Hot Buttered Rum is a classic Christmas cocktail and the perfect warm drink for a chilly evening at home. Made with butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, warm spices, and aged rum. The cozy feel is perfect for the holiday season.
Hot Buttered Rum is a historical drink that dates all the way back to colonial days when rum was easier to import.
A spin off of the hot toddy drink (which uses whiskey), this drink even has it’s own holiday! Every year, January 17th is National Hot Buttered Rum Day. Which makes sense because January is one of the coldest months of the year.
During the winter months, this hot drink that will warm you up from the inside out.
Looking for a few more cozy drinks? Try this Drunken Snowman made with Baileys or this Homemade Eggnog recipe. Need a large batch Christmas cocktail? Then go for this amazing Slow Cooker Mulled Wine.
Why You’ll Love this Hot Buttered Rum
- The secret is the butter! It adds such a rich, creamy texture to this alcoholic beverage and when mixed with sugar and spices this hot buttered rum recipe is unforgettable.
- It’s a warm and cozy warm drink that’s sippable and soothing. It has a boozy kick and a rich creaminess in each sip.
- This boozy drink serves as an age-old remedy for soothing a sore throat.
- The warm spices in this rich drink will fill your home with an incredible aroma full of holiday spice and butter rum.
- You control the alcohol content. Add more for a stronger cocktail or go lighter on the alcohol allowing the spices to take center stage.
- Hot cocktails to warm you up on winter days and this cozy spiked drink will do the job.
To add to your holiday cheer, serve everyone a sweet Mini Rum Cake to enjoy with their cocktails.
What Type of Rum is Best for Hot Buttered Rum?
A golden or amber color aged rum is the best type liquor for this classic cocktail. Aged rum is smoother and takes on the flavors and color of the wood barrel it is aged in.
You can also use your favorite dark rum.
Most importantly, using good quality rum is essential.
What does a Hot Buttered Rum Taste Like?
It is hard to describe, but I would say a hot sugar cookie with a rum kick. It’s sweet with a creamy texture because of the butter.
It’s also a strong flavored cocktail. The rum and the spices are prominent.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Measuring Cup
- Saucepan or Microwave-safe container
- Muddler or Spoon
- A glass mug with a handle
Ingredients
BUTTER: I recommend using unsalted butter that is room temperature or melted. The melted butter offers a super creamy and rich flavor to the festive drink.
BROWN SUGAR: You’ll need two tablespoons of packed brown sugar. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
VANILLA EXTRACT: You will add a splash of vanilla to the drink to really help bloom the rest of the flavors and enhance the spices.
WARM SPICES: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are going help flavor the butter rum recipe.
RUM: Aged rum adds the deeper flavor and smooth boozy kick. Alternatively, you can use a dark rum. Use any brand you prefer, but it’s the star of the show, so use a good dark or aged rum.
HOT WATER: Pour in boiling water to melt the butter and sugar and create a hot, sipping drink.
CINNAMON STICK: Add a cinnamon stick for garnish.
How to Make Hot Buttered Rum
- Add butter, sugar, vanilla, and spices to your glass mug with a handle.
- Mix well with a muddler or a spoon to make the batter.
- Add rum and boiling hot water to the butter mixture. Stir well to ensure all the flavors blend together.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Tips
- Quality ingredients are recommended to get the best flavor out of this hot buttered rum mixed drink.
- Use real butter, not margarine. The margarine is more oil-based and will negatively affect the texture and flavor of the drink.
- Feel free to add more spices to create a stronger spiced flavor. Or, omit any of the spices you are not fond of.
- Try using spiced rum in replace of a dark rum. Or use a flavored rum like vanilla.
- If you use an immersion blender it will create a frothy texture to the mixture.
- I recommend you don’t use light rum. Light rum is a citrus base flavor which will not mix as well with the various spices.
Variations
There are so many ways to change up this recipe, although it is perfectly delicious as is. Here are some recipe ideas:
- Swap sugar with a maple syrup, honey etc.
- Top with whipped cream.
- In place of the water, use warm apple cider or spiced apple cider, which is a very common alternative to this recipe.
- Stir in Amaretto to add in a nutty flavor.
- Sprinkle in a little black pepper for a spicy twist.
- Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to make the batter frothy and full of sweet flavor.
- Mix in a tablespoon of hot chocolate mix for a chocolate twist to drink.
Can I Make a Non-Alcoholic Version of Buttered Rum Hot Drink?
Swap the alcohol and water with hot apple cider to create the spiced buttered drink.
You can also add in a splash of rum extract to get the toasted sugar flavor of traditional rum.
How to Store Leftovers
If you do not drink all of the butter rum mixture, place it in the fridge in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you want to drink some, I recommend simply warming it up on the stovetop for the best quality.
Hot Buttered Rum is a festive cocktail for the fall and winter months. A classic Christmas cocktail you don’t want to miss!
Cheers!
Hot Buttered Rum
Hot Buttered Rum is a classic Christmas cocktail and the perfect warm drink for a chilly evening at home. Made with butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, warm spices, and aged rum. The cozy feel is perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons packed Brown Sugar (adjust according to your tastes)
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (optional)
- 2 ounces Aged Rum or Dark Rum
- 4 ounces Hot Water
- Cinnamon Stick, garnish
Instructions
- Add butter, sugar, vanilla, and spices to your glass mug with a handle.
- Mix well with a muddler or a spoon to make the batter.
- Add rum and boiling hot water to the butter mixture. Stir well to ensure all the flavors blend together.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Notes
Tips: Vanilla Extract has a strong flavor even in small quantities. Omit the vanilla extract if you're not a big fan of the flavor. Add more or less or even omit any of the spices per your tastes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 338Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 8mgCarbohydrates: 14gSugar: 16gProtein: 0g
Nutritional values are estimates and not exact.