• Warm everything together

  Add the half & half to a saucepan over low heat.

  Whisk in the brown sugar or maple syrup, molasses, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and optional turmeric.

  Heat gently

  Continue warming, whisking occasionally, until the mixture reaches 170°F.

  Steam is perfect. Do not simmer or boil.

  Turn off the heat and add vanilla

  Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

  Strain and store (optional)

  Strain if you want an extra-smooth creamer.

  Let cool slightly, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

Storage

• Refrigerate up to 1 week.

  Shake before using.

Notes

• If using cane sugar instead of brown sugar, increase the molasses slightly to keep that classic eggnog depth.

  Adding vanilla off heat keeps the flavor smooth and prevents bitterness.