Protein Eggnog Loaf (Sugar-free, Gluten free, Keto)

This protein eggnog loaf is soft, moist, and spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, finished with a simple rum icing. It's a sugar-free, gluten-free, keto-friendly, high protein quick bread that's great for winter mornings.

If you love quick breads as much as I do, you'll want to try my coconut flour pumpkin bread and protein banana bread and next.

Top-down view of sliced eggnog loaf with white frosting on a ridged plate, next to cinnamon sticks and small dishes.

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My best friend in high school loved eggnog so much that finding it in stores every year called for a special trip, just for that. It became our own little tradition every winter. This loaf is for her, with all that same eggnog flavor baked right in.

Quick breads are one of my favorite things to bake, since they're so easy to make. This one is great for a winter snack or a quick breakfast, with warm notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum extract. I hope you love it as much as I did making it for you!

Ingredients

Okay, let's get into it. Here's what you'll need to make this:

Frosting ingredients on a white surface: a bowl of powdered sweetener, a block of butter, a bottle of extract, and eggnog.

Find the complete ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, or use the "jump to recipe" button at the top of the post.

Here's a few tips about key ingredients:

Protein powder (eggnog flavor): I used Keto Chow's eggnog flavor, which is a milk protein isolate based powder with xanthan gum, acacia fiber, and eggnog flavor added for better texture and flavor. For a swap, milk protein isolate, milk protein concentrate or 80% casein/20% whey blends should work, but the texture will change slightly.
Granulated sugar-free sweetener: I used a erythritol/monk fruit blend for the loaf. If you use allulose, it will brown faster and look burnt. For the icing, I also used erythritol/monk fruit blend. Allulose will take a lot longer to set.
Rum extract: It's optional, but I recommend it. It's what makes this taste like real spiked eggnog without actual rum.

How To Make

Here's how to make this recipe successfully:

Before you get started: Melt the butter or coconut oil and let it cool slightly. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides for easy lifting later.

Whisk in a glass bowl of dry ingredients for eggnog loaf, with the flour, leavening, and spices mixed together evenly.

Whisk the dry ingredients together first. Combine the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a bowl. This keeps the spices and baking powder evenly distributed before the wet ingredients go in.

Glass bowl of wet ingredients before mixing, showing cracked eggs over melted butter, cream, and a splash of vanilla.

Whisk resting in a glass bowl of smooth, pale yellow wet ingredients for eggnog loaf, whisked together until fully combined.

Add the wet ingredients in order. Whisk in the sweetener, melted butter, cream, eggs, vanilla, and rum extract one at a time, in that order. This helps everything emulsify smoothly instead of separating.

White spatula in a glass bowl of thick, light brown eggnog loaf batter after the wet and dry ingredients are combined.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones gently. Stop as soon as no streaks of egg remain. The batter will be thick, and overmixing here can make the loaf dense. Batter will be very thick

Thick eggnog loaf batter spread evenly in a parchment-lined metal loaf pan before baking, with a red napkin beside it.

Scoop the batter into the pan and smooth the top. An even layer bakes more evenly all the way through. I used a cookie scoop to make sure it was added to the pan evenly.
Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. It's done when the top turns golden, a toothpick comes out clean, and the center reads about 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Cool the loaf for 10 minutes in the pan, then move it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before icing. A warm loaf will melt the icing right off.

Overhead view of a whole eggnog loaf with swirled white frosting on a ridged plate beside cinnamon sticks and a red napkin.

Whisk the icing ingredients together until smooth. Add cream or almond milk a few drops at a time if it's too thick to spread. Spread it over the fully cooled loaf, then let it set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Eggnog loaf with one end sliced off on a wooden board, showing a soft golden crumb under a layer of white frosting.

Single slice of eggnog loaf on a small white plate, with more frosted slices on plates and a cinnamon stick nearby.

Olivia's Top Tips

Let the loaf cool completely before icing. Icing a warm loaf makes it melt and slide right off instead of setting.
Add the rum extract if you can. It's what gives this loaf that real spiked-eggnog flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different protein powder?

Yes. Milk protein isolate, milk protein concentrate, or an 80% casein/20% whey blend will work in place of Keto Chow's eggnog flavor. The texture will change slightly. If your powder is unflavored, add an extra pinch of nutmeg and a splash more vanilla to bring back that eggnog taste.

Can I use allulose instead?

I don't recommend it for the loaf. Allulose browns much faster, so the outside can look burnt before the center is done. It also takes a lot longer to set in the icing. An erythritol and monk fruit blend works best for both.

Do I need the rum extract?

No, it's optional. The loaf still has plenty of cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggnog flavor from the protein powder. If you skip it, add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla.

Find the printable recipe card below with all ingredient measurements, instructions, and my notes.

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