Skip to main content

How to Make Hot Buttered Rum (Just in Time for the Holidays)

hot buttered rum
Image used with permission by copyright holder
As fall and winter settle on most of the U.S., warm cocktails should make their way into a drinker’s rotation — like hot buttered rum.

Hot buttered rum is a classic, Colonial-era cocktail from when the spirit was far more popular in the United States than today. Perhaps the most daunting step in any recipe is making the batter, aka the sweet buttery goodness (and the key ingredient, besides the rum). The trick, according to Maureen Di Virgilio — a bartender at Grove in Grand Rapids, Michigan — is to not over-complicate it

“The batter is surprisingly easy to make,” Di Virgilio says. “You have to play around with the butter to sugar ratio, as well as the spice profile. Use a sugar with some character, like brown sugar or turbinado.”

In her recipe,  slips in Amaro Averna, an herbaceous liqueur, which plays with ginger mate tea she also adds. Using tea is an easy way to add some flavor and, in Di Virgilio’s case, a ginger kick. Jut don’t go overboard, because you want the rum stands out.

Dark rum is best, Di Virgilio says, because it can stand up to the richness of the butter. She suggests avoiding super high-end spirits, since the butter and spices can temper the subtle characteristics that make those bottles worth the money. (May we suggest one of these rums under $20?)

When it comes to making hot buttered rum for large gatherings, especially during the holiday season, Di Virgilio reminds us you to be prepared. “Keep it simple and have your batter prepped out and easily accessible if you don’t get a lot of time to spend per cocktail,” she says. “The great thing is, if you have a flavorful rum and a well-made batter, you don’t need a whole lot else.”

Maureen’s Basic Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

  • 1.5 oz rum*
  • 1.5 oz house batter**
  • 0.5 oz Amaro Averna
  • 0.25 oz ginger mate tee
  • 4 oz hot water

Method: Stir all together thoroughly in a heated mug. “Garnish-wise, microplaning spice on top to order – like nutmeg – is easy and aromatic,” Di Virgilio said. “I like the brûléed lemon – a hint of citrus to cut into the butter and visual stimulation to offset the simplicity of the presentation.”

*Grove uses a blend of one part of the Grand Rapids-based Gray Skies Distillery, half-part part Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum, and one-fourth part Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-year.

**Your batter should be your own mix of butter, sugar, and spices. If you need a place to start, check out this blend.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Pat Evans
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Pat Evans is a writer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, focusing on food and beer, spirits, business, and sports. His full…
The Macallan, Bentley serve up a single malt Scotch whisky worth more than a car
The Macallan and Bentley mean luxury
The Macallan

When it comes to luxury, The Macallan and Bentley are two of the biggest names in the world. While one is a single malt Scotch whisky brand and one is a car company, they both carry a certain, fancy weight. It only makes sense that the two brands would collaborate for a special bottle of Scotch whisky. This is likely because a whisky-powered car is more science fiction than reality.
What does the new whisky look like?

It's called The Macallan Horizon, and its bottle was created in collaboration with British automobile brand Bentley Motors. It was designed to meld the worlds of single malt scotch whisky and the sleek, elegant car brand. The result is a horizontal (hence the name) bottle crafted with a breathtaking 180-degree twist.

Read more
Forget wine — Beer and cheese is an unbeatable combination
Put the corkscrew away and crack open a cold one
Beer and cheese

When one hears the term cheese pairings, wine is the beverage that most often comes to mind, we'd wager. Because, of course, it is. The pairing of wine and cheese is as classic a coupling as peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, or chocolate and strawberries. They're meant to be together. But that certainly doesn't mean that wine is the only adult beverage that can dance an alluring tango alongside everyone's favorite dairy product. Beer, as humble as its reputation can be, is also a beautiful balance to cheese's immense offering of flavors. While some may think of beer as not being as multi-dimensional and varied in its palate-pleasing capabilities as wine, this is not the case - especially now that we live in a world with so many exquisite craft beers, stouts, and lagers.
Of course, another classic accompaniment to cheese is bread or crackers. Why might that be, one might ask. Is it because we're simply in need of a starchy vessel to usher the cheese into our mouths? The answer is actually a bit deeper than that. Starches like bread and crackers are made from the same yeasty ingredients as beer, so their pairing makes perfect culinary sense.
This isn't to say, though, that one can simply pick up a hunk of cheddar and crack open a Budweiser and expect culinary artistry. The science is a bit more nuanced than that, so we're here to help you find the best pairings for your favorite beers and cheeses.

How to pair beer and cheese

Read more
Mijenta has a new cristalino tequila — here’s why bourbon fans will love it
Mijenta has a cristalino tequila perfect for bourbon drinkers
Mijenta Cristalino

If you’re new to tequila, you might not know all the terms. Even if you’re just a beginner, you probably know all about blanco, reposado, añejo, and maybe even joven. But chances are, you’re not familiar with Cristalino tequila. This reasonably contemporary style is simply añejo tequila that’s been charcoal filtered to remove its natural caramel color and various impurities.

The style is more than just a little popular. It’s actually the fastest growing style of tequila according to Nielsen data. The newest brand to get in on the Cristalino trend is Mijenta.

Read more