The Story Behind The Hot Buttered Rum

Winter is the best time for warm, boozy drinks. Hot Buttered Rum is one of those fairly simple delights that always fulfills our desires for cozy, sweater-weather vibes.

This recipe comes from the Portland Hunt + Alpine Club in Portland, Maine. It’s a fairly straightforward version with a spicy kick of black cardamom. More robust than green cardamom, and common in Scandinavian cooking, black cardamom has a complex, slightly smoky flavor. Look for it at your grocery store or specialty spice shop, or order it online.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons hot buttered rum mix (recipe follows)
  • 3 to 4 ounces hot water, divided, plus more for preparing the mug
  • 1½ ounce dark rum
  • Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat a glass mug by filling it with hot water, and then discard it once the glass is heated through.
  2. Add your hot buttered rum mix to the mug, plus one ounce of water. Stir with a small whisk until mix is incorporated into the water.
  3. Add the rum, and then fill the mug with the remaining hot water. Stir briefly.
  4. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Rate This Recipe:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(38 votes)

Yield: 1
Updated: 2018-12-05

Hot Buttered Rum Mix Ingredients

  • ½ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup vanilla ice cream
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 black cardamom pods, grated
  • 1½ teaspoons of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1½ teaspoons of freshly grated cinnamon

Hot Buttered Rum Mix Directions

  1. Combine the butter, ice cream, brown sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.
  2. Use a stand or hand mixer to combine on low speed until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes. If there are small chunks of batter, that’s O.K. They will dissolve in your drink.
  3. Use immediately, or store in a covered container in your freezer.
The Hot Buttered Rum Recipe