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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).
Whiskey: Use your favorite whiskey. Maker's Mark and Wild Turkey are popular choices for hot toddies. Honey: Sweeten things up with a teaspoon of honey. Spices: Whole cloves, a cinnamon stick, and a pinch of nutmeg add warmth and flavor.
Can Hot Toddies Really Cure Colds? While Hot Toddies have been used for generations as a natural way to combat cold symptoms, there is no definite research to prove that they can replace that bottle of cold medicine once and for all. They do, however, certainly provide comfort.
Hot toddy originates from the Hindi word taddy, which in 1610s British-occupied India was a drink made with fermented palm sap. By around the mid-18th century taddy had evolved into a 'beverage made of alcoholic liquor with hot water, sugar and spices'.
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.
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.
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.
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. However, for the curious drinker, you can expect it to weigh in around 6 percent ABV (12 proof).
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.
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.
Experts say yes — sort of. The folklore goes that a hot toddy – the alcoholic drink composed of hot water, lemon juice, honey and whiskey or rum or brandy – can soothe your sore throat or clear your winter cold-induced congestion.
Spirits combined with hot water (or herbal tea) honey and lemon is a beverage that helps clear up your cold symptoms and makes you feel toasty and cozy. According to folklore, by the time you finish the drink you will be breathing better, and the alcohol will start to make you drowsy so you can rest easy.
Still, a hot, spicy drink like the toddy may help if you're sick. The spices stimulate saliva, helping a sore throat, and the lemon and honey will stimulate mucus, she writes, citing Ron Eccles, director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University.
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.
The British declared the drink as their own, which is why it's a staple in pubs throughout England. During the cold and damp winters, it became common for consumers to pour hot water into their scotch or whiskey. With time, spices were thrown into the mix resulting in the classic we know today.
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.
The ingredients in a hot toddy have been shown to have cough-suppressing properties. Alcohol isn't needed in the recipe to experience these benefits. Consuming warm water, lemon, and honey is the key to symptom relief. Additional items can be added to taste, such as tea, clove, and ginger.
Mulled wine ranks among the best drinks for soothing sore throat and cough. Red wine with oranges or lemons, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, cardamom, or honey is warmed to serve as a remedy against cold.
Experts say yes — sort of. The folklore goes that a hot toddy – the alcoholic drink composed of hot water, lemon juice, honey and whiskey or rum or brandy – can soothe your sore throat or clear your winter cold-induced congestion. And many people are believers.
Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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