Here’s how to make a classic hot toddy with whiskey, rum, or brandy, plus honey and lemon. This cozy drink comes together in 5 minutes!
There’s not much better to lift one’s spirits on a gray day than a steaming hot beverage. Here’s one that’s been around for centuries: the classic Hot Toddy! This historic drink used to be prescribed as a cure for the common cold, and with one sip you’ll know why.
A burst of warm bourbon, rum or brandy melds seamlessly into the lemon and honey. Even just the light steam on your face as you take in the aroma makes this drink worth making. Here’s how to make a hot toddy!
5 Star Reader Review
“I haven’t made it in a few years, so had to revisit the base recipe, and yours is great! Honey, squeeze of lemon and the whole spices mentioned, and perfect for this cold day by the fire. Thanks for the recipe!” -J
What Is a Hot Toddy?
The hot toddy is a mixed drink made of liquor, hot water, and honey, often made with lemon, spices, or tea. Its name goes back to British colonial India, similar to a local term for a drink made from fermented palm sap. By the late 1700s, English dictionaries defined “toddy” as a drink made with spirits, hot water, and sugar.
The drink became popular in England and Scotland using Scotch whisky. It then spread to America, where rum and brandy were the available spirits and used in the hot toddy. By the mid-1800s, Americans were prescribing the hot toddy as the cure for the common cold!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Many hot toddy recipes use tea as the base, but the simplest and tastiest form of this drink uses hot water. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this hot toddy recipe:
- Whiskey, rum or brandy: Each spirit adds its own character to this drink. I like bourbon or brandy best.
- Honey: This brings in the nuanced sweetness.
- Lemon: The fresh citrus brings in a brightness to each sip.
- Hot water: All you’ll need here is hot water to let the flavors bloom.
How To Make a Hot Toddy
These days, you don’t have to have a cold to drink a hot toddy. But once you take the first sip, you’ll appreciate why it was rumored to have restorative qualities. The way that hot water opens the flavors of the whiskey, brandy or rum makes it deliciously easy to sip. Here’s what to do:
- Mix: In the serving glass, stir together 3 tablespoons whiskey, rum, or brandy with 1 tablespoon honey.
- Add hot water: Pour in ½ cup hot water (substitute hot tea if desired).
- Add lemon: Squeeze in a lemon wedge.
- Garnish: Add whole spices like cloves, cinnamon stick, and star anise. These are optional, but they add a nice aromatic touch.
Best Whiskey, Rum, or Brandy for Hot Toddies
The hot toddy is endlessly customizable, depending on what type of liquor you use. You can use any type of whiskey, rum or brandy to change the flavor slightly.
- Whiskey: Use bourbon for sweet oak and vanilla notes, Scotch for a peaty sharpness, rye for a spicy finish, or Irish whiskey for a mellow sweetness. I personally like bourbon here and usually use something mid-priced like Bulleit Bourbon or Elijah Craig Small Batch. See my guide to types of whiskey or go to Bourbon Hot Toddy.
- Rum: Try white rum, aged rum or dark rum instead of whiskey for a sweeter flavor. Aged and dark rum add even more nuance in flavor. Go to Rum Hot Toddy.
- Brandy: Brandy adds notes of dried fruit and citrus, with oaky notes on the finish. Go to Brandy Hot Toddy.
Hot Toddy With Tea or Ginger
Making a hot toddy with tea is a common variation for this drink! However, we prefer it with hot water. Here’s what to know about making a tea hot toddy:
- You may need to add more sweetener. The flavor of the drink becomes more bitter with tea, so you may need to add a little more sweetener to balance the flavor. For that reason, we prefer using hot water.
- What types of tea work best? Black tea or herbal tea work well flavor-wise. Our favorite tea is Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice, which brings a warm-spiced flavor. Here’s how to make tea.
- With ginger: Add two or three rounds of fresh ginger to the mug and let them steep a few minutes before drinking.
More Flavor Variations
There are many more ways to vary this hot toddy recipe outside of the type of liquor! Here are a few creative flavor variations:
- Cider: Try this Apple Cider Hot Toddy: the sweet tart cider is ideal for the drink
- Cranberry: Substitute unsweetened cranberry juice for the hot water (warm it on the stove or in the microwave).
- Orange: Substitute orange juice for the hot water.
- Maple: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
More Hot Drinks To Try
Hot Toddy
Pin RecipeHere’s how to make a classic hot toddy with whiskey, rum, or brandy, plus honey and lemon. This cozy drink comes together in 5 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) whiskey*, rum, or brandy
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) honey or pure maple syrup
- ½ cup steaming hot water
- 1 lemon wedge
- For the garnish: 3 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise (optional)
Instructions
- In the serving glass, stir together the liquor and honey.
- Pour in the hot water. Garnish with a lemon wedge, squeezing in the juice, and the cloves, cinnamon stick, and star anise (if using).
Notes
*Use any type of whiskey: bourbon, Scotch, rye, Canadian, Tennessee, or Irish whiskey. Or, use brandy or any type of rum: white, aged, spiced, or dark rum. See Bourbon Hot Toddy, Brandy Hot Toddy or Rum Hot Toddy.
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