These butter rum muffins are soft, moist, and packed with that classic butter rum flavoring! Made as either standard or jumbo muffins, these are coated in a generous amount of coarse sugar for the perfect, craggily muffin tops.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Hot buttered rum muffins taste like the moistest, flavorful vanilla cake you've ever had, paired with a slightly sharp note of rum followed by the crunch of the crispy muffin tops.
Easy - like many muffin recipes, this is super simple and made with basic ingredients in a normal muffin pan or large-sized muffin pan. It would be such a great breakfast for when you have guests!
Flavor - this recipe has the perfect balance of rum and butter! While I used solely butter and rum, you also have the option to add butter extract, rum extract, or both!
Texture - these muffins are so incredibly soft and fluffy on the inside and have the perfect crunchy sugar texture on the tops. It's exactly what I look for in a muffin.
Pick a size - Good news! These muffins can be made either as bakery-style muffins in a large-sized muffin pan or as standard muffins.
If you're a muffin lover like me, you should also check out some more muffin recipes:
- Bakery Style Pistachio Muffins
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Apple Streusel Muffins
- Banana Nut Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffin Recipe (Jumbo or Regular)
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Ingredients
While most are pantry staples, I want to highlight a few necessities for the butter rum muffins. Note that all dairy ingredients should be at room temperature for best results.
- Butter. Because butter is one of the main ingredients, use the best quality unsalted butter you can find. While testing, I found that Kerrygold butter produced the best flavor.
- Rum. Any spiced rum will do, but if you're able to find an over-proofed spiced variety, that will accentuate the rum flavor best! I used Mount Gay Black Barrel Spiced Rum.
- Extracts. You can also use rum extract and/or butter extract to achieve similar flavor results.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions
There are a few ingredients that can be swapped in this butter rum muffin recipe:
- Rum - If you don't want to use dark rum, you can substitute the alcohol for 2 teaspoons of rum extract.
- Sour cream - use full-fat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Vegetable oil - canola oil or any neutral oil can be used in place.
Variations
- Sugared tops - use either granulated sugar or coarse sugar (my preference) for the tops.
- Extra rum - brush rum onto the tops of the warm muffins right when they come out of the oven for extra rum flavor.
- Alcohol - you can use any type of rum you'd like, such as white rum.
- Extracts - add one teaspoon of butter extract and 2 teaspoons of rum extract.
- Size - bake these as large muffins in jumbo muffin tins. There are instructions for both jumbo and regular muffin tins.
- Butterscotch chips - add ½ cup of butterscotch chips to the batter at the end while mixing in the flour.
How to Make This Recipe
Hot tip! Wet the back of a spoon or spatula to make the swoops so the meringue doesn't stick as much.
One: Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the large eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed to combine.
Two: Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then add the dairy to the butter mixture and combine.
Three: Pour in the rum and mix on low until incorporated. It may look curdled, but will come back.
Four: Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the batter and mix until just combined.
Five: Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to add the batter to the prepared muffin pans. Fill the muffin cups almost to the top.
Six: Add a generous amount of white sugar or any type of coarse sugar (that's my preference) to the tops, then bake until golden brown and done. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Hot tip! Wet the back of a spoon or spatula to make the swoops so the meringue doesn't stick as much.
Making Muffins Ahead of Time
Chilling muffin batter is actually an awesome way to get more full muffin tops, but people don't typically want to wait for chill time for muffins! Make this batter the night before, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Bake off the muffins in the morning, noting that you may need to add an extra few minutes to the bake time.
Expert Tips
- Use good quality butter. I like to use Kerrygold. Because this is a very basic vanilla batter, the butter flavor really shines through.
- Don't over-mix the batter. Mix in the flour on low speed to incorporate it (or even do it by hand). It should be slightly lumpy.
- Place paper liners in alternating muffin wells. Having more space around the muffins can help them rise better.
- Eat them warm with some salted butter. The best decision you could make!
Recipe FAQs
First, adding sugar, streusel, or any sort of topping will aid in an extra crispy top. Additionally, baking the muffins at a higher temperature at the start helps the muffins rise and crack, which makes for a crispy top, as well.
Yes, they do contain rum. However, you can omit the alcohol and use rum extract, instead.
Fat and sugar are what make muffins remain moist and fluffy. Sugar traps liquid, so the more sugar and liquid, the moister the baked good!
Storage
Store the muffins lightly covered at room temperature for two days. Eat at room temperature, or reheat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave, or 3-5 minutes in a 350℉ oven.
To freeze the muffins, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap, then placed into an airtight container. Freeze for two months. Unwrap completely and thaw at room temperature, then reheat in an oven.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
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📖Recipe
Butter Rum Muffins
Equipment
- 6-hole jumbo muffin tin OR 12-hole standard muffin tin
- Cupcake liners optional
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (170g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 60ml
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature (114g)
- ¼ cup whole milk 60ml
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- ¼ cup rum optional (60ml)
- Turbinado sugar or granulated sugar for the muffin tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉/220℃ and line a muffin tin (either standard or jumbo) with liners.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- Beat to together the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil on medium high speed for two minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the eggs and beat on medium speed for one minute. Scrape down the sides again.
- Add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined, then add the rum and mix again.
- Pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a few streaks of flour remain. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and finish folding in the flour.
- Use a cookie scoop to fill the liners completely, then top with a generous amount of coarse sugar.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425℉/220℃, then lower the temperature to 350℉/170℃ for 10-12 minutes for regular muffins and 15-17 minutes of jumbo muffins. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean with no wet batter.
- Cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy warm or room temperature.
Raquel LaMay
Hi,
Trying this recipe for the first time.
In the recipe (towards the bottom) I don't see when to put in the butterscotch morsels.
Not sure if that was me not seeing it, or it was a type-o.
I know enough to fold after mixing dry mix into wet batter.. lol
Looking forward to tasting!
Callan Wenner
Hey there! You'll want to add them at the very end once the flour is just about mixed in. I suggest mixing them in by hand, along with the last bits of the flour!