Traditional eggnog is essentially a drinkable custard made with raw eggs. It’s meant to be decadent, thick, spicy, and alcoholic (if you’re into that sort of thing). But making a batch of eggnog is no quick fix. Some recipes call for a generous helping of beaten eggs, while others require tempering the custard with hot milk. If you’re interested in making eggnog but are discouraged by the raw eggs, wish you had a vegan option, or are put off by the time it takes to make a batch, I’ve got the perfect hack for you.

I don’t know how many people learned about eggnog from watching Christmas Vacation , but you can add me to your ranks. After that inspiring scene with the reindeer cup, I tried to make a classic eggnog from scratch, the kind with whipped yolks and whipped whites thrown in at the end. Although it tasted good and was extremely alcoholic, I never made it again. Simply put, it was a pain in the ass. Unless you’re making an entire cocktail of raw eggs, which is not very easy to control, you’re going to be doing a lot of whipping. If you’re boiling the custard to get that stable, velvety texture, you’re probably tempering the eggs with hot milk. That leaves you with a pot of steaming hot custard to cool before you eat it, and that alone will cost you many earthly hours.

That’s right: ice cream. Your mind will tell you, “No, we’ve spent our entire lives trying to prevent this,” but go ahead and melt down a pint or two of vanilla ice cream. It’s the perfect base for a flavorful, thick, and creamy eggnog: it’s itself a pre-made, pre-aerated, pre-chilled vanilla custard. You probably already have a brand you love. The hard work has been done for you; all you have to do is personalize it.

I saw this hack on Sara Moulton's Instagram. If you don't know her, Sara is an OG celebrity chef. Sara was grilling steaks on Food Network before Rachael Ray burned her first piece of broiler toast on TV.