Rompope Mexican Eggnog

By
Chelsie Kenyon
Chelsie Kenyon
Chelsie Kenyon, author of "Knack Mexican Cooking," is a former writer and recipe developer with more than 10 years of experience in Mexican cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/17/21
Rompope Mexican Eggnog

The Spruce / Qi Ai

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Rompope, a Mexican holiday cocktail similar to eggnog, borrowed its basic recipe from Spanish egg punch, called ponche de huevo.

First concocted by nuns in the 17th century in a Puebla convent, rompope grew in popularity quickly. After those nuns perfected the recipe and began selling the sweet and fragrant drink, a taste for rompope spread throughout Mexico. As the story goes, one of the sisters took the original recipe, which had a secret ingredient, to the grave with her. Consumption of the creamy drink spikes around Christmas and New Year's, but this rich and creamy beverage is also fitting for a birthday toast or to sip along with dessert.

Rompope is an interesting drink because it requires you to make an almond paste that gets whisked into a base of milk, cinnamon, and sugar. Then the egg yolks are whisked into the mixture. Make sure your eggs are as fresh as possible. In a recipe like this, it not only ensures the drink is safe to consume, but it makes a taste difference, too.

This drink can be served chilled, over ice, or warm, depending on the season and your taste preference. You can increase or decrease the amount of rum, too. Feel free to omit the rum if you want to make this for people who aren't drinking alcohol.

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Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Rompope Mexican Eggnog ingredients

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

  2. Process almonds into a paste in a food processor.

    Process almonds into a paste in a food processor

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

  3. Simmer milk, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the milk is heated through. Do not boil. Remove from stove and let stand for 30 minutes.

    Milk, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a heavy-bottom saucepan

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

  4. Whisk almond paste into milk mixture.

    Whisk almond paste into milk mixture

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

  5. Beat egg yolks until creamy, then slowly add the milk mixture, stirring continuously until fully incorporated.

    Add egg mixture to the milk mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

  6. Return pan to stove and cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes.

    Rompope Mexican Eggnog cooking in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

  7. Allow rompope to cool completely. Add rum and stir before serving.

    Rompope added to the eggnog mixture

    The Spruce / Qi Ai

Tip

Any kind of eggnog drink is really delicious with some ground nutmeg sprinkled on top before serving. If you've got fresh nutmeg, that's even better.

How to Store Rompope Mexican Eggnog

You can make rompope ahead of time. It will keep for seven to 10 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Alcohol-free versions of rompope will keep for three days in the refrigerator.

Variations

You can scale this recipe up by double or triple if you are having a party and want to serve rompope to a larger group.


This recipe is often made with white rum, but feel free to use your favorite kind for this recipe.

Raw Egg Warning

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

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
533 Calories
16g Fat
64g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 533
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 298mg 99%
Sodium 249mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 63g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 356mg 27%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 493mg 10%
*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.)