I recently posted a recipe for Hot Buttered Rum. With all of this wretched weather, I think another hot and spicy rum drink is in order.

While Paula Deen may beg to differ, not everyone likes butter in their cocktails. For those of you who prefer your spiced rum without the cow, here is a delicious recipe for Mulled Rum Punch.

It’s a perfect treat for the grownups on Halloween!

Ingredients

4 quarts apple juice or cider
1/2 cup honey
24 whole cloves
16 whole allspice
8 2-inch cinnamon sticks
2 whole nutmegs, cracked
1 to 2 cups golden rum
Lemon peel and/or other garnish of your choosing

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine apple juice or cider, honey, whole cloves, whole allspice, cinnamon sticks, and nutmegs.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, then refrigerate several hours.
3. To serve: strain and stir in 1 to 2 cups golden rum, according to taste. Reheat and serve with thin strips of lemon peel.

Makes 24 (6 ounce) glasses.

Related articles

• Hot Buttered Rum With Honey (romancingthebee.com)
• Halloween, and Jason’s Infamous Spiked Hot Cider (growitcookitcanit.com)
• A Little Winter Spice (aarp.org)
• Mighty Thirst: Halloween Spiked Cider (mightygirl.com)
• hot spiced rum. (thehumbleyum.wordpress.com)
• National Hot Mulled Cider Day (spiceofyourlife.wordpress.com)