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A Hot Toddy is great on any cold night, but I especially love this tasty co*cktail recipe to soothe a cold. This warm hot toddy recipe is my go-to recipe when I’m under the weather with a nasty cough. It’s a homemade cure for a common cold that’s easy to make and much tastier than cough syrup!
Table of Contents
Hot Toddy Recipe
This classic winter drink recipe is the perfect warm sip to soothe a sore throat, cough, or cold. Forget the usual hot lemon water–this drink adds whiskey, honey, and ginger into the mix for a co*cktail you can enjoy on sick days. I love sitting with this co*cktail under a cozy blanket on a chilly night.
Easy. Just heat up your liquids, mix in the other ingredients, and you’ll have a warm drink ready to sip. 5 ingredients, 5 minutes, and a microwave are all you need!
Soothing. Whiskey is a great decongestant, honey has antimicrobial properties, lemon juice boosts immunity, and ginger reduces inflammation.
Tasty. This adult bevvy is a little sweet, a little zesty, and a whole lot delicious.
Variations on a Hot Toddy
If I don’t have any whiskey on hand, or want to make this tasty cold remedy for someone under 21, I still love to make a version of this drink without alcohol. I simply leave it out, and combine the rest of the ingredients as directed.
A nice glass of hot lemon honey water will still do wonders when you’re feeling under the weather. You can also try using hot tea in place of the whiskey, which many readers have recommended!
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How to Store
This recipe is for one hot toddy, but if you don’t finish the whole glass, you can store leftovers in the fridge. Just be sure to heat it up and give it a good stir before drinking the rest.
Serving Suggestions
If you need some other recipes to help you get through your sick day, I’ve got you covered. I’m known to make a pot of chicken noodle soup, turkey noodle soup, chicken broth, or a delicious bowl of ramen. If you prefer a different drink, try this detox lemonade for more health benefits.
A classic hot toddy is a warm drink made with whiskey, along with other ingredients like honey, water, and lemon. It’s commonly served as a cold remedy to help relieve symptoms, like coughs, congestion, sore or scratchy throats, and inflammation.
Is a hot toddy a good cold remedy?
It’s the best (non-medical) cold remedy I know! The warmth of the drink plus the health benefits of the ingredients (as listed above) can really soothe your sore throat & cough symptoms. There is some research that says hot drinks help the common cold or flu by increasing air flow.
More Hot Toddy Recipes to Try
Apple Cider Hot Toddy
Caramel Apple Hot Toddy co*cktail
Pro tip: We do not claim that this cold remedy hot toddy is in any way actual medicine for a cold. It can be comforting, but always see a doctor if you are sick in order to get medical advice. I find that it’s a great supplement to traditional meds when I’m feeling under the weather.
5-Star Review
“The tastiest, easiest and most effective hot toddy yet!” – Tracy
Your winter cold calls for a warm and comforting Hot Toddy! Made with honey, lemon, ginger, and bourbon or whiskey if you please, this drink is sure to make you feel better.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients
2ounceswhiskey or bourbonGet some pretty good quality. You’re sick! You deserve the best!
1½tablespoonshoney
4ounceswater
2teaspoonslemon juice
1cubecrystallized gingeroptional
1slicefresh lemonfor garnish
Instructions
Mix together whiskey, water, and lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl.
2 ounces whiskey or bourbon, 4 ounces water, 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Microwave for 1 minute, or until it's piping hot.
Stir in the honey, and drop in the ginger if using.
1½ tablespoons honey, 1 cube crystallized ginger
Garnish with a lemon slice and enjoy–you and your cold deserve it!
1 slice fresh lemon
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made!Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Make the Drink: Mix together 2 ounces of whiskey or bourbon, 4 ounces of water, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, or until it’s piping hot.
Garnish the Drink: Stir in 1½ tablespoons of honey, and drop in 1 cube of crystallized ginger if using. Garnish with a lemon slice and enjoy– you and your cold deserve it!
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To make a hot toddy, you'll need bourbon (which is a type of whiskey), honey, lemons, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and whole cloves. Simply combine the bourbon, lemon juice, and honey in a mug and add boiling water (use more or less water depending on how strong you'd like your hot toddy to be).
To make a hot toddy, you'll need bourbon (which is a type of whiskey), honey, lemons, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and whole cloves. Simply combine the bourbon, lemon juice, and honey in a mug and add boiling water (use more or less water depending on how strong you'd like your hot toddy to be).
Irish whiskey is also a great option for a Hot Toddy. Slane, for example, with its lighter texture and delicate notes of bananas and dulce de leche, is very well-suited to a more citrus-forward Toddy, while also playing brilliantly alongside the spices.
A hot toddy contains several ingredients that may be able to reduce cold symptoms, such as lemon, honey, and hot water. Adding spices, such as ginger, to a hot toddy may also have benefits. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that alcohol can help with the symptoms.
Best consumed in small doses and infrequently, Hot Toddies can only be served as as medicine to those 21 and over, should not replace a medical professional's advice, and are best followed by a tall glass of water, some herbal tea, and plenty of rest and TLC.
You can use whatever tea you want for a hot toddy, and any full-bodied, flavorful tea that can stand up well to the strong flavors of spirits and lemon is a good option.
A hot toddy is a home remedy made from common household ingredients to treat the symptoms of cold and flu. The ingredients are warmed and ingested as a drink to help with sore throat pain, runny nose, and cough. The ingredients for a hot toddy are a combination of lemon or lemon juice, honey, and hot water.
While the alcohol in one drink is great for falling asleep and feeling rested, one too many and you may wake up the next morning with worse symptoms than you had before. So stick to one, and you should be good to go.
A hot toddy, also known as hot whiskey in Ireland, and occasionally called southern cough syrup within the Southern United States, is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey (or in some recipes, sugar), lemon, herbs (such as tea) and spices, and served hot.
Blanco tequilas especially with lemon and salt act as a quick remedy against sore throat and cough. The alcoholic drink helps in clearing sinuses. The agave flavor is also said to have anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, Blanco tequilas are among the best drinks for sore throat and cough.
From a hot toddy, lemon and honey coat the throat and cut through the unpleasant mucus lingering in the head; cinnamon offers sweet warmth to the beverage, and the bourbon takes a more aggressive approach in combatting congestion.
Take care with both spirit and citrus when applying heat; don't boil them. Alcohol will cook off, and lemon juice can take on rancid notes. A good toddy “pays attention to how the drink will taste and smell when served at a high temperature,” Goto said.
How Strong Is the Hot Toddy? The hot toddy is not one of those drinks that you down simply to get drunk. It is more of an experience and a way to relax, so its alcohol content may be irrelevant for the most part.
Toddy, which is typically a fermented palm sap, might have some health benefits due to its probiotic content and potential for providing certain nutrients. However, moderation is key as excessive consumption can have negative health effects, such as liver damage and increased risk of alcohol-related issues.
Brandy, with its warming properties, is often considered a traditional remedy for cold symptoms. When consumed in moderation, brandy can help relax the muscles, providing relief from the aches and pains associated with a cold. Yes, you should drink a lot of water.
While the alcohol in one drink is great for falling asleep and feeling refreshed, one too many and the sleep you receive won't be that refreshing at all, and could cause you to wake up the next morning with worse symptoms than you had before. So, stick to one, and you should be good to go.
"Hot toddies, as the name implies, are served hot. Heat does wonders for someone when sick. A hot beverage can soothe the throat and can provide someone who has shaking (with) chills the feeling and comfort of a warm hug," Ascher said. The heat also helps to break down and thin out mucus to help clear it from the body.
And it turns out that the core ingredients in a Hot Toddy — whiskey, hot water, honey, and lemon — do pretty much the same thing. A great decongestant, the alcohol in whiskey dilates the blood vessels, making it easier for your mucus membranes to deal with the infection.
Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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