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A delicious hot spiced rum beverage, this spiced pineapple hot buttered rum is perfect for fall and winter, when the weather gets cooler. It’s a rum toddy which is ideal as a holiday cocktail, and you’d better double up on all the ingredients. That’s because everyone will insist on a second glass! Ingredients for this warm rum drink include black spiced rum and butterscotch schnapps.
Whether you’re preparing it as a holiday cocktail or you just want a fall and winter treat, this hot spiced rum toddy is sure to hit the spot.
More mouthwatering options include cranberry margaritas, ginger snap eggnog pudding shots and festive prosecco punch.
Ingredients for Spiced Pineapple Hot Buttered Rum
Black spiced rum and butterscotch schnapps are the alcohol components in this warm rum recipe. Pineapple wedges, butter, dark brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, pineapple juice, vanilla, and maraschino cherries also go into this fun hot spiced rum beverage. All the makings for the perfect festive fall and winter drink.
Kraken black spiced rum is perhaps the best known dark rum brand, although you can use any in this warm cocktail. The same applies to the butterscotch schnapps.
As for the dark brown sugar, it’s perfect for adding a deep, rich molasses taste. If you only have light brown sugar, or demerara, add half a teaspoon of molasses, so you get the same flavour in the finished holiday season warm rum drink.
Feel free to use canned pineapple slices or pineapple chunks over fresh for the garnish. It’s sometimes hard (or impossible) to find fresh pineapples during the off-season, depending where you’re located. As for the pineapple juice, I recommend you use 100% natural, unsweetened juice, for the best flavour.
How to Make this Holiday Cocktail
Use paper towels to blot the pineapple wedges, then arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Rub some of the brown sugar into each one before broiling until caramelized. At this point you need to let them cool a bit, because they will be extremely hot! This pineapple rum drink is all about the garnish!
Mix the remaining brown sugar with the butter, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour this into a pair of 6-ounce mugs (make sure they’re heatproof first!). A classic hot toddy is perfect to serve in a clear mug.
Next you can pour in the hot pineapple juice, vanilla, black spiced rum, and butterscotch schnapps. Balance a flat sandwich pick across the rim, then balance the broiled pineapple on there. Finish each one with a maraschino cherry and enjoy your rum toddy cocktails nice and hot. On the cold nights, hot cocktails will help to create a warm spirit and inner glow.
Why Everyone Loves a Hot Rum Toddy
You are going to love this spiced pineapple hot buttered rum. Hot spiced rum has been a popular choice during fall and winter for a long time. Hot drinks like this festive drink are a seasonal tradition.
Not only are warm drinks ideal for the cooler months, but spiced rum and other spices are also perfect, and this warm rum drink boasts some of each. This hot toddy recipe with tropical flavors is perfect this time of year. Sometimes hot chocolate is ok, but other days it is the warm rum cocktails that you need.
A great drink to enjoy in front of a roaring fireplace, the humble hot toddy actually dates all the way back to 1610. It was first created in British-controlled India and called ‘taddy’ – the local word for fermented palm sap. This term became official in 1786, when the drink was prepared using hot water, sugar and spices.
Whiskey with hot water was consumed in Britain at the time (this makes sense considering the weather!) Their spice trade with India meant experimentation with adding in various exotic spices.
Another legend behind this festive holiday cocktail is that an Irish doctor, called Robert Bentley Todd, prescribed hot brandy, water, sugar and cinnamon for his patients.
Perhaps both are true! But this drink is still incredibly popular and ideal for warming you up in the cold weather. That’s why a special occasion like Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas might be the perfect time to serve spiced pineapple hot buttered rum to visiting guests.
Hot Toddy Variations
You will find many varieties of hot toddies with unique ingredients. If you don’t have dark rum, you can substitute in white rum in a pinch. You may like to use a cinnamon stick, star anise, lemon wedge, orange peel, or an apple slice for a garnish. Some recipes add flavour with orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice or even maple syrup. Other recipes are extra decadent served with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream!
Hot Rum Toddy FAQs
There are plenty of cocktails you can prepare ahead, such as holiday cranberry margarita or sweet tart shots. However, this one isn’t a make-ahead recipe.
First of all, it’s supposed to be served warm not chilled. Also, the butter begins to separate from the other ingredients as it cools. You could broil the pineapple a day or so ahead if you want, and the butter mixture up to two weeks in advance.
Give it a minute or two in the microwave, and it should heat evenly.
Historically they have been used to treat anything from chills to a sore throat, the flu, and colds. The heat is soothing and can also thin and clear mucus from a congested nose. They’re always a nice choice when the weather is cold and you want a hot drink rather than a chilled cocktail.
Spiced Pineapple Hot Buttered Rum Toddy Recipe
Spiced Pineapple Hot Buttered Rum Toddy
Ingredients
- 4 Wedges pineapple, ½” thick, for garnish
- 1½ Tablespoons brown sugar, dark, divided
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch cinnamon
- 1 Cup pineapple juice, heated through
- 2 Ounces rum, spiced such as Kraken Black Spiced Rum
- 2 Teaspoons schnapps, butterscotch such as DeKuyper Buttershots
- ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 maraschino cherries, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to 500 degrees F. Pat pineapple wedges dry with a paper towel. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange wedges. Sprinkle with ½ tablespoon dark brown sugar. Rub the brown sugar onto each pineapple piece until coated evenly. Broil on the middle rack for 6 minutes or until caramelized. Allow to cool slightly.
- While the pineapple is cooling, combine softened butter, remaining dark brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Divide between two 6 ounce heat-proof mugs.
- Over butter, pour 4 ounces of the hot pineapple juice**, 1 ounce spiced rum, 1 teaspoon butterscotch schnapps, and ¼-teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir to mix. Repeat for the other mug. Rest a flat sandwich pick across the mug’s rim to hold two stacked pieces of the caramelized pineapple. Top the pineapple with a maraschino cherry. Serve hot.
Nutrition
This wonderful, spiced pineapple hot rum toddy is made with black spiced rum and butterscotch schnapps. It’s rich, sweet, warming, and absolutely delicious.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I loved this so much. It’s my new fav drink
My favorite drink! Can’t wait to make it again