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Hot Buttered Rum is a festive, rich drink that’s warmly spiced and sweetly aromatic with a buttery brown sugar flavor.
Last year around Christmas, a friend came to visit me in Orlando. We went to Disney (because it’s Orlando and that’s where we take tourists, lol). At Magic Kingdom, we went on one of my long-time favorite rides, Pirates of the Caribbean. There’s a part in the ride where there’s a rum-type of smell, but to me it smells like buttered rum! (Anyone else remember that yummy Lifesavers flavor? My grandma always used to keep a roll of them in her purse.)
Anyway, that aroma put us in the mood for Buttered Rum. It wasn’t long after that when my friend and I made Hot Buttered Rum drinks. If you’re looking for the perfect festive spiced Christmas cocktail, this drink is it!
What is Butter Rum?
Butter Rum is an adult (read: alcoholic; please drink responsibly!) beverage. It typically contains:
- Hot water or cider
- Rum
- Sweetener, such as sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc.
- Butter
- Warm spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
Some people serve this drink with a hefty dollop of whipped cream, which you can add to this recipe! However, I find that the foamy top (thanks to the butter) is perfect for me.
Easy Hot Buttered Rum Recipe
My method for making Hot Buttered Rum is very easy; I just blend everything together! Similar to a Bulletproof Coffee, you end up with a gorgeous foamy top thanks to the butter.
The flavor of rum is balanced with the sweetness of coconut sugar and nuanced with a touch of subtly smoky-sweet maple syrup. A hint of vanilla adds aroma and mellows out the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
If it sounds weird to you to add butter to a hot drink, I promise it’s not like an oil slick (as long as you process everything together in a blender; I love my Vitamix for this). The butter adds richness and body, and it’s what gives this drink a beautiful foam top.
This drink makes me think of twinkling holiday lights and a roaring fire. It’s comforting and cozy, and along with a snuggly blanket and a good book, this drink is perfect for curling up on the couch on a chilly December evening.
Ingredients
- Boiling water – this is the base of our drink; you can use apple cider instead if you prefer
- Dark rum – spiced rum is also a delicious choice
- Unsalted butter – don’t skimp on the amount of butter here; also, splurge on good quality butter (such as Kerrygold) because after all, it’s the holidays!
- Coconut sugar – or light brown sugar
- Maple syrup – or you can omit the maple syrup and use 1 tablespoon more of coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- Vanilla – for aroma and to round out the flavor
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves – these warm spices add flavor and make this drink feel festive
- Salt – just a pinch of salt enhances the flavor of everything else
How to Make This Hot Buttered Rum Cocktail
Just add everything to a blender and process until it’s smooth and frothy.
The Lower Carb Version of This Drink
It’s nice to have a few lower-carb holiday cocktail ideas up your sleeve! To reduce the carbs quite a bit, you can use keto brown sugar instead of coconut sugar and keto maple-flavored syrup instead of pure maple syrup.
Hot Buttered Rum Recipe FAQs
What is the Origin of Hot Buttered Rum?
According to National Day Calendar, here’s the origin of Hot Buttered Rum:
In the United States, hot buttered rum’s history dates back to the colonial days. It was in the 1650s when Jamaica began importing molasses to Colonial America. New England started opening distilleries where the colonists then began adding distilled rum to hot beverages such as toddies and nogs, creating hot buttered rum, eggnog and others.
National Day Calendar
What Does Butter Rum Taste Like?
This drink tastes like spiced rum, with a richness from butter. It’s surprisingly quite lovely! Sip it slowly on a cold evening.
What Kind of Rum is Good for Hot Buttered Rum?
You can use a dark rum or spiced rum for this rich, spiced cocktail.
What is a Hot Toddy?
Like a Hot Buttered Rum, a Hot Toddy is a warm drink with alcohol that’s meant to be sipped in cold weater.
A Hot Toddy is an alcoholic beverage containing a spirit (usually whisky), hot water or tea, sweetener (such as honey, sugar, or maple syrup), and sometimes warm spices like cinnamon, and/or fresh lemon.
As far as I can tell, in addition to using a different type of alcohol, another big difference between a Hot Toddy and Hot Buttered Rum is that a Hot Toddy doesn’t contain butter, and so it lacks that richness of Hot Buttered Rum.
More Festive Hot Drinks and Cocktails Perfect for the Holidays
- Honey-Apple Cranberry Ginger Tisane from An Edible Mosaic
- Rum Spiked White Hot Chocolate from Nutmeg Nanny
- Parisian-Style Drinking Chocolate from An Edible Mosaic
- Peppermint Patty Cocktail from Life’s Ambrosia
- Low Carb Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Latte from The Keto Queens
- Gingerbread Cocktail from An Edible Mosaic
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Hot Buttered Rum
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Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 6 tablespoons dark rum
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth and frothy.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Rum: A dark rum or a spiced rum works well here.
- Lower Carb Version: To greatly reduce the carbs, you can use keto brown sugar instead of coconut sugar and keto maple-flavored syrup instead of pure maple syrup.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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I need to try this version! Miss the hot buttered rum and egg nog we had up north!
That sounds interesting.
Hot Buttered Rum recipe is really very tasty and healthy. It looks amazing. I also like to make the instruction of hot buttered rum. Have you plan to bring another recipe to us. I will look for that. Thank you so much for your instruction.
This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!