Hot Buttered Rum. Yeah, baby.

Baby, it’s freaking cold outside!  Well, here in the SLC it’s a balmy 21 degrees, but I’m feeling for my friends braving the Polar Vortex.  Yikes!  That’s some serious shit goin’ on, there.  Although my hot beverage of choice is usually a bourbon or rye based Hot Toddy, I do love a nice mug of Hot Buttered Rum on occasion.  Around Thanksgiving I mix up a pint jar of butter batter, and scoop it out as needed all winter long.  It’ll keep for months in the fridge, and one pint will make 20+ drinks, depending on how buttery you like your mug.  For a serving a crowd, I like to dole out individual portions of butter and rum, leaving the spoon in the mug so guests can make the buttery magic happen when we top off their serving with hot water.  You can also put the entire butter batter recipe in a crock pot with 4 cups of water and a bottle of rum (heat on low, then reduce to ‘warm’ – don’t let it come to a boil or it will cook off your alcohol!), it makes for delicious self serve ladle-ing.

For the booze component, a golden-hued barrel aged rum like Mount Gay from Barbados gives the drink a nice molasses tone, but you can use white rum if that’s what you’ve got on hand.  Spiced rum?  Gross.  If you like heavier spice than what’s in this subtle butter batter, just shave a little more nutmeg in, or a bit more cinnamon.

Hot Buttered Rum

To an 8 oz (1 cup) mug add:  1 heaping tablespoon of butter batter* and 2 oz. dark rum.  Fill the mug almost to the rim with hot water (just off the boil), and stir gently until the butter is melted and sugar dissolves.  Rub the rim of the mug with a bit of orange zest and drop the zest into the drink.  Top off the mug to the rim with more hot water, and another little grating of fresh nutmeg.

Best Butter Batter with rum

Rum Butter Batter

You want to use artificial sugar and margarine instead of butter?  Y’all are making me sad.  It’s BUTTERED rum.  Not margarine-ed rum.  Gah. 

½ cup vanilla ice cream, softened

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground ginger

A pinch each of: ground cloves, ground mace, and smoked sea salt

Butter Batter at its best.

In a bowl, smash all of the ingredients together until they are completely combined.  Transfer to a pint mason jar or other re-sealable container.  Store in the refrigerator until ready for use.