The Holiday season is beginning and I have a recipe everyone is sure to love because it’s so darn easy and delicious! Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Rum. Made in a slow cooker, it can be put on to simmer and left for self-serving during longer gatherings or after you’ve been out for a chilly outing. It popped to mind in anticipation of Halloween which is usually is freezing cold in Colorado, often with snow. Though I’m generally on candy duty at home, my crew dips in and out of the house between blocks of Trick-or-Treating and they are usually freezing.
To answer the question in your minds, no I do not give my kids Hot Buttered Rum but that is the beauty of this version; you add the rum in individual serving mugs, not in the slow cooker, so teetotalers and tots can also partake (and for those wanting a stronger drink, they can control that as well). The sweet buttery spiced mixture is fantastic on its own, or with whipping cream and some nutmeg. Adults can add the rum ‘to taste’ or even rum extract for rum flavor and no liquor.
A slow cooker simmering will fill your kitchen and house with irresistible heavenly smells of cold weather holidays. It always puts me in a festive mood. Unlike some Hot Buttered Rum this is not overly sweet, but rather ‘just right’. It’s great to have on hand for Thanksgiving sipping, to greet you after an evening of holiday caroling (do people do that anymore?), after a chilly football game, watching holiday light parades, an afternoon of sledding or skiing; you get the drift. Or ‘just because’!
When the spiced mixture is done at 5 ½ hours, it has a glistening look on the top of the liquid from the liquefied butter. Sometimes when butter melts it releases solids which look almost like small wet bread crumbs that will float on top as well. I prefer to strain the mixture through a fine sieve and return it to the slow cooker in order to remove any leftover butter solids and the loose spices once the mixture has cooked. It can be kept warm in the slow cooker for serving.
My suggestion is to set up a self-serve area for easy access by adults though where smaller children won’t risk ladling the hot drink out of the slow cooker themselves. I set out a bottle of dark rum, some whipped cream canisters (I dress mine up and will share how to do so this week!), some whole nutmeg and a microplane or nutmeg grater. As with many spices, freshly grated nutmeg was a wonderful flavor that is brighter than ground nutmeg. However if ground nutmeg works better for your needs it can be substituted.
Slow Cooker Hot Buttered Rum (with mocktail option)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter
- 3 Cinnamon Sticks
- 6 Whole Cloves
- 6 Allspice Berries
- 1 Vanilla Bean , slit open vertically
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 8 cups Water
- 1 bottle Dark Rum (or minimum 2 cups)
- Whipping Cream
- Nutmeg (preferably whole nutmeg with a grater to grate freshly)
- Optional (for youngsters or teetotalers): Rum Extract
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker EXCEPT the rum, whipping cream and nutmeg (those will be added individually to serving mugs). Cook on LOW for 5 ½ hours (may be kept warm in the slow cooker after completing the initial cooking). Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove loose spices and any butter solids; return to the slow cooker to keep warm.
- To serve: Pour rum (or rum extract) to suit individual mugs. Top with whipping cream and freshly grated nutmeg. Note: the sweet spiced buttery mixture from the slow cooker is wonderful on it's own too; for those who prefer it without the rum flavor and alcohol, it can be consumed as is.
Like these cute Whipped Cream Canisters covers? Hop over and in less than 5 minutes you can make them yourself too.
Dyce Craig says
So If you don’t add the rum or rum extract, aren’t you basically drinking melted butter with whipped cream? Am I missing something ? I’d like to try this recipe. Thanks Tony.
Dyce Craig
Toni Dash says
Dyce don’t you like drinking melted butter and whipped cream?! LOL! The slow cooker has butter, 8 cups of water, brown sugar and the several spices as noted in the recipe (if for some reason you missed the actual recipe be sure to select ‘continue reading’ if you are on the home page which will take you to the entire post). They simmer together for 5 1/2 hours making a lightly sweet, buttery, spiced drink that is delicious on its own but is the base of a hot buttered rum cocktail. Many versions add the rum into the slow cooker too however I find some people prefer not to have liquor (kids of course too), some like it strong, some like it weaker on the booze front. Making the base in the slow cooker and allowing people to add the rum, rum extract, whipping cream and/or nutmeg allows everyone to partake. Hope that helps! Happy Halloween.
Dyce Craig says
Thanks so much Toni. I mean i DO like butter but c’mon. hahaha! Happy Hollween to you! Can’t wait to try this!
Toni Dash says
Ha, ha! I feel SURE you’ll like it better than melted butter with whipped cream!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Yup – I know I would love this – it was cold tonight handing out candy – we had 201 kids – and ran out of candy by 8 PM. I could have used this while sitting on the front porch. Thanks – I’ll take the grown up version 🙂
Melissa says
Oh my gosh, YUM! I’m definitely making this for my next party…or weekend! HA!
MJ L says
Oh my! This looks and sounds amazing! I will have to make this for thanksgiving!!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
That is fantastic! Drinks like this are so perfect on a cold day. I can see myself by the fire and the Christmas tree drinking this.
Pam says
Sounds yummy! I love that you made an option for kids and non-drinkers, too! Now everyone can enjoy it!
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
I love this. I think it would be a great cocktail to serve when I host Thanksgiving in a few weeks.
Liz Mays says
Oh wow this is such a cool idea. I could totally go for some of this on a cold night in.
Yolanda @ Seeing It Their Way says
This would be perfect for us on Thanksgiving as we a hosting a large group of rum lovers and crumb snatchers. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Ora Lee Gurr says
The slow cooker hot buttered rum sounds warm and tasty. What a surprise for the kids if they thought I was making dinner in the crockpot and it was something better than food. Looks like I’d better get the second slow cooker I’ve been thinking about.
Nancy Lustri says
Oh my! This looks absolutely heavenly! I wish I could reach through the screen and have some right now!
I love that the alcohol is added separately so kids can enjoy it too!
This is a keeper recipe, for sure!
Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
Candy O says
What an amazing mocktail recipe!! I love this! It’s perfect for family over during the holidays.
Chasing Joy says
I never knew exactly what hot buttered rum was. Not sure I’d like all fo the spices, I’d try it though.
Toni Dash says
The spices really simmer into a beautiful buttery, cinnamon type flavoring. It’s not overpowering. It’s really delicious!
Jeanine says
Wow that looks and sounds amazing. Anything i can do in my crock pot I am all for, so this will be given a try!
Emily, The Innovative Mama says
This looks amazing! I can already envision the smell on a cold wintery day. Yum!
Ann Bacciaglia says
I have never tried to make this before. Buttered Rum sounds delicious. I will have to get what i need to make this on the weekend. I bet it smells amazing.
Kelly Hutchinson says
I have actually not ever tried hot buttered rum. It sounds so yummy, especially in the winter.
Rosey says
I like that there’s a mocktail option. It sounds great either way.
mya.k says
It looks so good, I will try to make it with my mom for my dad.
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
I’ve never tried hot buttered rum before. If you don’t care for nutmeg is there something else that will work instead?
Toni Dash says
Since it goes on the top I would just not put it on the whipped cream.
Crystal says
I appreciate the mocktail option! This looks like such a fun & festive drink. Got to make it for our neighborhood party.
Christie says
Wow this looks like a tasty option for holiday parties! Love the mocktail option too, thanks!
Joyce Brewer (@MommyTalkShow) says
Perfect to enjoy while you’re sitting by the fire after holiday shopping craziness.
I love my crockpot.
Dawn McAlexander says
Oh my goodness! When I drink alcohol, rum is definitely one of my favorites. This variety sounds so good and the fact that it can be cooked in a slow cooker is even better.