Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Rum Cocktails

Hot Butter(nut) Rum

Written by
Liquor.com
Updated 03/28/21
Maple syrup is poured into one of three frothy Hot Butter(nut) Rum cocktails, each served in a toddy glass with handle
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The Hot Butter(nut) Rum comes from New York bitters powerhouse Amor y Amargo and bartending wizard Sother Teague. It’s more than just a play on words: It’s also a delicious seasonal cocktail.

Teague combines hot Earl Grey tea with aged rum, falernum (a sweet, spicy and nutty liqueur) and DIY butternut squash butter, which is made from squash puree and butter and loaded with baking spices, including nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Maple syrup is added straight into the glass at the end, so the drink can be sweetened to taste. The resulting cocktail is rich, warm and silky, with notes of florals from the tea.

This union of autumnal ingredients is perfect for fall or winter, when you want to embrace gourd season by drinking a pumpkin cocktail, not by resorting to drinking a pumpkin spice latte sourced from your nearest coffee shop.

Butternut squash is the usual play here, but substituting sugar pumpkin is a little bit more fun. The twee-looking pumpkin is typically no bigger than eight inches and lends a velvety texture to the cocktail. Plus it’s downright adorable. (Bonus: Pull double duty and roast the seeds, and you can enjoy your drink with a crunchy snack on the side.)

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Ingredients

  • 3 ounces Earl Grey tea, hot
  • 2 ounces aged rum
  • 1/4 ounce falernum
  • 3/4 ounce butternut squash butter*
  • Maple syrup, to taste

Steps

  1. Brew the tea and pour it into a mug.

  2. Add the rum and falernum, stir, then swirl in the butternut squash butter, steaming with a frothing wand if desired.

  3. Add maple syrup to taste.

*Butternut squash butter: In a small mixing bowl, combine 2.5 oz of squash puree, 2.5 oz of room-temperature unsalted butter, .5 tsp of ground cinnamon, .5 tsp of ground nutmeg, .5 tsp of allspice, a pinch of ground cloves, .75 oz of dark brown sugar, .5 tsp of maple syrup and a pinch of salt; mix until smooth. Roll into a log in parchment or wax paper, and store in the refrigerator.