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Hot Buttered Rum for a Crowd: Easy Holiday Cocktail Recipe

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This easy slow cooker hot buttered rum is the ultimate holiday cocktail for a crowd. With butter, brown sugar, spices, and rum, it comes together in under 10 minutes and fills your home with a warm, spiced aroma.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups dark rum
  • 4 cups hot water

Instructions

  1. Soften the butter: Take your butter out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting. You want it soft enough to blend smoothly. If you forgot, microwave it for 10 seconds — just don’t melt it completely.
  2. Combine the base: Add the softened butter and packed brown sugar to your slow cooker. Whisk them together until they form a thick, sandy paste. This takes about 2 minutes. It should smell like caramel already.
  3. Add the ice cream: Scoop the vanilla ice cream into the slow cooker. Whisk until everything is smooth and well combined.
  4. Stir in the spices: Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk again until the mixture is uniform. The color should be a warm, caramel brown.
  5. Pour in the hot water: Slowly add the boiling water while whisking continuously. This helps everything dissolve evenly.
  6. Set the slow cooker: Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours. After 1 hour, give it a good stir. After 2 hours, the mixture should be steaming hot and slightly thickened.
  7. Add the rum: Stir in the dark rum. Taste and adjust. Want it stronger? Add another ¼ cup of rum. Prefer it milder? Stick with the 1 ½ cups.
  8. Keep warm: Switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting. This will keep your hot buttered rum at the perfect serving temperature for hours without scorching.
  9. Serve: Ladle into mugs. If you want to get fancy, top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Notes

Don’t skip the salt — it balances the richness. Add the rum at the end to preserve the alcohol. The base mixture can be made up to 3 days in advance. For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and coconut-based ice cream.

Nutrition

Keywords: hot buttered rum, slow cooker cocktail, holiday drink, rum cocktail, crowd-pleaser, easy cocktail