The Tom and Jerry is a hot holiday drink built on a sweet, spiced egg batter. Think of it as hot eggnog that got lighter: the yolks are beaten with sugar and spice, the whites are whipped stiff, and the two fold into a batter that waits in the fridge. A big spoonful goes in the mug with brandy and dark rum, then hot milk on top melts it into a foamy, nutmeg-dusted drink. It's a December standard in Wisconsin and Minnesota, which is exactly when the lots get coldest.
Cook ahead: make the batter the night before; it keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. At the lot: the batter rides in the cooler, the milk rides hot in a preheated thermos, and there's nothing to cook. Homegating: keep the milk on low on the stove and let everyone build their own mug at halftime.
Home gear: a stand or hand mixer, two large bowls, a lidded 2-quart container, two 64-oz vacuum thermoses
AT HOME
Whip the batter the night before
2 DAYS
Batter keeps in the fridge
5 MIN
At the lot
16
People
Ingredients
Batter
- 6 large pasteurized-in-shell eggs, separated
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg, plus more for the tops
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp dark rum (optional; it flavors the batter)
Mugs
- 1 gallon whole milk (or hot water, the old-school way)
- 1 bottle (375 ml) brandy, for ¾ oz a mug
- 1 bottle (375 ml) dark rum, for ¾ oz a mug
- Whole nutmeg and a small grater, for the tops
Steps
At home (the night before)
- Beat the yolks in a large bowl until they're pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and the tablespoon of rum.
- In a clean bowl, whip the whites with the cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.
- Fold a third of the whites into the yolks to loosen them, then fold in the rest gently, just until no white streaks remain. Don't stir; you want the air.
- Spoon it into the lidded container and refrigerate it. It keeps up to 2 days; if it separates a little, fold it back together.
Game morning
- Preheat the thermoses with boiling water for 10 minutes. Heat the milk until it steams, about 165°F, without letting it boil. Pour out the water and fill the thermoses to the top with the milk. Cap them.
- Pack the batter in the cooler on ice.
At the lot
- Put 2 heaping tablespoons of batter in each mug. Add ¾ oz brandy and ¾ oz dark rum, then about 5 oz hot milk, stirring as you pour so the batter melts into foam.
- Grate nutmeg over the top. Put the batter back in the cooler between rounds.
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Alcohol: 21 and over only. Check your lot's open-container rule in your stadium guide first. The batter and milk carry no alcohol except the optional tablespoon of rum; skip it and kids and drivers get the same drink.
- Eggs: use pasteurized-in-shell eggs. The batter is raw, and hot milk doesn't cook it through.
- Cold batter, hot milk: the batter stays in the cooler at 40°F or colder and goes home or out after 2 hours out of it. The milk stays capped in the thermos and out of the wind.
What is a Tom and Jerry drink?
A hot holiday drink made from a whipped, spiced egg batter. A spoonful of batter goes into a mug with brandy and dark rum, then hot milk or hot water melts it into a sweet, foamy drink.
Can you make Tom and Jerry batter ahead?
Yes. Make it the night before and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Fold it back together if it separates.
Is Tom and Jerry batter safe with raw eggs?
Use pasteurized-in-shell eggs. The hot milk warms the batter but doesn't reliably cook the egg, so pasteurized eggs are the safe call, and the batter stays at 40°F or colder until it's used.
What's the difference between a Tom and Jerry and eggnog?
Eggnog is served cold, with the eggs mixed into milk or cream. A Tom and Jerry is served hot, and the whites are whipped separately, so it's lighter and foamier.
Can you make a Tom and Jerry without alcohol?
Yes. Leave out the tablespoon of rum in the batter and skip the brandy and rum in the mug. Batter plus hot milk is a warm, spiced drink for everyone.
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