A hot toddy with tea recipe. This hot toddy for a cold is made with honey, citrus, ginger, and spices.
Why this recipe works
Try this hot toddy with tea and honey recipe. Combine it with your favorite liquor – rum, bourbon, or brandy.
This tea, lemon and honey combination is a tasty way to warm up on cold winter nights.
It makes the best homemade cold remedy, too.
How to make a hot toddy with tea
Follow these easy steps:
1. Place the tea bag in a mug. Pour hot water over and let steep until strong. Remove the tea bag from the mug.
(You can also microwave a mug of water in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Then add the tea bag.)
2. Add the liquor, lemon juice, and honey. Stir to dissolve the honey.
3. Garnish the hot toddy tea with the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, orange peel, and ginger slices.
4. Sip and enjoy!
Recipe variations
Best teas
Here are some of the teas you can use:
- herbal tea like chamomile tea
- decaffeinated sleepy time tea
- cold remedy wellness tea
- caffeinated tea like English breakfast tea, Earl Grey tea, or other black tea
- ginger tea
- green tea
- loose leaf tea with a tea ball
- premade sweet tea (heat up in the microwave and serve without the honey)
Wondering if that old tea in your pantry is still OK? Read: Does tea go bad?
Liquors
Make this drink with or without alcohol. But if you choose to raid the liquor cabinet, here are some ideas:
- dark rum
- bourbon whiskey
- Irish whiskey
- brandy
- vodka
- amaretto
- Grand Marnier
- tequila
- scotch
- Jack Daniels
Other flavors and garnishes
● Instead of local honey, use real maple syrup.
● Use a lemon slice, lemon wheel, or thin orange slices for extra flavor.
● Don’t want to measure out the lemon juice? A squeeze of lemon is OK.
● Add some apple cider to this classic hot cocktail.
Are hot toddies good for a cold?
Some people feel that sipping a classic hot toddy helps when they have cold symptoms.
This hot toddy recipe doesn't have any magic healing powers. Instead, the hot tea is a bit like chicken soup. It helps replace fluids and the warmth makes you feel better.
Honey may help soothe a sore throat or a bad cough. And lemon has vitamin C.
Plus, its alcohol content or using a herbal tea like chamomile may help with sleep.
(Be careful mixing OTC cold relief products with alcohol.)
Also, I’m not a medical professional. Please use this medical advice at your discretion.
Love tea recipes?
Check out the best ice tea and hot tea drinks:
● Healthy Iced Tea Berry Smoothie Recipe
Hot Toddy with Tea and Honey Recipe
A hot toddy with tea recipe. This hot toddy for a cold is made with honey, citrus, ginger, and spices.
Ingredients
- Hot water
- 1 black tea bag
- 1 1/2 ounces rum, bourbon, or brandy
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 whole cloves
- orange peel
- ginger slices
Instructions
- Place the tea bag in a mug. Pour hot water over and let steep until sufficiently strong. Remove the tea bag from the mug.
- Add the liquor, lemon juice, and honey. Stir to dissolve honey.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, orange peel, and ginger slices.
- Sip and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 3gSugar: 36gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.
A hot toddy is the perfect winter drink…yum!
I love hot tea and honey in the winter even when I don’t have a cold. Where did you find the star anise? I haven’t ever seen that used in a recipe. Oh, and I agree about buying spices and herbs in the hispanic section. I’ve been buying some of from there for years.
I found the star anise in the Hispanic section, too, Karen!
It’s pouring rain today and I could sure go for this hot toddy!
This drink looks amazing! I would love to try it out during one of these chilly winter mornings!
oh my hat looks realy good. it’s really col today, this would hit the spot jut right.
This drink looks wonderful! What a beautiful work of art–bet it tastes great!
A hot toddy sounds so yummy, I’d love to try one!
I have never tried a hot toddy. They sound like they probably smell so good too!
I’ve never tried one of these. A classic drink. Looks great!
Now those look amazing. It would be perfect on a cozy night in.
This is definitely going on my Holiday drink list. I bet it makes the house smell amazing.
I’ve never even heard of hot toddy! It presents very well 🙂
This looks so good! Especially since my house is so cold!
A hot toddy is the best drink for a cold night! I will be trying your recipe this weekend!
I have never tried a hot toddy! Your photos look amazing, I want to reach out and sip one!
Ahh, the hot toddy. There’s nothing better on a cold winter day. I should know. I live in Rhode Island.
So full of the good stuff! I need to curl up one evening with a glass of this. YUM!
Ohhh…this sounds right up my alley right now. Especially, having been feeling under the weather the past few weeks.
Dang! You let the secret out of the bag: I, too shop in the Hispanic/Latin aisle at Walmart. Infinitely cheaper than the other aisles!
Oh I have never had a hot toddy before, but I totally need to. This sounds delicious. I love adding honey to everything.
I am not much of a hot toddy person, but my mom was. That said, this recipe is making me change my status!
This sounds delish! I am trying this FOR SURE!
Oh my that looks so delicious! I have never had a drink quite like this!
Oh that sounds very yummy and I bet with my congested sinuses today, that drink would be heavenly.
What a fun, beautiful drink for the holidays!
I haven’t seen these honey products before, but I’ll definitely be looking for them now. I just want to wrap my hands around that hot toddy and sip away at it in front of a roaring fire.
I’ve never had a Hot Toddy! I need to try this one, that honey looks amazing.
How perfect for a chilly winter night. I would love one of those.