Easy Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Ingredients for Hot Buttered Rum

For the Spiced Butter Batter:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

• 2 cups brown sugar, packed

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Per Serving:

• 2 tablespoons spiced butter batter

• 1.5 oz dark rum (Captain Morgan or spiced rum)

• ¾ cup boiling water

• Whipped cream for topping

• Cinnamon stick for garnish

Optional Add-Ins:

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream (for creamier batter)

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• Pinch of cardamom

• Orange zest

For Non-Alcoholic Version (Kai's):

• 2 tablespoons spiced butter batter

• ¾ cup hot water or apple cider

• Whipped cream on top

• Cinnamon stick

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Hot Buttered Rum

Make the Butter Batter:

• Beat softened butter with electric mixer until fluffy

• Add brown sugar and beat until combined

• Mix in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, salt, and vanilla

• Beat until smooth and creamy

• Store in airtight container in fridge

For Each Drink:

• Put 2 tablespoons butter batter in mug

• Add 1.5 oz rum (skip for non-alcoholic)

• Pour in ¾ cup boiling water

• Stir until butter melts completely

• Top with whipped cream

• Add cinnamon stick for stirring

Smart Swaps for Hot Buttered Rum

Rum Options:

• Spiced rum → Dark rum (more vanilla and spice notes)

• Captain Morgan → Other rums (sweeter, works great)

• Bourbon → Rum (different but delicious)

• Brandy → Rum (richer, more complex)

Sugar Alternatives:

• White sugar → Brown sugar (less molasses flavor)

• Maple syrup → Brown sugar (use ½ cup, more maple taste)

• Coconut sugar → Brown sugar (less sweet, healthier)

• Honey → Sugar (different consistency, thinner)

Spice Changes:

• Pumpkin pie spice → Individual spices (easier, similar flavor)

• Apple pie spice → Cinnamon/nutmeg blend (works in a pinch)

• Double the cinnamon → Skip other spices (simpler version)

• Add cardamom → More complex flavor

Liquid Swaps:

• Hot apple cider → Hot water (sweeter, more flavorful)

• Hot milk → Hot water (creamier, richer)

• Coffee → Water (makes it a spiced coffee drink)

Tasty Variations Worth Trying

Hot Buttered Cider:

• Use hot apple cider instead of water

• Skip the rum for kid-friendly version

• Tastes like spiced apple cider with butter

• What Kai requests most often

• Our Halloween and Thanksgiving drink

Spiked Hot Chocolate:

• Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to butter batter

• Make with hot milk instead of water

• Top with marshmallows

• Chocolate rum version for adults

• What I make when we want something different

Spiced Buttered Rum:

• Add extra cinnamon and ginger to batter

• Use chai spice blend

• More warming and spicy

• What my husband prefers

• Cold night version

Holiday Hot Buttered Rum:

• Add orange zest and cranberry juice

• Use cranberry-flavored rum

• Festive red color

• What we make for Christmas Eve

• Company-worthy presentation

Equipment

• Electric mixer or stand mixer

• Large mixing bowl

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Airtight container for storing batter

• Heat-safe mugs or glasses

• Kettle or pot for boiling water

• Spoon for stirring

Storing Your Hot Buttered Rum Batter

Refrigerator (2-3 months):

• Store butter batter in airtight container

• Keeps for entire winter season

• Scoop out what you need for each drink

• Stays soft enough to scoop from fridge

Freezer (6 months):

• Portion into ice cube trays for single servings

• Pop out cubes and store in freezer bag

• Use one cube per drink

• Lasts all year if you want summer drinks

Kai and My Accidental Discovery

Three months ago, I was making hot buttered rum batter when Kai was helping me measure the brown sugar. I told him to pack it into the measuring cup and he packed it so hard he broke the cup. Then he dumped in way more sugar than two cups because he "had to use a different measuring thing." I was annoyed because now the batter would be way too sweet.

Wrong. That extra sugar made the drink taste more like butterscotch candy rich and caramelly instead of just buttery. My husband had two mugs and said "this tastes like melted caramel" and asked what I changed. Now I always use at least 2.5 cups of brown sugar instead of 2 for this best hot buttered rum recipe. Kai tells everyone he "invented the extra-sweet version" and honestly, that sugar overload made it taste way more indulgent.

Kai's other trick? He figured out that if you add a tiny pinch of salt to each mug, it makes the sweetness taste better. I thought he was crazy, but now we always add salt and the warm spiced rum beverage tastes more balanced.