Spiced Hot Toddy
A spiced hot toddy is the ultimate cozy drink, perfect for chilly evenings. With a warm blend of whiskey, honey, and spices, it’s delicious and comforting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This spiced hot toddy takes the classic to the next level with an easy-to-make infusion of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. I love the addition of these spices with whisky or bourbon, it complements the already warming notes.
Method:
- Bring water with a cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and a slice of ginger to the boil then simmer for 1-2 minutes, then let it steep for another few minutes. Strain the spices out.
- In a heatproof mug, combine whiskey, honey and fresh lemon juice. Top with the spiced water and stir until the honey dissolves. Garnish with an orange slice and cinnamon stick.
Variations:
- Extra spice: Include a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a deeper flavor.
- Apple cider hot toddy: Replace the water with warm apple cider.
Using Powdered Spices
If whole spices aren’t available, powdered spices can be used too. Here’s how:
- Cinnamon: For every cinnamon stick use 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Cloves: For every 2 whole cloves use a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of ground cloves.
- Star anise: For every 2 star anise use 1/4 teaspoon of ground star anise instead.
- Ginger: Instead of a slice of fresh ginger, add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger.
- Combine the powdered spices with water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir well to ensure the spices dissolve evenly.
- After simmering for 1-2 minutes, strain the mixture through a fine cloth, such as cheesecloth, or a coffee filter to remove the spices.
Scaling the Recipe
- For a small gathering (4 servings): Use 4 cups of water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 8 cloves, 4 star anise, and 4 slices of ginger for the spiced syrup. Fewer cinnamon sticks are needed, as their flavor is pretty strong and infuses the water fast.
- For a crowd (8 servings): Use 8 cups of water, 4 cinnamon sticks, 16 cloves, 8 star anise, and 8 slices of ginger.
- Batch-prep tip: Prepare the spiced syrup in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat gently before serving.
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Yield: 1
Spiced Hot Toddy
A spiced hot toddy is the ultimate cozy drink, perfect for chilly evenings or when you need a little comfort in a cup. With a warm blend of whiskey, honey, and spices, it’s soothing and satisfying every time.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Total Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 slice fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 oz (45 ml) whiskey (bourbon or rye)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Garnish: Orange slice, cinnamon stick
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring water, cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, and ginger to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it steep for another few minutes. Strain out the spices.
- In a heatproof mug, add the whiskey, honey, and lemon juice. Stir to mix.
- Pour the spiced water in, stirring to dissolve the honey.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange slice. Serve immediately.
Notes
Scaling the Recipe:
- For a small gathering (4 servings): Multiply the ingredients by 4: Use 4 cups of water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 8 cloves, 4 star anise, and 4 slices of ginger for the spiced syrup. For each serving, assemble drinks by combining 1 1/2 oz whiskey, 1 tbsp honey, and 2 tsp lemon juice in each mug, then topping with the warm spiced syrup. Fewer cinnamon sticks are needed, as their flavor is pretty strong and infuses the water fast.
- For a crowd (8 servings): Multiply the ingredients by 8: Use 8 cups of water, 4 cinnamon sticks, 16 cloves, 8 star anise, and 8 slices of ginger. For each serving, assemble drinks by combining 1 1/2 oz whiskey, 1 tbsp honey, and 2 tsp lemon juice in each mug, then topping with the warm spiced syrup.
- Batch-prep tip: Prepare the spiced syrup in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 24mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 6gSugar: 30gProtein: 2g
