How to Make Hot Buttered Rum

There’s nothing like a classic cocktail like hot buttered rum to heat things up on even the coldest of days. This version uses spiced rum, raw sugar, and plenty of warming spices. Garnish each mug with a pat of butter and a cinnamon stick. You can also try one of the many variations!

Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup raw sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch salt
  • ¾ cup spiced rum
  • 2 cups water
  • Whipped cream, to garnish
  • Cinnamon sticks, to garnish

Directions:

Let the butter come to room temperature before making this cocktail. Even though you can use any butter that you have on hand, the recipe comes out best when using European butter since there is a slightly higher fat content.

Add the butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a medium bowl and beat together on medium speed using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large measuring cup. Add the rum and let the mixture stand for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the 2 cups of water to a boil. Pour over the butter and rum mixture and stir well until all the ingredients completely dissolve. Pour the cocktail evenly into 4 mugs and garnish with a pat of cold butter and a cinnamon stick.

Variations:

Chocolate Hot Buttered Rum. Prepare the recipe listed above as usual. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil instead of 2 cups and stir in 2 packets of hot chocolate before pouring into the measuring cup. Pour into mugs as usual.

Butterscotch Hot Buttered Rum. Prepare the recipe listed above as usual. Add 2 ounces of butterscotch schnapps to the measuring cup with the spiced rum and butter mixture. Follow the rest of the recipe as listed and pour into mugs as usual.

Hot Buttered Rum with Orange. Prepare the recipe listed above as usual. When beating the ingredients together before adding them to the measuring cup, add about 1 teaspoon fresh grated orange peel with the rest of the spices.

Creamed Hot Buttered Rum. Prepare the recipe listed above as usual. Add ¼ cup cream or half and half with the rest of the ingredients in the measuring cup before pouring into the mugs.

Hot Buttered Rum with Espresso. Prepare the recipe listed above as usual. Add two espresso shots to the measuring cup when adding the boiling water and pour into the mugs as usual.

Hot Buttered Rum Ice Cream Float. Prepare the recipe listed above as usual. Add a scoop of vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, butterscotch, or coffee ice cream to 4 large dessert glasses. Pour the prepared hot buttered rum cocktail over the ice cream and garnish with a cinnamon stick.