Rompope (Mexican Eggnog)
A velvety custard drink of egg yolks, milk and cinnamon, spiked with rum and poured cold into small glasses. Rich, warming and perfect for the holidays, straight from the convent kitchens of Puebla.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Infuse the milk
Put the milk and cinnamon stick in a pot of at least 3 litres and bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat; the extra room stops it boiling over. Turn off the heat, cover and let steep 10 minutes.
- 1 litre whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
✅ Done when: milk smells strongly of cinnamon
Whisk yolks and sugar
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt for 2-3 minutes until pale and thick.
- 8 egg yolks
- 200 g sugar
- 1 pinch salt
✅ Done when: mixture falls off the whisk in thick ribbons
Temper the eggs
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Cook the custard gently
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Strain for silkiness
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Add rum and vanilla
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Chill and serve
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Infuse the milk
Put the milk and cinnamon stick in a pot of at least 3 litres and bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat; the extra room stops it boiling over. Turn off the heat, cover and let steep 10 minutes.
- 1 litre whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
✅ Done when: milk smells strongly of cinnamon
Whisk yolks and sugar
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt for 2-3 minutes until pale and thick.
- 8 egg yolks
- 200 g sugar
- 1 pinch salt
✅ Done when: mixture falls off the whisk in thick ribbons
Temper the eggs
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Cook the custard gently
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Strain for silkiness
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Add rum and vanilla
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Chill and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Rompope is said to have been created by Clarisa nuns in the convents of Puebla, who used egg yolks left over from clarifying wine or making other sweets, mixing them with milk, sugar and spices for a restorative drink. Over time it became a treat shared with visitors and sold outside convent walls.
Today it's made in homes and bottled commercially all over Mexico, especially around Christmas and Día de Muertos, when families gather and pour small glasses to toast the season.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's the Mexican answer to eggnog: silkier and more custard-like, perfumed with Ceylon cinnamon and gently warmed by rum, a festive drink people look forward to every year.
💡 Fun Fact
The exact origin of the name 'rompope' is debated, with some tracing it to older Spanish words for a thick egg drink, but no single story is confirmed.
Puebla
19.04°N, -98.21°W
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