the shop sweet lulu blog

Christmas is ten, er, nine days away. Perhaps you’ve procrastinated a little bit and now you need a little gift you can give to co-workers or take as a hostess gift to a holiday party..... Me too. Here’s a creative twist on Hot Buttered Rum with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and some sweet packaging – Individual Hot Buttered Rum on a Spoon! 

Individual Hot Buttered Rum On A Spoon! 

Makes 20 (1-ounce) spoons 

Ingredients: [photo: 9003] 

1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup water

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground clove 

pinch of kosher salt

Line a mini muffin pan with mini cupcake papers, ready your wooden spoons and set aside 

Combine all the ingredients in a 4-quart saucepan. It won’t look like much in the pan, but a larger saucepan prevents boil-over and helps with stirring later. 

Bring the syrup to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a clean wooden spoon. Boil for about 3 minutes or until the syrup registers 238°f - 240°F on a candy thermometer.

Remove the pan from heat immediately and keep stirring. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to cool and looks creamy, cloudy, and start to thicken, about 2 minutes.

Drop the mixture by the spoonful into the prepared mini cupcake papers. Work quickly, as the syrup starts to set as it cools. As quickly as possible insert a wooden ice cream spoon into each mini cupcake cup. Cool until hardened – about 15 minutes. 

Candy making can be intimidating, so make sure you read through the recipe and gather all your equipment and ingredients before you start. A clip on candy thermometer is necessary but you can pick up a decent model at any big box store and most super-markets. Our pralines-turned- hot buttered-rum come together in less than 15 minutes and there won’t be time to run and grab your wooden spoons once you start. 

Packaging Supplies: 

Wooden berry baskets 

Crinkle Paper

Twist Ties 

Small bottle of your favorite dark rum  

Gift Tags + Cotton Twine

Group four Hot Buttered Rum Spoons together and set inside a crinkle paper filled wooden berry basket. Cover with cellophane and twist tie to close. Pair with a small bottle of your favorite dark rum or a pint of your favorite cider. Be sure to include the following instructions on a small gift tag. 

When it is time to indulge........

Combine one spoon with 4 ounces of boiling water. Stir until melted. Add 2 ounces dark rum and enjoy!  

Recipe, styling, and photos: Meghan Splawn of Stir & Scribble

Mini cupcake papers, Small wooden ice cream spoons, Wooden berry baskets, Crinkle Paper, Twist Ties, Gift Tags + Cotton Twine: Shop Sweet Lulu 

Meghan Splawn is a professional recipe developer. She works full-time as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. Her work can be seen in the Good Eats series and on altonbrown.com. Her personal blog, Stir& Scribble, is full of clever cooking, classic cocktails, and useful kitchen tips.