Warm, delicious and boozy, the classic hot toddy is a favourite winter drink. With honey, lemon and whiskey, what’s not to love? It’s proven effective against coughs and colds too.
We’ve had one heck of a start to 2018 weather-wise. With the windchill averaging at -30C/-22F, we’ve been hibernating and I’m sure we’re not the only ones!
Happily, we have a short break from all that arctic air – it only feels like -12C/10F as I’m writing this – but the brutal cold is expected to return sooner rather than later (of course it will).
With all that cold comes the sniffles. Which I just always happen to get. And as you guys might remember, I’m allergic to most medicines so I rely on home remedies to get me through.
This classic hot toddy is a favourite. Not only is it quick and easy to make, it’s delicious too.
Oh and did I mention it’s boozy? With a shot of whisky (or bourbon or rum or brandy), a glass (or two, you decide) of hot toddy on a cold winter night won’t only warm you up.
It will also help with those colds and give you a good night’s sleep.
What does a hot toddy cure?
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor.
I wish I was some kind of doctor. A famous surgeon maybe. The kind that TV shows are based on.
But I’m deathly afraid of blood. And needles. I’m just a girl who’s been allergic to medicine all her life so I’ve tried my fair share of herbal and alternative medicine.
The hot toddy is one of them.
While there’s no real cure for the common cold, the whiskey, honey and lemon in a hot toddy offer great relief with the sniffles. Think of it as a bowl of chicken noodle soup. But whiskey.
Not a fan of whiskey? These other alcohol-free drinks work wonders for me too: turmeric golden milk, fresh lemon ginger tea and hot apple cider.
How to make a classic hot toddy
Like turmeric golden milk and fresh lemon ginger tea, it’s super simple to make and tastes delicious.
If you have tea, whiskey (or booze of choice), honey, lemon, cinnamon (we deserve a little treat when we’re not feeling well!) and 5 short minutes, you can make yourself a nice cup of hot toddy to drive those winter blues away.
Simply pour hot tea into a mug with whiskey. Add lemon juice and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir and you’re done.
Favourite winter drink
Not sick? Much better! You can enjoy this lovely little cocktail by the fire (or space heater) while grudgingly lovingly watching the snow fall (try not to think about all the shovelling you’ll need to do tomorrow).
A fan of whiskey? Try this Irish coffee recipe. It’s also warm and boozy and only needs 4 ingredients!
Enjoy and keep warm!
Related: Best Hot Drinks for Winter You’ll Love
Classic Hot Toddy
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tea bag Earl Grey or any tea of your choice see note 1
- 2 oz whiskey see note 2
- 2 tbsp honey see note 3
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Steep your tea in 1 cup hot water for 3-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put 2 oz whiskey and 2 tbsp honey in a mug or a cup.
- Pour the tea into your mug. Add 2 tsp lemon juice and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir and enjoy while warm.
Video
Notes
- Don’t have tea? No problem. You can make hot toddy with just hot water.
- Apart from whiskey, you can also use bourbon, rum or brandy. You can also adjust the quantity depending on how strong you like your drink.
- You may need more (or less) honey; again, it depends on how you sweet you like your drink.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Cheers!
Did you make classic hot toddy? What’s your favourite home remedy for colds and flu? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
Peter
AHHHH! Perfect, after suffering for 10 days of this darn cold so far. The coughing the last four days has been hell. What a wonderful alternative to chicken bouillon or hot chocolate. Instant relief and tastes like heaven. Thank you.
Jolina
Hi Peter, glad it helped. Hope you feel better soon!
Laurie Beth
My girlfriend is obsessed with these. Now that I am battling these cold Canadian winters (we hit -34C & I almost died), whiskey is basically an obvious staple in the pantry! Thanks for your recipe.
Jolina
Oh yeah winters are brutal. Keep warm!
Kim
This as alway been the go to medicine in our house, anytime anyone has a cold! i love it.
Jasmine
Gonna try it tonight! Thank you for sharing the recipe! All the ingredients are right in my kitchen.
Jolina
Nice! Enjoy 🙂
Ashley
I don’t know why I always forget to spike my hot beverages! This looks like the perfect thing to combat the cold winter weather (and all those cooties that have been lingering around these days)!
Jazmin Williams
Whenever I hear of Hot Toddy I think of the LUSH Shower Gel! Thi does sound lovely though. One I need to try!
Ray Ruzzo
That looks so warm and heavenly right now. I’m so done with winter but this is calling my name.
Esperanza Scotto
Yumm! My roomate used to make me hot toddy’s in the winter time. I’ll have to try this recipe myself! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Kusum
Oh its been so cold here lately and I could use that Hot toddy right about now! Your pictures are perfect to capture the emotion behind the drink.