9 Hot Toddy Recipes For Winter

As a kid growing up in Manila, I was given a mix of hot water, honey and lemon whenever the weather felt a little off. And while it didn’t always “cure” what was bothering me, it certainly eased the discomfort and made things a little more tolerable. Cocktails have warmed the throat for centuries.

Now in my early 40s, I still relive my childhood memories of drinking a Hot Toddy whenever I feel stuck, not just when I sniffle. I will drink with whiskey this time. Arctic tundra. It never fails to give me that much-needed flash of warmth.It’s always fun to try different iterations of cocktails. Because it is a canvas.

creative hot toddy recipes for winter

hot toddy pattern

“For winter cocktails, there is no better or more classic drink than the Patrón Hot Toddy. The ingredients are combined to create a drink that warms the body from the inside.” —Stephen Halpin, Manager of Trade Education and Mixology at Patrón Tequila

material

2 oz.old pattern

3 ounces hot water

1.5 oz.lemon juice

1 oz.honey

1 pinch ground cinnamon

3 drops of vanilla essence

Method: Stir a pinch of cinnamon powder, honey and hot water in the bottom of a sturdy mug. Add patron anejo, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix all ingredients together.

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sweater weather

“Sweater weather is about feeling cozy in your cup. Have a batch of ready-made butter in your fridge for an on-the-fly cocktail to impress your house guests, or treat yourself after a long day. This cocktail combines all of the best winter flavors, including Cutwater’s award-winning bourbon, spiced butter, and vanilla, to create a warm cocktail that’s a must-have for the chilly season in your home bar every year. increase!” –Laura Price, master bartender at Cutwater Spirits Tasting Room & Kitchen in San Diego, CA

material

1.5 oz.cut water bourbon

0.5 oz vanilla liquor

hot water

1 tbsp Cutwater Dark Rum/Nutmeg Butter*

1 lb butter (softened to room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1.5 oz.cut water dark rum

¼ cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

*Dark Rum Nutmeg Butter: Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Blend until well combined. Store in a container with a lid and refrigerate, then thaw before serving.

Method: Put bourbon, vanilla liqueur and nutmeg butter in a mug. Add hot water and stir until blended. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

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big apple cider toddy

“When you think of hot cocktails in New York, you immediately think of cider and bourbon (it’s the Big Apple, after all!) In this cocktail, we take a simple hot spiked cider and enrich things a little. I like to think of it as hot bourbon with apple cider syrup rather than hot cider with bourbon. Drinking this cocktail reminds me of going shopping at the Union Square holiday market with my wife and sneaking the hot cider I had to buy from the farmers market stall into a stark white paper cup. It brings back the memories I made.” —John Dillon, Bar Manager, Barbuto, NY

material

2 oz. Bourbon (Favourites: Four Roses, Buffalo His Trace, Elijah Craig)

4 oz.spiced cider syrup

2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

1 cinnamon stick

1 clove

A pinch of grated nutmeg

star anise, garnish

Method: Pour 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan, add 1 cinnamon stick, 1 clove, 1 pinch of grated nutmeg and 1 slice of ginger (but feel free to add whatever spices you like). Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half. Once the cider is cooked, add your favorite bourbon, 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and stir to mix evenly and heat well. Remove from heat and carefully pour into a hot toddy glass, mug, or other favorite cocktail glass. Garnish with 1 star anise.

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Earl Gray Toddy

“Hot Toddy is one of my favorite cold weather cocktails. The rich flavors of Pedro Ximénez and the savory flavors of Amontillado Sherry balance the alcohol content of the cocktail while complementing the bold flavors of Jack Daniels Bonded.Earl Gray tannins. and citrus notes provide structure without over-diluting the cocktail.All in all, this is an easy-to-make, subtle twist on a classic.” —Chris Lemperle, Head Bartender at Overstory, New York, NY

material

1 tsp Pedro Ximénez Sherry (Lustau)

1 teaspoon honey syrup (2:1)*

1000 ml.honey

500ml hot water

0.25 oz.fresh lemon juice

1 oz. Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)

1.5 oz.Jack Daniels Bonded

3 oz Hot Earl Gray Tea**

1000 ml.hot water

15 grams.Earl Grey

Dirty Sioux Whiskey Cherry, Garnish

lemon twist, garnish

*honey syrup (2:1): Combine ingredients and whisk. For bottles, labels and storage.

**Earl Grey: Soak the tea in hot water for 10 minutes. Tea strainer. Please keep warm before using.

Method: Preheat your coffee or tea cup with hot water. Discard the hot water. Place all ingredients in a hot glass and add hot tea at the end. Lightly stir with a spoon to mix. Garnish with a Dirty Sue Whiskey Cherry and Lemon Twist.

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hot teddy

“I don’t necessarily like toddy, so I wanted to include hot drinks that I personally drink on the menu. Cinnamon syrup instead of honey, honey liqueur instead of allspice rum, Calvados instead of whiskey.” When used, it creates a very fun dessert profile somewhere between apple pie and bread pudding.” —Jenna Rosenbloom, Beverage Director and General Manager, Mountaineering Club, Seattle, Washington

material

0.25 oz.monin cinnamon syrup

1 oz.Calvados

0.5 oz.Drambuie

0.5 oz banana liquor

5 oz.boiling water

banana chips, garnish

cinnamon bear, garnish

Method: Place all ingredients in a heat-treated glass and garnish with banana chips and cinnamon bears.

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delay due to rain

“The goal here was to create Toddy, a lighter drink with some rich elements. Sfumato adds an earthy bitterness that balances with the lemon, and if you have a milk frother, I think it tastes best with milk instead of water.”—Brett Adams, Education Manager and Spirits Curator, Multnomah Whiskey Library, Portland, Oregon

material

1 oz.timberline vodka

0.5 oz.plantation dark rum

0.5 oz.cinnamon syrup

0.25 oz.lemon

0.5 tsp sfumato bitters

3 ounces hot water

orange twist

Method: Combine vodka, rum, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice and amaro in a glass mug. Stir gently. Pour hot water. Express the orange peel on top of the mug and use it as a garnish.

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fisher’s hot toddy

“It was because of my mother that Fisher’s Hot Toddy was born. It was hard to admit that she was into something. and was still working as a bartender at the family restaurant, The Pequot, and when a guest ordered a hot toddy, I started mixing whiskey, honey, and lemon, and my mom said, ‘It’s almost like a canned cocktail. Isn’t it the same material just heated?” She then heated a can of our product and tested it herself. I soon found out that Fisher’s Island Lemonade was a really delicious and convenient hot her toddy. I like to add whiskey floaters. Give it a try on a cold night. you will love it. ”—Bronya Cilo, Founder of Fisher’s Island Lemonade

material

6 oz. Fisher’s Island Lemonade (1/2 can)

1 oz.whiskey

cinnamon stick

Method: Boil fishers and cinnamon in a pot. Pour into glasses. Add whiskey floaters if desired. (You can use 3-4 cans of lemonade and 3-4 ounces of whiskey to make a cocktail for 6-8 people.) Garnish with cinnamon sticks and lemon wheels.

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newbury hot toddy

“The cocktail is Hot Toddy, which is a 4 oz. in-house blend of St. George Baller Whiskey and St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur in equal proportions (40 rooms with wood-burning fireplaces). Liquor is sure to warm the soul when enjoyed by the fireplace expertly prepared by the team of fire butlers, delivered via room service and served by the service team with hot water, lemon juice and newberry honey from the apiary. I cook indoors using —Robert Rouleau, Food and Beverage Director, Newbury Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts

material

1 oz.bowler single malt whiskey

1 oz.St George’s Spice Pear Liqueur

1 oz.lemon juice

1 tablespoon newberry honey

6 oz.hot water

Method: Make a hot toddy glass or mug. Garnish with lemon and star anise.

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fuzzy fields

“A cocktail should give you a sense of comfort and ambivalent affection. This cocktail brings coriander and bright citrus from Ford’s Gin with a wintry vibe with tart cranberries and rich ginger syrup. A touch of sweetness and lemon envelops the mellow, warm drink, giving it a soft, warm hug.I wanted to create a cocktail that any level of cocktail bar could execute.If you don’t want to make it by hand, add ginger syrup It is readily available from syrup companies.” —Katherine Parsons, Bar Manager, Fort Greene, Oakland, CA

material

2 oz.ford gin

0.50 oz. Cranberry juice (such as Ocean Spray)

0.50 oz.lemon juice

0.50 oz.ginger syrup

0.25 oz.demerara sugar

3.5 oz.hot water

Method: Boil the water first. Then add all ingredients to a hot toddy glass. When the water boils, pour hot water into the glass. Stir lightly to mix hot water and ingredients. Garnish with a pick of cranberries, candied ginger and sage.