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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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Irish Whiskey: Known for its smoothness and light sweetness, brands like Jameson and Bushmills blend well without overpowering the other ingredients. Bourbon: With its rich, vanilla, and caramel notes, bourbon like Maker's Mark or Woodford Reserve adds depth and complements the honey and lemon in the toddy.
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.
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.
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.
Hot toddies are reported to help reduce cold symptoms, although you really don't want to overdo it on the whiskey. Your body needs to heal, and the simple combination of warm water, honey and lemon combined can work wonders. Alcohol doesn't mix well with over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Drinking alcohol isn't really the best way to get rid of a cold - it suppresses your immune system. That said a hot toddy is my preferred method to help sweat it out. If you really don't like whisky or brandy try a spiced rum.
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).
Is a Hot Toddy Good for a Cough? Yes. The alcohol can help clear mucus by dilating blood vessels in the upper body. The steam from the hot water might also help to clear congestion.
Lemon juice can be used to reduce the effects that alcohol cause on human body. Some of them are: Lemon juice can re-hydrate the body after the consumption of alcohol.
For boosted immunity and/or sickness relief, try making lemon-ginger-cinnamon tea or a hot toddy. To make the immune-boosting tea, simply squeeze half a lemon into a mug and add the lemon rind. Add one or two cinnamon sticks and five slices of peeled ginger root.
Because toddy is prepared and stored in unhygienic condition and consumers are usually economically poor, malnourished, and have an unhealthy lifestyle, the chances of parasitic contamination, transmission and infection remain high with toddy consumption.
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.
Alcohol is not a treatment or cure for colds, and it does not act as a decongestant. Generally, health authorities do not recommend consuming alcohol during a cold. Some older research suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the frequency of colds.
Honey may help relieve symptoms of a sore throat. It has multiple therapeutic properties, including as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. The short answer is yes, honey can bring relief for your sore throat. Simply mix two tablespoons of honey with a warm glass of water or tea, and drink as needed.
Specifically, Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky, and even though this technically uses a bourbon mashbill (64% corn, 31.5% rye, 4.5% malted barley), bourbon can only be made in America. Though the TTB originally approved the label, they reversed their decision and forced the brand to stop using the name 'Bourbon Mash'.
Whether it is an old wives tale or the truth, a Hot Toddy is said to alleviate a cold because it is a decongestant. In “clinical” terms, the alcohol in whiskey dilates the blood vessels, making it easier for your body to deal with the infection.
From sweet honey to spicy cinnamon and bitters to bourbon, Jim Beam Hot Toddy offers the full flavor of a professionally made hot toddy in one, ready-to-serve bottle. No mixing or special ingredients needed. Jim Beam Hot Toddy is the perfect, pre-mixed hot toddy co*cktail. Just pour, warm and serve.
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