How to Make a Gin Hot Toddy

Hot toddy season is officially official. I’m currently in NYC with 20-degree temperatures and sipping a warm drink like a gin hot toddy with soothing cinnamon while watching Harry Potter sounds pretty good to me right about now.

If you’re unfamiliar, a hot toddy is an alcoholic drink of water and liquor, served hot. They’re perfect for cold winter months, and an old-school remedy to knock out cold symptoms of the season. Think of it as hot tea, with a bit of a kick and a touch of fragrant spices and a hint of citrus.

A traditional hot toddy includes whiskey or brandy, a sweetener like simple syrup, lemon juice, and hot water.

This simple gin cocktail has all the elements of a classic hot toddy, with orange juice instead of lemon and honey instead of simply syrup. And I promise, it’s just as perfect for a nightcap after a freezing cold day as the OG version.

How to Make Gin Hot Toddy

Ingredients

• Honey
• Hot water
• Oranges
• Dry gin (I used AMASS gin, find it locally here)
• Cinnamon sticks
• Star anise

Instructions

A hot toddy is super simple to make. Simply boil hot water like you would for tea, then mix in the other ingredients.

Step 1

Pour your honey into a tall, heat resistant glass. I prefer to use honey over simple syrup because the flavor is a bit more robust, and it tastes nice with the complementing orange juice.

Shop my hot toddy glasses at Crate and Barrel.

Shop similar hot toddy glasses on Amazon.

Step 2

Juice your orange, then add the juice to the glass. Please don’t use bottled OJ for this; there are so many added sugars to pre-made orange juice, and it’ll make this gin toddy way too sweet. Your goal here is to have a harmonious blend of gin, honey, orange, and spice, not be inundated with a sugary taste.

Step 3

Add the gin, and then add the boiling water. Be sure to stir to to combine all of the ingredients.

Step 4

Take an orange wedge, a cinnamon stick, and an anise star, and add to your drink. The hot gin and water will release the spices for a subtle but flavorful addition.

Gin Hot Toddy

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Servings 1 person

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 oranges (one for 2 tbsp of fresh juice, the other cut into wedges )
• 1 oz dry gin
• cinnamon sticks and star anise

Instructions

 

• Bring hot water to a boil, just like if you were making tea.
• While your water boils, add honey, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice, and gin into a tall heat resistant glass.
• Add hot water, then stir.
• Finish with an orange wedge, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Enjoy!