Hot Buttered Rum is an American tradition that goes back to the first colonists, who imported rum from the Caribbean and later set up their own stateside distilleries to quench their thirst for this and other hot-toddy-style recipes.
Given its long history, it’s no wonder that every family has their own recipe. Some old recipes call for the butter to be mixed in at the last step – a process which enraged David Embury, author of 1948’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. “The lump of butter is the final insult,” he says. “It blends with the hot rum just about as satisfactorily as warm olive oil blends with champagne!”
The secret to a rich, not-at-all-oily Hot Buttered Rum is to start by beating the butter, sugar, and spices together in a batter. This aerates the butter and allows it to mix more thoroughly with the hot water and rum. The batter portion of the recipe can be scaled up and frozen – in fact, it’s a wonderful preparation to make at the start of a long, cold winter.
We love this recipe from Leo Robitschek at NoMad Bar from New York City. It’s simple, but you can put your own twist on it by adding spices like cinnamon or star anise to the batter. Robitschek’s recipe calls for an aged Venezuelan rum, but you can try it with any aged rum that tickles your fancy.
