Before eggnog took over Christmas, America had another holiday classic — the Tom & Jerry. I’m bringing back the original 1862 Jerry Thomas version complete with the batter bowl, the hot milk, and the historic three-booze blend. If you’ve looking for a new holiday cocktail bring back this old classic.
Tom 'n Jerry Batter (Jerry Thomas, 1862 – Half Batch Build Used in Video)
- 6 eggs
- 1 lb superfine sugar
- ½ oz Jamaican rum
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp allspice
DIRECTIONS
- Separate eggs. Whip whites until stiff.
- Beat yolks with sugar, spices, and rum until smooth.
- Fold yolks into whites. Batter should be fluffy and light.
Serving
- 1 tbsp Tom & Jerry batter
- 1 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
- ½ oz Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
- ½ oz Cruzan Light Rum (Santa Cruz style)
- 3–4 oz hot milk
- Fresh nutmeg
Warm the mug, add batter, add spirits, top with hot milk, stir gently, grate nutmeg.
FULL LARGE-BATCH BATTER (Original 1862 Scale)
Perfect for holiday parties.
Batter (Full Jerry Thomas Batch)
- 12 eggs
- 2 lbs superfine sugar
- 1 oz Jamaican rum
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
DIRECTIONS
- Same as above — just scaled up.
- This amount will serve a full tavern bowl or a large holiday gathering.
Classic Serving Ratio (Per Mug)
- 1 heaping tbsp batter
- 1 oz brandy
- ½ oz Jamaican rum
- ½ oz Santa Cruz rum
- Hot milk or boiling water
- Nutmeg
