Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

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Make this Hot Buttered Rum recipe for holiday parties or for sipping on while sitting in front of a roaring fire on cold winter nights.

This soothing hot cocktail is gently spiced and warms the soul with every sip!

Make sure you check out our list of amazing Christmas Cocktail Recipes to get you in the spirit! Right-click and open a new tab to read next.

Classic Hot Buttered Rum Cocktail

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Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

I love rum, it’s one of those spirits (liquors) that really reminds me of Christmas.

I think it’s because it is often used as an ingredient in truffles which I associate with the season too!

Rum is such a delicious warming spirit as it is, but in this Hot Buttered Rum recipe, it is taken to the next level.

While the thought of adding butter to a cocktail seems a bit weird, I can assure you it’s not and tastes so good!

The concoction of rum, spices, butter, and water makes a rich, syrupy, comforting beverage that is a great alternative to mulled wine.

What is Hot Buttered Rum?

Hot buttered rum is a mixed drink containing rum, butter, hot water or cider, a sweetener, and various spices (usually cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves). It is especially popular in the fall and winter and is traditionally associated with the holiday season. In the United States, the drink has a venerable history that dates back to colonial days. During that time many families had their own individual recipes, and early Americans believed rum to be nutritious and a strengthener of the body.

Wikipedia

How To Make Hot Buttered Rum

Think of it like making any other hot drink – you add all the ingredients (butter, sugar, spices, and rum) to a mug (or Irish coffee glass) and stir together with the hot water to combine everything together.

It is one of those drinks that you can also adjust to your personal preference – so add more or fewer spices and sugar as you like.

You could use cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or a mixture of them such as mixed spice (in the UK) and allspice (in the US). Pumpkin spice would also work. Add extra spice by using spiced rum too.

Hot Buttered Rum Variations

You can substitute the rum for whiskey – Hot Buttered Whiskey; or brandy – Hot Buttered Brandy, and you can even make a non-alcoholic mocktail version – Hot Buttered Pineapple (recipe coming soon!)

Speaking of the mocktail pineapple version, the Hot Buttered Rum recipe I’m sharing here actually uses pineapple juice instead of water for a bit of a twist on the classic. If you’re not a fan of pineapple juice then use hot water instead.

Hot Buttered Rum Sub(stitute!)

I love the Monin brand of syrups as there are many flavors and they are a very versatile ingredient that can be used in cocktails, mocktails, coffee, cocoa, shakes, smoothies, and more.

Monin has a Caribbean syrup which is described as “Nose of Caribbean rum aged in oak barrel; sweet rum taste with notes of fruits and vanilla … will convert rum-based alcoholic cocktails to their non-alcoholic versions without losing the rum aroma“.

So, for a virgin version of Hot Buttered Rum, we are going to substitute the rum for the Caribbean syrup mentioned above. Follow the recipe card at the end of this post, replacing the rum with the syrup.

You may want to adjust the amount of the syrup to suit your taste, and perhaps omit the sugar. Experiment with it!

Hot Buttered Rum for a Crowd

You can prep the buttered rum part of this cocktail recipe in advance which is great if you are making it for a crowd, or if you want to have it on hand to make at a moment’s notice.

Essentially you are making spiced rum butter that you can store in the fridge and use whenever you like. It will store happily for several weeks, so make it at the start of winter and use it throughout the holiday season.

Place half a cup of unsalted butter into a bowl and add 3 cups of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of dark rum, 1 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Beat together well by hand or an electric mixer then transfer to an airtight jar and store in the fridge.

Alternatively, you can dump the rum butter onto a piece of parchment paper, wrap up and shape and roll it into a log. Slice off a bit to use in your drink.

To make a glass of Hot Buttered Rum using the prepared rum butter, place a spoonful into a glass with a 2 oz shot of rum and top up with water. Stir to combine and enjoy!

Hot Buttered Rum Christmas Drink

Make It A Meal!

This is a beverage you probably wouldn’t drink alongside a meal, but more as a dessert with some cookies or a slice of cake.

However, if you’re looking for some festive recipe ideas here are my suggestions:

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy! Please feel free to check them out too.

Hot Buttered Rum in glasses with handles and cinnamon stick

More Christmas Cocktails

If you want more Christmas cocktails to make after this one, check these ones out:

This cocktail recipe is intended for adults of the legal drinking age in your country of residence.
Please drink responsibly. Do not drink and drive.

Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Make this Hot Buttered Rum recipe for holiday parties or for sipping on while sitting in front of a roaring fire on cold winter nights.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 oz dark rum
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice*
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

  1. Place the butter, rum, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mug and mix together with a spoon. Set aside.
  2. Place the pineapple juice into a pan on medium heat and warm through until just before boiling.
  3. Pour the hot pineapple juice into the mug with the butter mixture stirring well.
  4. Serve with a cinnamon stick and sprinkled with more spices if desired.

Notes

* if you don't like pineapple juice substitute for hot (just before boiling) water instead and follow the instructions given.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 382Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 8mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 1gSugar: 29gProtein: 1g

This site uses an outside source (Nutritionix) to provide estimated nutrition. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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The Create the Holidays series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog features free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Christmas and the Winter Holidays. Check out Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016201520142013, and 2012.

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