Classic Hot Toddy Recipes (and Some With a Twist)

Updated September 14, 2021
Hot Toddy with herbs on blue wood background

A hot toddy is a cozy addition to fall and winter. You may be most familiar with the basic hot toddy recipe, but there's a whole wide world of variety and options when it comes to this comforting beverage. When you're no longer interested in a cold drink and want to pump up the snug factor, whip up a hot toddy recipe.

Classic Hot Toddy

The basic hot toddy comes together pretty quickly. The hardest part is boiling the water.

Classic Hot Toddy on wood Table

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ ounce honey
  • Hot water to top off
  • Lemon wedge, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the whiskey, lemon juice, honey, and hot water.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with lemon wedge, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.

Black Tea Toddy

Adding black tea to the hot toddy gives a greater depth of flavor.

Black Tea Toddy Pouring In Cup On Table

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ ounce honey, to taste
  • Hot water
  • Black tea
  • Lemon wheel and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. Prepare a cup of hot black tea if desired.
  3. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  4. In the mug, combine the whiskey, lemon juice, honey, and prepared black tea.
  5. Stir to combine well.
  6. Garnish with lemon wheel with cloves and cinnamon stick.

Honey Toddy

This hot toddy steps up the sweet, honey flavor.

Honey Poured Over Lemon in Glass with Honey Toddy

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces honey whiskey
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ ounce honey
  • Hot water
  • Lemon wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the whiskey, lemon juice, honey, and hot water.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with lemon wheel.

Ginger Toddy

The ginger syrup gives a spicy zing to the hot toddy. Feel free to play with the amount of ginger syrup to suit your taste.

Ginger Toddy lemon ginger on wood table

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ ounce ginger syrup
  • Hot water
  • Lemon wheel and sliced ginger for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the whiskey, lemon juice, ginger syrup, and hot water.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with lemon wheel and sliced ginger.

Rosemary Toddy

The rosemary flavor takes the classic toddy from reliable to upgraded and extra refreshing.

Rosemary Toddy honey and teapot

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ½ ounce lemon juice
  • ¾ ounce rosemary simple syrup
  • Hot water
  • Lemon wedge and rosemary sprig for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the whiskey, lemon juice, rosemary simple syrup, and hot water.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with lemon wheel and rosemary sprig.

Orange Crush Toddy

This recipe brings the orange flavor instead of lemon, for a softer citrus taste.

Orange Crush Toddy

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce bourbon
  • 1 ounce orange vodka
  • ½ ounce orange liqueur
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Hot water
  • Orange wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the bourbon, vodka, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and hot water.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with orange wedge.

Spiced Toddy

This recipe leans on cinnamon and spiced rum to pack a full flavor of spices.

Spiced Toddy with cinnamon sticks

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the spiced rum, lemon juice, cinnamon simple syrup, and hot water.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Apple Pie Toddy

This recipe takes the hot toddy from its predictable flavor into dessert mode.

Two Apple Pie Toddy with apples on a wood table

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce bourbon
  • 1 ounce vanilla vodka
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ ounce cinnamon simple syrup
  • ½ ounce apple cider
  • Hot water
  • Apple slice and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the bourbon, vanilla vodka, lemon juice, cinnamon simple syrup, and apple cider.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with apple slice and cinnamon stick.

Old-Fashioned Hot Toddy

Old-Fashioneds are warming and cozy on their own, but as a hot toddy things couldn't be warmer.

Old Fashioned Toddy

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • 2 dashes angostura bitters
  • Hot water to top off
  • Cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

  1. Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
  2. After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
  3. In the mug, combine the bourbon, simple syrup, lemon juice, and bitters.
  4. Stir to combine well.
  5. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

A Twist on Toddy

The classic hot toddy is reliable, but sometimes you need something different. With these as a starting point, you can craft a spectrum of hot toddies to suit your taste or desires. The only thing that's left is to curl up with a blanket.

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Classic Hot Toddy Recipes (and Some With a Twist)