I have another two-fer for you today: fresh baked buns stuffed with rum-soaked raisins and scented with orange peel AND spiked gingerbread hot chocolate that will help warm you up on the chilliest winter nights. Start Christmas morning with a bun, finish it off with a hot chocolate, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a holly, jolly holiday.

Both recipes feature Captain Morgan, who is donating $1 to WhyHunger for every recipes shared through social media with the #captainstable hashtag. (You can leave the rum out of both recipes, but the buns definitely lose something if you do that.)

So, let’s start with the buns. I was originally thinking about making some sort of cinnamon roll to serve at breakfast, but then Shawn reminded me of the delicious rum rolls that were served with a seafood dinner at a restaurant we went to once. They were a fabulous and unexpected addition to the meal, and I decided to do something inspired by those. Of course, my recipe took a few twists and turns along the way, and ended up being very lightly sweet rolls that are great with dinner or for breakfast. If you have leftover ham, you can also use them to make a sandwich…. so amazingly good.

I started with a no-knead challah dough from the New Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day cookbook (if you love fresh bread and don’t already have this, but it now!). It’s ridiculously easy, plus you’ll have plenty of dough left over so you can make it again (or put your own spin on it, or make plain challah.)

When I think of rum, I usually think or the Caribbean or warm, beach-y places, but the addition of orange zest gives these rolls more or a Scandinavian vibe that makes them seem so appropriate for Christmas. I’m kind of in love with them.

Like my last Captain Morgan post, I was kind of stumped when it came to creating a drink. For as comfortable as I am in the kitchen, I’m just as uncomfortable behind (or, honestly, in) a bar. It’s been so bitterly cold here this week though, that I definitely wanted to make something warm. I ended up getting my inspiration from the gingerbread cookies I made a few days ago and did a gingerbread hot chocolate spiked with a splash of Captain Morgan Black.

The resulting drink is rich, rich, rich and between the warm spices, rum, and temperature, it’ll definitely keep you nice and toasty! Gingerbread hot chocolate is perfect for Christmas Eve or as an after-dinner drink on Christmas Day, but I have a feeling I’ll be drinking them all winter long.

Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

Yield: 4

Cook Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch salt
• 4 ounces Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
• To serve: whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, and crushed gingerbread cookies (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except the rum in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the chocolate chips are melted. Remove from heat and stir in the rum.
2. Divide between four glasses or mugs. Top with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, and crushed gingerbread cookies, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 7mg Sodium: 165mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 40g Protein: 6g

Orange Rum Buns

Cook Time Total Time 0:00

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 packet (0.35 ounce) yeast
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 7 cups Gold Medal® all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 orange, zested

Directions

1. Mix the water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and melted butter in a large bowl. Use a spoon or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to mi in the flour. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
2. Add the rum and raisins to a small bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute; let sit 10 minutes.
3. Separate the dough into thirds; we'll be working with one third of the dough, so refrigerate the rest for up to a week or freeze it for next time you want fresh bread.
4. Brush the dough with flour and roll into a rectangle, 1/2-inch thick.Spread the dough with orange zest and rum-soaked raisins. Fold the dough into thirds, like you're folding a letter. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and fold into thirds again.
5. Divide the dough into 18 pieces; shape each piece into a roll by gently rolling it into a ball and pressing together any raw edges. Arrange on baking sheets 2 inches apart. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. Bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them.

Recipe Notes

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This post was sponsored by Captain Morgan. I received three bottles of rum and a small stipend to cover the cost of ingredients. Please drink responsibly!