Hot Buttered Apple Cider with Rum
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Warm up your holiday gatherings with this decadent hot buttered cider with rum—a rich, spiced twist on classic spiked cider that’s perfect for those chilly autumn and winter nights.
Originally, I was planning to share a basic spiked cider recipe with you but when I made it for my husband to taste, he said it reminded him of his college days when he and his fraternity brothers would spike apple cider with grain alcohol for drunken Halloween parties. Not exactly what I was going for! I found a way to take it up a notch by combining ordinary spiked cider with hot buttered rum, a classic holiday cocktail. It’s ideal for a crowd because it sits on the stove in a big pot for everyone to help themselves. Enjoy!
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Hot Buttered Cider with Rum
Warm up your holiday gatherings with this decadent hot buttered cider with rum—a rich, spiced twist on classic spiked cider that’s perfect for those chilly autumn and winter nights.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Half-gallon (64 ounces) all natural apple cider
- 12 oz. Rum (or apple brandy)
- Cinnamon sticks (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Mash with a spoon until evenly combined.
- Bring the apple cider to a simmer over medium heat in a large pot, then turn the heat down to low. Gradually add the butter mixture, whisking until the butter is melted.
- Ladle the buttered cider into mugs. Top each drink off with a shot of rum and garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1 drink
- Calories: 324
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Sugar: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 49 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi ,I love your recipes. Could you tell me what kind of dark rum you use. I don’t know what is a good brand. I don’t have any idea of what to buy. Also, thank you for the recipe for the red lentil soup with the smoked paprika and chickpeas.I love it so much, that I always double the recipe !
Thanks, Katie! I use Myers’s Jamaican Dark Rum – it should be easy to find.
I used Captain Morgan’s spiced rum and made one batch without butter. Both great ??.
Jenn—
First of all I love your site. I use it all the time. Kelly is my neighbor and we are always talking about what to make for dinner and she turned me on to Once Upon a Chef.
I am having a client party/open house tomorrow and I was going to make this drink. I really only drink wine so when it comes to liquor I am clueless. Do I need to get clear rum or dark rum? This may be the dumbest question ever. Any help would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!
Hi Stacie! I just saw Kelly yesterday 🙂 Not a silly question at all! You can use either but dark rum is best.
Thanks so much! I made this for the party– it was a huge HIT!!! Thank you!
Any suggestions for a cold version? I was going to serve this on Halloween but now realize it will be a warm night here in N. Carolina.
Hi Mindy, If you want to serve it cold, I would omit the butter. Happy Halloween!
If this recipe is processed/sealed in mason jars, how long could it safely before stored? And do the mason jars need to be refrigerated?
Hi Patricia, I know very little about canning and not sure that storing the cider this way would be advisable. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
This recipe looks great! I have one question: since you add sugar, do you try to buy unsweetened apple cider?
Thank you!
I think you could buy either regular or unsweetened cider and have a tasty finished product. Hope you enjoy!
Will the butter separate and look greasy in this mixture?
No Ruth, the butter should not separate from the mixture, but if you see any signs of that, just stir it before serving. Enjoy!
I’m leaving it in the crockpot for company to serve them selves so I should be stirring it throughout my party? How much rum can I add to this ahead if time instead if adding it to their drinks after poured?
I don’t think you’ll need to “babysit” it during the party. When people ladle the cider into their cups, that will likely help to mix in any butter that potentially settles on top. And if you’re using the 64 ounces of cider that the recipe calls for, you can add 12 ounces of rum to the mix. Hope your guests enjoy!
Doubled this recipe for a pre-trick-or-treating Halloween Block Party. I brought out an extension cord and served it, un-spiked, in a hot-drink dispenser, with the rum safely tucked under the table, for those who wanted it. After the party ended, friends kept popping in for refills, so kids weren’t my only trick-or-treaters this year! Such a great warmer-upper… Thanks Jenn!
Love that story, Connie 🙂
The perfect Fall beverage on a cold, chilly night. I’ve tried swapping the rum for Calvados (apple brandy) and it was just as delicious.
Delicious!!! Having my family over after trick-or-treating and this is going to warm everyone up. The butter makes this especially wonderful. Another fantastic recipe from Jenn. You will be famous!