What is the best cold weather cocktail when you need to turn to the best winter drink? A hot toddy is the best cold weather drink of course and is often used for coughs & colds! But how do you make a hot toddy recipe?
So many questions and here we have the answers. Cold weather is here and we all need the best hot toddy recipe to bundle up with to help your cold or just to drink because they are the best winter holiday cocktail!
The hot toddy recipe for colds is also a must when you just want some comfort during cold and flu season. A true hot toddy normally does not have tea however this recipe includes the tea option as typically it tastes much better with tea vs. the more straight version.
A hot toddy with tea also helps with colds due to the nutritional value and other benefits from the tea you use for this amazing winter drink. If you want another great cold weather cocktail try out this amazing Spiced Hot Apple Cider Cocktail.
There are many variations you can have with a hot toddy. You can make a hot toddy with hot apple cider, a traditional hot toddy without tea, a hot toddy with tea and of course multiple different liquors can be used depending on your favorite variation.
Do Use Rum or Whiskey For a Hot Toddy
A traditional hot toddy is with whiskey, bourbon or rye. However, my favorite hot toddy is with spiced rum or a maple flavored whiskey.
Other versions of hot toddy’s are just as good using dark rum, brandy, bourbon or even fireball. Some people say to use vodka but that is not advised.
Is A Hot Toddy Good If You Are Sick?
Yes, a hot toddy has some good ingredients if you are sick and offer some benefits when you are sick. A hot toddy can help with a sore throat and a cough along with other cold and flu symptoms.
Lemon is great for you when you are sick, you can use lemon tea, honey is another good ingredient when you are sick and that whiskey may just soothe some of your pain… maybe why they call it grandpa’s medicine ;).
With all of that said, we are not medical experts so don’t write down a hot toddy for your cure for COVID, the flu or a cold.
What is In a hot toddy?
A traditional hot toddy is few ingredients with just hot water, whiskey, honey, lemon and then a cinnamon stick or star anise for garnish.
You can of course make this tastier by adding a tea bag and making tea vs. just hot water as your base for the hot toddy recipe.
What Is The Best Tea For A Hot Toddy?
Lemon tea and plain black tea are the best teas for a hot toddy. You can use chamomile, ginger or try any other teas but typically lemon or plain black tea make the best tea hot toddy.

Best Hot Toddy Recipe | With Tea & For Colds
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hot water or tea lemon tea or black tea is best
- 1-2 oz whiskey optional spiced rum, brandy, bourbon, fireball, dark rum.
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Optional
- 1/4 cup hot apple cider in place of water/tea
Instructions
- Put hot water or tea in your mug, add lemon juice, honey and whiskey.
- Garnish with lemon, cinnamon stick and a star anise if you have one.