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!

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (2)

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!

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (3)

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.

Hot Drinks for Cold Days!

Easy Mulled Wine Recipe

Christmas

Irish Coffee

Beverages

Spiked Eggnog Latte

Christmas

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Beverages

Did you enjoy this Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (8)

5 from 6 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

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

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (13) Cuisine American

© 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.

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (14)
Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (15)
Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (16)
Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (17)

Categories:

Beverages, Christmas, Recipes

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (18)

Recipes you'll love

Detox Water

Healthy Recipes

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Breakfast

Easy White Sangria

Beverages

Frozen Pina Colada (in a bucket)

Beverages

Easy Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

Recipes

Fresh Watermelon Mojitos

Beverages

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!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (26)

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

Latest & Greatest

Easy Morning Smoothie Recipes

Beverages

Peach Bellini

Beverages

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Beverages

Cold Brew

Beverages

Strawberry Daiquiri

Beverages

Easy Red Sangria

Beverages

Cozy Hot Toddy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does a hot toddy actually help a cold? ›

Although some ingredients of a hot toddy could therefore improve the symptoms of a cold on their own, it is unclear whether the combination in a hot toddy would reduce cold symptoms. It is possible that the whiskey element counteracts some of these effects or causes negative effects.

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.

What whiskey is best for hot toddy? ›

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.

Can you drink hot toddy everyday? ›

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 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.

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.

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 is the best hot drink for a cold? ›

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.

Why do people drink hot toddies when they're sick? ›

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.

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.

Can hot toddies get you drunk? ›

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 Crown Royal a whiskey or bourbon? ›

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'.

Is Jim Beam good for a hot toddy? ›

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.

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.

What is a hot toddy when you're sick? ›

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.

What 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.

What's a good warm alcoholic drink? ›

Put on the kettle, and let's get started.
  • 01 of 09. Hot Toddy. ...
  • 02 of 09. Traditional Chinese Medicine-Inspired Mulled Wine. ...
  • 03 of 09. Inverno Arancione. ...
  • 04 of 09. Hot Buttered Spiked Cider. ...
  • 05 of 09. Ginger & Bourbon. ...
  • 06 of 09. Cinnamon & Tequila. ...
  • 07 of 09. Apple-Brandy Hot Toddies. ...
  • 08 of 09. Whiskey Chai.
Dec 1, 2023

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 6047

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.