Classic Hot Toddy
Warm up with this classic hot toddy cocktail recipe! Hot toddies are so easy to make. You'll just need hot water, whiskey, honey, and lemon. Cheers!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 1, 2024
Let’s warm up with some hot toddies! They could not be easier to make. For this classic cocktail, you’ll just need hot water, whiskey, honey, and lemon. Unlike your typical mulled wine, wassail or warm cider, hot toddies are light and hydrating rather than overwhelmingly sweet.
Hot toddies are lovely slow sippers or night caps. Mara says they’re perfect for playing cards with the family. You could offer a hot toddy bar at your holiday party this year. I love that idea!
How to Make the Best Hot Toddy
The secret to making the best hot toddy is simple—just tinker with the amount of lemon juice and honey until it suits your taste buds. I’ve provided some guidelines in the recipe below. I think you’ll be surprised by how much an extra teaspoon of lemon juice or honey changes the flavor.
If you order a hot toddy at a bar, you’ll probably receive a whiskey drink. Any good whiskey will do—I’ve enjoyed hot toddies made with Bulleit Rye, Jameson, and Wiser’s.
If you prefer, you can make your hot toddy with dark rum or brandy. You’ll find more ways to change up the drink in my recipe notes.
Watch How to Make Hot Toddies
Hot Toddies for Coughs & Colds
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. So, no hot toddies for you if you’re taking medicine! Nurse yourself back to health with everything but the whiskey.
More Cocktails to Love
For another warming whiskey drink, make my Irish Coffee recipe! If you’re looking for more holiday-friendly whiskey drinks, don’t miss my Maple New York Sour or Cinnamon-Maple Whiskey Sour.
Here are a few more of my favorite classic cocktails: Moscow Mules, French 75’s, Best Red Sangria, Mimosas, and Fresh Margaritas.
Please let me know how this hot toddy recipe turns out for you in the comments! I really love hearing from you, and your feedback is so important to me.
Classic Hot Toddy
Warm up with this classic hot toddy cocktail recipe! Hot toddies are so easy to make. You’ll just need hot water, whiskey, honey, and lemon. Recipe yields 1 cocktail.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ½ ounces whiskey
- 2 to 3 teaspoons honey, to taste
- 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 lemon round
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a tea kettle or small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. Pour the hot water into a mug.
- Add the whiskey, 2 teaspoons honey and 2 teaspoon lemon juice. Stir until the honey has disappeared into the hot water. Taste, and add 1 teaspoon honey for more sweetness, and/or 1 teaspoon more lemon juice for more zing.
- Garnish with a lemon round and cinnamon stick (if using). Enjoy!
Notes
Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup for the honey.
Change it up: Instead of whiskey, use brandy or dark/spiced rum. For extra flavor, you could also steep 1 tea bag (green or black tea) in the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes, or add a splash of apple cider. Change up the garnishes by adding a slice of apple or fresh peeled ginger, whole cloves or anise.
Recommended equipment: I love my glass mugs (shown) from Crate and Barrel, and this stainless steel jigger is great for measuring liquor. (Those are affiliate links.)
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I have a sore throat and decided to try a hot toddy. This is soooo good. At someone’s suggestion, I bought honey whiskey. Very good. Thank you.
I tried your recipe and it was so tasty. Thank you for sharing it on your blog.
Made a pair for my wife and I: delicious, warming, happy, chest cogest-O-Kleer and it’s COLD outside, as we sip our drinks before the redoak fire. Merrily merrily I say unto thee. Gently down the stream.
My mom’s hot toddy was 2 oz of Southern Confort, orange juice with pulp in 4 oz / 2 oz of lemon juice, wild unfiltered honey to taste, 1 cup of water, cloves & nutmeg sprinkled on, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
I finally made this tonight, and it was delicious and well balanced. Perfect on a cold night!
pretty good stuff…. I had to add more honey, lemon, and rum. Hope it helps
I added a teaspoon of brown sugar! Game changer
Perfection! So soothing for my sore throat. Maybe I’ll be able to sleep after sipping.
Excellent! I didn’t have fresh lemons and used the bottled juice and it was still devine and hit the spot when recovering from a cold/cough. Love all your recipes–ingredients and variations, spot on. Thank you!
My wife’s persistent coughing ceased almost instantaneously after 2 drinks from the cup. I could not believe it.
Couldn’t sleep so looked up hot toddy recipe and got this. I made it with spiced rum and oh wow, it’s delicious. Thanks so much for doing the whole run through, I’d never have thought of spiced rum if you hadn’t mentioned it, and it’s . Xxx thanks from cold wet and faraway Kent in UK
Very good. Used lemon juice concentrate and a touch more honey
Used 50 proof rye elegant vagabond bourbon
This is good. I ended up using Jack Daniels Rye and lemon juice concentrate. Hopefully it helps a bad cough from a Spring- ish cold due to the roller coaster weather in IA. Thanks for the recipe.
Love the fresh ginger tea, it’s really great with turmeric and mint. I love ginger in everything that I can put it in.