Roni’s Rum Cream

Fill a large Mason jar with rum, chocolate, butterscotch, coffee, coconut, vanilla, almond, and cream and shake. If this is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Click here to get straight to the recipe. I hate reading too.

Pre-Pandemic, for the past five years, my husband and I would spend a long weekend at an all-inclusive. It was the vacation I’d look forward to most as we were able to reconnect and recharge without the kids.

That may sound mean, but if you have kids, you know.

Anyway, the past couple of years, our destination was Jamaica, and on our last trip there, I fell in love with Sangsters Rum Cream.

Unfortunately, Sangsters isn’t exported and to my knowledge, you can’t buy it in the US. I even asked my local liquor store who checked their distribution lists. No luck.

So, this summer, while NOT vacation (or doing much anything at all, thanks covid), I set out to recreate my favorite indulgence.

It took me a few attempts.

Okay, okay, a LOT of attempts. They were all pretty good but not the Sangsters, I remember. Sangsters is rich and creamy with warm notes of chocolate, caramel, coconut, and that something-special I can’t quite put into words. They call it “Jamaican fruits and spices.”

Well, that can be anything! So I did my best to create a Sangster’s like texture and taste, knowing I’d probably never nail it exactly.

My version uses not only rum but créme de cocoa and butterscotch schnapps for the alcohol base. Then I mix in a combination of creams, coffee, and extracts to attempt a recreation of the complex flavor.

Roni’s Rum Cream is not a perfect recreation, but it’s damn good in its own right. Let’s call it Sangsters-inspired. It’s close enough to bring me back to those few relaxing days poolside in Jamaica.

It also happens to be a fun holiday sipper, which is why I wanted to finalize the recipe before Christmas. Now I have something more fun than cookies to give to my friends this year!

Okay, let’s break down the Rum Cream recipe so you can try it for yourself.

Rum Cream Mason Jar Recipe Breakdown

The great thing about making drinks in Mason jars are the tick marks for fast measuring. I’ve got my rum cream down to a science.

Look how easy it is!

What You’ll Need

Rum Cream Equipment

• 1 32oz Mason jar
• tablespoon

Rum Cream Alcohol Ingredients

Aged Rum

This is a duh, but the more I “get into” cocktails and, well, drinking in general, the more I’ve learned not all rums are created equal.

Rums have a lot of variety. If you really want to get into it, I’d suggest this for some light reading.

For the Rum Cream, I tried a few different rum types, and they make a difference. Normally I use Brugal Anejo or Appletons, but if you want to have some fun, you can go with a spiced or dark rum as well. I’d stay away from light or white rums. They wouldn’t add much flavor or complexity.

Créme De Cocoa

There’s no need to get too fancy with this chocolate liqueur. I use the classic Creme de Cocoa Dark from DeyKuper.

Butterscotch Liqueur

Same here, I go with DeyKupers Buttershots. This was a later addition to my experiments, and it really brought the recipe together. I needed a simple way to get a caramel or butterscotch flavor, and this did it.

Rum Cream Non-Alcohol Ingredients

Heavy Cream and Half and Half

I know it seems weird to use both, but all heavy cream was too heavy, and all half and a half was too light. I found a half-of-each approach to get the texture spot on.

Brewed Coffee

My husband is a big coffee drinker, so we always have a pot on the maker. Nothing special here, just some standard coffee. It helps darken the cream and brings in a bit of flavor.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

This is a must. Any brand will be fine. It’s where the rum cream gets its sweetness from.

Vanilla, Coconut, and Almond Extracts

Flavor. Flavor. Flavor! Rum cream has such a fun combination of complex flavors that it is hard to recreate. I attempted a few versions with some spices and settled on this combination of vanilla, coconut, and almond.

What’s the Best Way to Drink Rum Cream?

In my opinion?

Straight up. On the Rocks.

Really, it’s one of life’s little pleasures. Especially nice around the holidays. There is just something comforting about it.

Now, my husband enjoys a splash in his coffee. If I drank coffee, I’d be all about it. Personally, I’d rather spike my hot chocolate.

How Long Does it Last?

Good question! The alcohol helps preserve the milk products in the cream. Stored in the fridge, it will keep for a few weeks, no problem. One batch usually doesn’t last that long in our house, however.