Rum Hot Toddy

Ceramic mug filled with a beverage, garnished with lemon, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Surrounded by honey, cinnamon sticks, and star anise on a woven coaster.

Warm up with a soothing Rum Hot Toddy! This easy, hot cocktail blends dark rum, honey, lemon and spices for a cozy, comforting drink.

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings drink

Calories 207kcal

Ingredients

2 ounces dark rum
¾ ounces honey
½ ounce lemon juice
4-6 ounces hot water
1 slice lemon for garnish
1 whole cinnamon stick for garnish
1 piece star anise for garnish (optional)

Instructions

First, boil about 1 cup water. Let cool ever so slightly.
In a heat-proof mug, combine rum, honey and lemon juice. Top with very hot water.
Garnish with a lemon slice, cinnamon stick and star anise, if desired.

Notes

Recipe tips:

Don’t boil or microwave the alcohol — when it’s cooked, the alcohol will evaporate. The heat in this drink should come from the hot water.
Don’t skip the garnishes, if possible. They might seem like a fancy addition, but they do more than look pretty! They add flavor and fragrance to the drink as well.

Best rum: White rum is light in color with a mild flavor, while dark rum is aged longer in barrels, giving it a richer, deeper taste with caramel and spice notes. While you may use spiced rum or white rum instead, the spiced flavor is already present in the garnishes and there’s so much depth of flavor in dark rum, so it’s what I prefer for this rum hot toddy!

Other spirits: Traditional toddies are made with whiskey, so you can easily sub out the rum for bourbon. But you can also try a toddy with another aged spirit like brandy or a reposado or añejo tequila.

Syrup substitutes: Don’t have or want to use honey? Simple syrup, maple syrup or agave nectar will work to sweeten your drink too.

Citrus notes: Squeezing fresh lemon juice into the drink is worth the effort. Fresh lemon juice has a brighter, more vibrant flavor compared to bottled juice, which can taste flat or overly acidic due to preservatives. You can also make this recipe with the juices of oranges, clementines, lime or grapefruit.

Nutrition

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