When it comes to festive drinks, it doesn’t get much more holiday than a hot mug of spiked eggnog! You can make your holiday libations cruelty free and a little more eco-friendly with our version of this classic cocktail!

Wait, what is cruel about egg nog? Not only is the stuff full of animal fats that are hard on your body, but the eggs and milk that give it that rich texture and taste are not so great for the planet.

Chickens raised conventionally for their eggs, or “laying hens,” live in terrible conditions. According to the folks at Go Veg, the birds live:

…crammed together in wire cages where they don’t even have enough room to spread a single wing. The cages are stacked on top of each other, and the excrement from chickens in the higher cages constantly falls on those below. The birds have part of their sensitive beaks cut off so that they won’t peck each other as a result of the frustration created by the unnatural confinement. After their bodies are exhausted and their production drops, they are shipped to slaughter, generally to be turned into chicken soup or cat or dog food because their flesh is too bruised and battered to be used for much else.

Milk production is no kinder. The cows live in cramped conditions much like the chickens described above. Cows are also notorious emitters of methane, a harsh greenhouse gas.

Well, that was sort of a buzzkill. But don’t despair! You can still have a totally tasty mug of eggnog! Just pick yourself up a carton or two of Silk nog. Even my omnivorous pals are Silk nog fans. It’s creamy, sweet, and just a little bit spicy - everything you’d want from a good nog.

We’ve even got a recipe for you that you can feel totally good about whipping up!

Eggless Nog

• 2 pints Silk nog or Silk Pumpkin Spice
• 4 oz. Papagayo Organic Spiced Rum
• 4 cinnamon sticks (optional)

In a small saucepan, heat the nog over medium heat until it just starts to bubble. Immediately remove your pan from the heat and divvy up the nog between four mugs.

Add a shot of rum to each glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick! Voila!

You can also make this soy- and gluten free by whipping up a batch of this tasty-looking vegan eggnog and using that in place of the Silk. If you’re totally not feeling the nog this year, you could always substitute organic apple cider for the Silk in this recipe. Happy holidays!

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Elana’s Pantry