Best Old Fashioned Hot Toddy Recipe – Enjoy a comforting and stout hot toddy to soothe a cough, sore throat, or simply to warm up on a cold winter night! This classic hot alcoholic drink is easy to make with 3 main ingredients, including your favorite whiskey, plus whole spices to garnish.

Glass handled mug with hot toddy, garnished with star anise and a cinnamon stick.

Why We Love This Classic Hot Toddy Recipe

Feeling under the weather, or just need a quick way to warm up – with a kick? Old Fashioned Hot Toddies are a fantastic hot cocktail and home remedy! They are a wonderful beverage to sip on cold winter evenings, and have historically been used to treat cold symptoms, coughs, and sore throats through flu season.

A classic hot toddy is a simple combination of whiskey, honey, lemon juice, and boiling hot water. In our easy recipe, we are using Bourbon (corn-based whiskey) for its sweet caramel flavor. However, you can use any whiskey you prefer in this recipe.

And for a super cozy cold-weather beverage, you can use fall and winter whole baking spices you have available, like a cinnamon stick or whole star anise, to create a nice spicy flavor!

3 glasses with yellow tea, garnished with a whole star anise and stick of cinnamon.

Ingredients You Need

  • Bourbon – or rye whiskey
  • Honey – pourable, not thick raw honey
  • Lemon juice – freshly squeezed is key
  • Water – use filtered water for the best taste
  • Optional garnishes – lemon slice, cinnamon stick, or other whole spices

Best Whiskey for Hot Toddy

We love the slightly sweet, smooth taste of a corn-base whiskey, like Bourbon. Here, we are using J.T.S. Brown Kentucky Bourbon. However, other popular brands of American and Irish whiskey can be used to make a hot toddy, like Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Southern Comfort, Evan Williams, Makers Mark, Bulleit, Jameson, and Four Roses.

However, you can use just about any kind of strong brown liquor! Try this recipe with dark rum, Scotch, cognac, or brandy.

Recipe ingredients together: large mason jar of honey, whole lemon, and bottle of bourbon.

How to Make a Perfect Hot Toddy

  1. Get water boiling in an electric kettle or in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Turn off the heat once the water comes to a boil.
  2. Set out classic coffee mugs, or glass Irish coffee mugs. To each mug, add bourbon, honey, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Use a yellow juicer to juice a lemon over a clear mug with handle.
Add alcohol from a metal jig into a clear glass with a handle.
  1. Stir well to dissolve the honey into the bourbon and lemon juice.

Pro Tip: If using cinnamon sticks, stir the ingredients with the cinnamon stick!

  1. Fill the mug with hot water. Garnish the drink with a fresh lemon slice, and/or baking spices, and serve hot!

Get the Complete (Printable) Old Fashioned Hot Toddy Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!

Adding honey to a clear handled mug.
Pouring tea from a metal kettle into a clear glass mug.

Recipe Variations

  • Spices – Change the flavors slightly and garnish the hot toddies with whole spices like star anise, cloves, or juniper berries.
  • Hot Toddy with Tea – Make your drinks ultra cozy by using your favorite hot tea instead of water.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – Add a splash of ACV to finish the drink with an extra boost of good-for-you-goodness and delicious tart flavor.
  • Vegan – Swap honey for agave to make a vegan-friendly version of this easy hot toddy recipe.
3 glasses with yellow tea, garnished with a whole star anise and stick of cinnamon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a hot toddy good for a cold?

While hot toddies are no cure, they certainly will help alleviate the symptoms of a cold or the flu! The warmth of the water, soothing honey, and antimicrobial properties of alcohol and lemon, make a drink that soothes a sore throat and relaxes your body. So it might not be actually medicinal – but a hot toddy will surely make you feel better, one way or another!

Can hot toddies get you drunk?

If you drink them quickly and/or have a low tolerance for alcohol, then yes, a hot toddy could get you drunk. Each serving includes 2 shots (2 ounces) of bourbon, which makes these relatively stout drinks.

Glass handled mug with hot toddy, garnished with star anise and a cinnamon stick.

Looking for More Easy Beverage Recipes? Be Sure to Try:

2 glass handled mugs with hot toddy, garnished with star anise and a cinnamon stick.
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How to Make a Hot Toddy

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Enjoy a comforting and stout hot toddy to soothe a cough or sore throat, or simply to warm up on a cold winter night! This classic hot alcoholic drink recipe is easy to make with 3 main ingredients, including your favorite whiskey, plus whole spices to garnish.
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric
  • 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
  • 1 ½ tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ – 1 cup hot water
  • Optional Garnishes: lemon slice, cinnamon stick, star anise, whole cloves, juniper berries

Instructions

  • Boil water in an electric kettle or on the stove top. Once the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat.
  • Set out classic mugs, or glass Irish coffee mugs. To each mug, add 2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ½ tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of fresh squeeze lemon juice.
  • Stir to dissolve the honey into the bourbon and lemon juice. *If using cinnamon sticks, you can stir the ingredients with the cinnamon stick!
  • Fill the mug with hot water. Garnish with a fresh lemon slice and/or baking spices. Serve hot!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1drink, Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 0.04g, Saturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 8mg, Potassium: 33mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.2mg
Course: Beverage, cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine: American, Southern
Author: Sommer Collier
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