The minute you have a tickle or itch in your throat, take a tablespoon of this homemade cough syrup. This all natural home remedy for cough can be made in 5 minutes. It will help relieve your cold symptoms.
Growing up, if I stayed home from school, my mom would make me this homemade cough syrup recipe minus the bourbon. She didn’t use the bourbon because she didn’t keep bourbon in the house.
Her concoction seemed to always help heal my ailments.
I am a grown up now, and I do have bourbon in my house! I use bourbon in this recipe, because bourbon adds that little extra power that helps fight whatever off my body is trying to fight.
All Natural Ingredients
This homemade cough syrup is made with 5 all natural ingredients! This is what you will need:
- Bourbon– (I personally love Brown Sugar Bourbon.) Bourbon dilates blood vessels making it easier for your mucus membranes to deal with the infection. It also helps a little with the pain. (There is not enough to make anyone drunk in this recipe! I promise!)
- Lemon– Lemon is loaded with vitamin C to help you fight that cold!
- Honey– It is antibacterial. It helps coat the throat.
- Cinnamon– Cinnamon has anti-fungal and analgesic properties that help fight inflammation and your cold. It also helps with soothing your throat.
- Water– Water dilutes it enough to help with mixing it all up.
How to make cough syrup at home?
Making homemade cough syrup is RIDICULOUSLY easy! It can be made in 5 minutes, so there is no reason not to have it on hand!
- First, warm your honey on low heat just enough to soften it to mix easier. This will take just a few seconds on low heat.
- Fresh squeeze your lemon.
- Combine and stir honey, lemon, cinnamon, bourbon, and water until completely mixed.
Tip: Do you have crystalized honey? Honey does not spoil or go bad. However, some people do not like the crystalized honey because of the texture. This is a great recipe to use up some of your crystalized honey!
Tip 2: DO NOT COOK YOUR HONEY!!! (Cooking honey destroys some of those cold fighting antibacterial properties.) Do not microwave your honey because you will not be able to control the heat temperature and you will more than likely over heat it.
Home remedy for cough
I don’t know about you, but I hate taking pharmaceutical medicine. I don’t like the way it makes me feel. I will absolutely avoid it until I have no other alternative.
This home remedy for cough really works. I keep a batch in the refrigerator during the winter to have on hand. Therefore, I don’t have to take the over the counter medicine unless I catch it too late.
The MINUTE you feel a hint of a tickle in your throat, take a tablespoon. If you don’t catch it in time, take 2 tablespoons every hour until it goes away. It isn’t a miracle worker, but 9 times out of 10, this will make your cough go away.
What if you have a sore throat?
If you have a sore throat or achy body, heat your favorite tea as hot as you can stand it. Add 2 tablespoons of this homemade cough syrup.
The hot tea will help with the soreness and achy feelings. The homemade cough syrup will help you get better!
How do you store homemade cough syrup?
Store your bourbon cough syrup in a dark cool place in the pantry or the refrigerator. The refrigerator will make it thick. Just remember to mix the syrup really well each time before serving.
Does it taste good?
Yes! This home remedy for your cough tastes so much better than that store bought stuff…. I mean… It is primarily honey and cinnamon!!! The rest of the ingredients compliment the flavor combination.
Honestly, the hardest part about downing a tablespoon of this homemade cough syrup is that it is so sweet! As Mary Poppins said, ” A spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way.”
The honey ratio in this recipe is like downing a spoonful of sugar. Is that really so bad?
If you like this recipe, check out some of my other homemade food projects such as:
- Gummy Bear Fruit Snacks
- Bloody Mary Vodka Infusion
- Homemade Dog Food
- Homemade Celery Salt
- Homemade Jalapeno Salt
Please leave me a comment below if you make this homemade cough syrup, and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your homemade cough remedy on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
Homemade Cough Syrup- Home Remedy for Cough
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tbs cinnamon
- ½ cup bourbon
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Warm honey 1 ½ cup honey on low heat just enough to make it mixable. (30 seconds or less)
- Fresh squeeze lemon to make ¼ cup of lemon juice.
- Combine and stir honey, lemon, 2 tbs cinnamon, ½ cup bourbon, and ½ cup water until completely mixed.
- Take 1 tbs if you catch it early before it develops into a cold. If you have a full cold, take 1 to 2 tbs every hour until cold ends.
Sandy says
I love this recipe, I hope you will post more home remedies.
Katie Crenshaw says
Yes! You can use whiskey if you prefer.
Tara says
I’m assuming if I don’t have bourbon I could use Whiskey too, right? Can’t wait to try this!
Andrea Metlika says
Perfect timing! This is so much better for you than all the over the counter medications.
Jen says
Woke up definitely needing this today! I love being able to feel better without having to run to the store. Thanks!
kim says
What a fabulous recipe! this will definitely come in handy during cold and flu season!
Erika says
This is awesome! Perfect for all the sickies this time of year.
Emily says
I’ve wanted to try a homemade remedy for cough syrup. Love all the ingredients in this recipe. It looks so soothing!