Butter Rum Cookies

Butter Rum Cookies rolled in sugar
Rita Maas/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Refrigeration: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 48 to 60 servings
Yield: 4 to 5 dozen

Popular during the fall and winter holiday season, hot buttered rum is a mixed drink made of rum, butter, hot water, sweetener, and warm spices. This recipe takes all of those flavors and puts them into a sugar cookie, making for a sweet treat that's perfect for celebrating.

The signature flavor comes from butter rum flavoring, which is a rich, creamy extract with a hint of spice. When combined with vanilla and almond extracts, as well as a little rum, and finished off with an orange sugar, these sugar cookies are bound to be the hit at the holiday cookie exchange.

The dough comes together easily but does need to chill for at least six hours so make sure to plan ahead. It is formed into logs, cut into slices, and rolled into balls; the balls are rolled in a mixture of sugar and orange zest and then flattened before baking. These butter rum cookies actually taste better the next day, so they are a great recipe to make ahead. The dough is enough for 48 to 60 cookies, ideal when you need a few extra gifts to bring along to parties or give to friends.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8-ounces) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon butter rum flavoring

  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons rum

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons orange zest

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using an electric handheld mixer), cream the butter with 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

  3. Beat in the egg yolks, extracts and flavorings, and rum.

  4. Gradually add the flour while mixing, using your hands to knead the dough during the last additions of flour.

  5. When the dough is smooth, shape it into logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap each in waxed paper and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 2 to 3 cookie sheets.

  7. Cut the logs into 1/4-inch slices and roll each slice into a ball using your hands.

  8. On a plate, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the orange zest. Roll the balls in the mixture and place on the prepared cookie sheets.

  9. Flatten each cookie with a flat-bottomed glass that has been dipped in the remaining sugar-orange mixture.

  10. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

  11. Let cool for a few minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  12. Enjoy.

How to Make Your Own Butter Rum Extract

If you cannot find butter rum flavoring at your local supermarket, or just prefer to make your own, you only need a few ingredients, including light brown sugar, butter, honey, rum extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Using an electric mixer, blend 1/2 cup brown sugar with 1/4 cup softened butter; add 1 1/2 teaspoons each of honey, rum extract, and spices and mix for about 3 minutes until smooth. Use in cookies and other baked goods, or to make hot buttered rum.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
68 Calories
3g Fat
8g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 48 to 60
Amount per serving
Calories 68
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 11mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)