A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime…it’s not scientific but it helps.
-Alexander Fleming
Hotty Toddy gosh almighty it’s incredibly cold outside! North Carolina has been sitting in the low 40s at night for the past month…if it weren’t almost Christmas I would be crossing my fingers for warmer weather already!
For the past 13 weeks we have been watching college football non-stop. While my team didn’t have the best game last weekend, I still can’t unglue myself from the tv. If you are like me, you are overly excited to spend 15+ hours this Saturday watching all of the conference championships…and will be drinking an adult beverage or two while you watch.
With the recent drop in weather I have been craving something to warm me up…which is where this classic Hot Toddy came into play. While this cocktail is sometimes associated with a good way to heal a sore throat when you are sick or help you sleep when you have a cough, I am all about enjoying a good Hot Toddy no matter what the occasion!
How to make a Hot Toddy with 7 basic ingredients:
Making a Hot Toddy is much simpler than you might think. All you need are these 7 ingredients: hot water, honey, whiskey, cloves, lemon, brown sugar and a cinnamon stick.
While there are some versions of a Hot Toddy that are made with tea, I tend to prepare my Toddy closer to the classic Irish cocktail…aka skip the tea and add extra sweetness!
Start making your Toddy by “prepping” your lemons. To do this you poke 3-4 cloves into each slice.
Next you prep your glass by lining the glass with honey so that there will be an even amount of sweetness throughout the drink.
Next add brown sugar and a good shot of whiskey to the glass.
Stir everything together with a METAL spoon then drop in your cloved lemons. Don’t forget to make sure that you spoon is metal!
There is an old wise tale that using a metal spoon when you pour scolding hot water into the glass is what keeps the glass from cracking. Who knows if this theory is true, but you never go against superstition!
Allow your Toddy to “steep” for a few minutes while your hot water cools to the point of being drinkable. Once it is ready, add the cinnamon stick into the glass & serve!
I wish there was a way to send smell through pictures because this drink smells so good! The mixture of lemon, cinnamon and clove make you feel like you are drinking Christmas with every sip!
Not only will this Hot Toddy warm you up on a cold night but it has a nice kick to it too! If you are looking to change up your adult beverage choices this winter, this classic Hot Toddy is definitely something you should add to your rotation!
ENJOY!
- 5 oz hot water
- 2 oz whiskey or bourbon
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 8 cloves, whole
- 3 lemon slices
- 1 cinnamon stick
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Slice lemon into thick slices. Stud each lemon slice with 2-3 cloves.
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Get your cocktail glass and line it with honey (or just let honey drizzle in the bottom of the glass).
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Add whiskey & sugar. Give everything a good stir.
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Place cloved lemon slices into the glass.
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Grab a metal spoon and place it into the glass (there is an old myth that this helps the glass hold scolding hot water without breaking!)
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Pour the hot water into the glass.
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Let your Toddy "steep" for a few minutes then add a cinnamon stick into your glass. Serve & enjoy!