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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dessert

Delectable Butter Rum Sauce

By Susie Weinrich · Date Dec 7, 2024· 27 Comments · May contain affiliate links.

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Butter Rum Sauce is a buttery caramel-like-sauce that has a lovely flavor from the dark rum. Don’t worry it doesn’t taste like a cocktail as the liquor will boil out during cooking. It is made with 5 simple ingredients – butter, brown sugar, sugar, cream, and dark rum.

a mason jar full of butter rum sauce

It is perfect drizzled over apple spice cake, apple crostata, brownies, apple nachos, bread pudding, pancakes or just ice cream! And if I’m being honest I have been spotted eating it by the spoonful (it’s REALLY good!).

Table of Contents hide
1 Ingredients & Supplies
2 Dark Rum
3 How to Make Butter Rum Sauce
4 Other Recipes Using Dark Rum
5 Butter Rum Sauce Recipe + Video

Ingredients & Supplies

You don’t need much to make this butter rum sauce recipe, just 5 ingredients:

  • saucepan
  • 1 stick of butter (preferably salted)
  • brown sugar
  • granulated sugar
  • heavy whipping cream
  • dark rum
heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, dark rum, sugar and a tablespoon on a table

Dark Rum

When you buy dark rum (or look through your liquor cabinet), you want to make sure you get “dark rum”. It will literally be darker in color, like a caramel color. Definitely do not use the clear rum, it will not have the right flavors for this recipe. Dark rum is aged and the molasses flavors are enhanced.

If dark rum is not something you would normally keep in the house or would use for cocktails, you can absolutely buy an airplane sized bottle of dark rum! They are usually kept up by the registers at the liquor store.

Rum Extract

If you prefer to not use alcohol you can absolutely sub 1 teaspoon rum extract for the dark rum.

How to Make Butter Rum Sauce

There is not much to making this Butter Rum Sauce. Just add all the ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Let it all melt together and then let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

a saucepan of butter rum sauce

Remove it from the heat and let it cool. It will thicken more as it cools.

If you like a stronger rum/alcohol flavor you can wait and add the rum in the last 30 second of simmering the sauce. But, be careful that it doesn’t boil up on you!

Storing

Store your cooled butter rum sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I like to store mine in a mason jar with a lid.

Reheating

To reheat the sauce just portion out how much you want to use into a saucepan and place over low heat for about 5 minutes (less if you only have 1 or two portions), stirring occasionally, until it is the right consistency for drizzling!

a jar of butter rum sauce being drizzled with a spoon

Other Recipes Using Dark Rum

If you have purchased a bottle of dark rum and now are thinking what am I going to do with this… her are a few recipes you can make to use it up!

Cocktails:

  • Ina Gartens Dark Rum Southside
  • Spruce Eats Dark and Stormy
  • or just a really good Rum & Coke (Cuba Libre)

Food:

  • Maple Rum Sweet Potato Cornbread
  • Island Rum Lime Chicken
  • Grilled Rum Pineapple with Ice Cream
a jar of butter rum sauce being drizzled with a spoon

Butter Rum Sauce Recipe + Video

A delicious recipe for Butter Rum Sauce, made with just 5 ingredients. Perfect for drizzling over pies, bread puddings, cakes, or ice cream!
5 from 26 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
Cooling: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 172kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum - up to 2 tablespoon for stronger flavor. (could sub 1 teaspoon rum extract if you prefer to not use alcohol)

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened and coats a spoon.
    ½ cup butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon dark rum
  • TIP: for a stronger rum/liquor flavor wait and add the rum in the last 30 seconds of simmering. But be careful if it boils up.
  • Remove from the heat. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, it will thicken more as it cools.

Storing

  • Store any unused (and cooled) butter rum sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. A mason jar works nicely!

Reheating

  • To reheat the butter rum sauce right out of the fridge place it in a saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes (less if you are only warming 1 or 2 portions), stirring occasionally. Once it has darkened in color and is the right consistency pull it from the heat.

Serving

  • This butter rum sauce is amazing drizzled over spiced apple cake, apple crostata, apple nachos, or over ice cream!
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 2tablespoon | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 382IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

Comments

    5 from 26 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Claire says

    February 19, 2025 at 4:08 pm

    Easy to make and delicious. Inspires me to embellish with more flavors, ex: zest of a mandarin or a lemon: a pinch of cinnamon— complexifies the taste in a good way.

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      February 20, 2025 at 8:39 am

      Ooooo… cinnamon would be amazing!

      Reply
  2. Jessica Sara Beens says

    December 28, 2024 at 8:26 am

    5 stars
    To die for!!!

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      December 28, 2024 at 9:37 am

      Love!

      Reply
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