Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (2024)

Looking for the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter night? This hot toddy recipe has got you covered.

A hot toddy is a warm drink made with dark rum (or swap in whiskey or bourbon if you prefer), honey, lemon, and a blend of spices.

Mix up a mug and snuggle up by the fireplace. You won’t be disappointed!

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (1)

What is a Hot Toddy?

A hot toddy is a traditional co*cktail that has been enjoyed for centuries and has its roots in India where a fermented palm sap called “taddy” was popular. Over time, the hot toddy has evolved and is now made with a base of hot water, rum or whiskey, honey, and lemon juice and often flavored with spices like cinnamon and cloves.

It’s not only a delicious drink, but some people even believe it can help alleviate the symptoms of a cold or sore throat. So next time you’re in need of a comforting warm drink, give a hot toddy a try!

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Ingredients in a Hot Toddy

Spirits – Dark rum is the traditional spirit of choice in a hot toddy, but also delicious are whiskey, bourbon, or brandy.

Mixer – All you really need is boiling water to mix with the spirits and spices, but for more depth of flavor, steep a teabag in a pot before adding it in. Citrusy Earl Grey is an excellent choice, or try your favorite lemony herb tea.

Spices and Flavorings – A hot toddy wouldn’t be the same without cinnamon and clove. Or, give it a bigger kick with pumpkin pie spice mix that has ginger and allspice it too! Substitute a slice of orange for the lemon, or use both!

Sweetener – Honey is customary here, but white demerara sugar, or even brown sugar will work, especially with dark rum! Or, make this simple syrup recipe and keep it on hand for all your holiday co*cktails!

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How to Make a Hot Toddy

Making a hot toddy is so easy with these simple steps!

  1. Fill mugs with boiling water and steep cinnamon sticks and cloves (as per recipe below).
  2. Stir in honey, rum, and lemon juice.
  3. Add a slice of lemon and serve.

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5 from 6 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe

There’s nothing quite like a Hot Toddy to warm you up when the weather gets chilly!

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (9)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 12 minutes minutes

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (10)

Servings 2 co*cktails

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (11)

Author Holly Nilsson

Ingredients

  • 2 cups boiling water or hot tea
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 ounces dark rum or whiskey or bourbon
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 slices lemon

Instructions

  • Add cinnamon sticks and cloves to two mugs.

  • Pour boiling water and let steep 2-3 minutes.

  • Stir in honey, rum and lemon juice. Add lemon slices and serve.

Notes

Optional: Tea bags can be added to each mug along with the cinnamon sticks if desired. Allow to steep about 3 minutes, remove and discard tea bags.
Rum can be replaced with whisky or bourbon.

5 from 6 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 142 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (12) Course Beverage, Drink

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

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About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you drink a hot toddy every night? ›

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.

What are the ingredients of a hot toddy? ›

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).

Does a hot toddy actually help a cold? ›

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.

What's the difference between a hot toddy and a hot whiskey? ›

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.

Does the alcohol boil off in hot toddy? ›

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.

What whiskey is best for hot toddy? ›

You can use Tennessee whiskey, Irish whiskey, and any go-to campfire whiskey but if you want to drink like a pro and you're curious which liquor is best for hot toddy, we say Scotch whisky (especially sherry bomb single malt). It's classic.

What does a hot toddy do to your body? ›

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.

What tea is best for hot toddy? ›

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.

Why do hot toddies work so well? ›

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.

Does hot toddy break up mucus? ›

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.

Which rum is best for cold and cough? ›

Old monk rum ... Best remedy for winters .... रम से करें सर्दी का इलाज । ...

Which alcohol is good for a cold? ›

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.

Is scotch or bourbon better for hot toddy? ›

But for many Americans, the Hot Toddy is primarily a bourbon drink, which makes sense given its generally sweeter character. Yet as with all things whiskey-related, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to which one is best in any given context.

What is the best bourbon or whiskey for a hot toddy? ›

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.

Can you order a hot toddy at a bar? ›

It's been around since the 1700s, and is now served in bars and co*cktail lounges all over the globe. And finally: Hot Toddies, no matter what they're made with, are just plain delicious. But with such a loose origin story and definition, one might wonder: What makes a good one?

Are hot toddys healthy? ›

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.

Does a hot toddy help you sleep at night? ›

After drinking the whole hot toddy, the 1.5 ounces of bourbon both puts you at ease and helps you drift into sleep so your body can recover. Learn how to make a hot toddy. Whether it's for yourself or for a loved one, we recommend keeping this recipe in your back pocket.

What are the disadvantages of toddy? ›

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.

What are the risks of toddy? ›

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.

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