oven
Ranch pretzels
Southern cheese pecan wafers
These one-bite wafers pack a flavorful punch, but won’t take away from the main event of eggnog.
And they’re great if you want to spread the prep out because you can make the dough up to 3 days in advance.
Then when the day of your party comes, all you need to do is shape the wafers and pop them in the oven.
Why we love this recipe: they’re way better than anything you’ll find in the store.
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Southern cheese pecan wafers
Make it fancy
Parmigiano crackers
Make it gourmet
California fig and pistachio crisps
Grapes
Make things easy for yourself and serve a bunch of grapes.
Sweet, sharp, and juicy. The perfect accompaniment to a decadent eggnog.
And everyone loves them! I don’t know a single person that doesn’t like grapes.
Make sure you get the seedless ones though, so your guests don’t have to worry about pips getting stuck in their teeth.
Why we love this recipe: it’s zero work.
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Grapes
Make it fancy
Roasted grapes
Make it fun
Feta and grape skewers
Prosciutto-wrapped grissini
Grissini sticks are Italian-style breadsticks. They’re longer, thinner, and crispier than standard breadsticks.
And they’ll bring a much-needed crunchy texture to your eggnog party.
Wrapping them in prosciutto is just the icing on the cake!
Why we love this recipe: it’s simple but elegant.
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Prosciutto-wrapped grissini
Skip the meat
Spicy parmesan and herb grissini
Make it decadent
Prosciutto and brie twists
The best side dishes to serve with eggnog
- Cranberry orange biscotti
- Spicy rosemary roasted party nuts
- Blueberry almond financiers
- Sourcream lemon bundt cake
- Cranberry and brie phyllo cups
- Brown sugar bacon-wrapped little smokies
- Antipasto skewers
- Savory shortbread
- Gingerbread rum balls
- Eggnog pie
- Cheese-stuffed pretzel bites
- Southern cheese pecan wafers
- Grapes
- Prosciutto-wrapped grissini
What To Serve With Eggnog
Ingredients
- 1 portion eggnog
Instructions
- Prepare your eggnog according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: cranberry orange biscotti, spicy rosemary roasted party nuts, blueberry almond financiers, sourcream lemon bundt cake, cranberry and brie phyllo cups, brown sugar bacon-wrapped little smokies, antipasto skewers, savory shortbread, gingerbread rum balls, eggnog pie, cheese-stuffed pretzel bites, southern cheese pecan wafers, grapes, amd prosciutto-wrapped grissini.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!