Cough syrups work but why buy them when you can make your own right? I got this homemade cough syrup with whiskey and peppermint recipe from my grandma some years back and I haven’t bought cough syrup ever since. Here’s how to make your own. 

A few years after I had my first child we went to visit my grandma. My daughter had the flu and her cough was terrible. Luckily, my granny had a jar of this homemade cough syrup and gave her a spoonful.

That night we had a good night’s sleep, I don’t know if she got drunk and sleepy from the whiskey but she slept all through the night. I knew I had to steal her recipe and I’ve been making it ever since.

Peppermint Cough Syrup Ingredients:

This old-time cough syrup consists of four main ingredients which are whiskey, peppermint, lemon, and honey. That said, it really doesn’t matter which liquor you use cause we’re not making this to get drunk LOL. Here is how these ingredients help reduce couch.

• Honey has been used for ages as a cough remedy due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties. It also helps soothe the throat lining so simply eating a spoonful can help as well. 
• Whiskey helps heat up the throat lining and kill off bacteria, it also helps you sleep better and longer at night and reduces cough.
• Lemon is loaded with vitamin C which is needed to strengthen the immune system and reduce cold and cough symptoms. That said, make sure you don’t have acid reflux or GERD. 
• Peppermint is mostly there for the flavor but study shows that mint is great for thinning out mucus therefore great for cough. Adding soft foods and spices like cinnamon, and ginger helps too.

Homemade Cough Syrup With Whiskey And Peppermint Recipe

For this peppermint cough syrup recipe, you can use any peppermint candy of your choice. I’ve always used those red and white Christmas peppermint sticks but any type of hard peppermint candy will work just fine.

With that being said, if you can get the ones that contain real mint instead of artificial flavors, your cough syrup will be more effective. 

As for the honey, I always use organic raw honey because it has all the benefits listed above, using pasteurized honey is not recommended. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large peppermint stick or 5-6 peppermint candies
• 1/2 cup of whiskey 
• 1/2 cup of organic raw honey
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

In a saucepan, add the water, candy, and lemon juice, and over low heat, let it come to a simmer. Stir often to prevent the candy from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Let it simmer until all the candy melts and it starts to bubble because we want to get rid of almost all the water. Set it aside and let it cool before adding in the honey and whiskey.

Stir until you have an even mixture and transfer your cough syrup into a dry mason jar. Only cover and store once the syrup has completely cooled.

Take one tablespoon 2-3 times per day to help reduce your cough.

Pro Tip

You can make this cough syrup recipe without cooking the candy but it’s gonna take longer to have your syrup ready. I usually add all of my ingredients into a mason jar (without the water) and let it sit for a few days.

The candy usually melts on its own however, you may need to stir it once a day. Thats it!

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Conclusion

Homemade cough syrups work, I know this because I’ve made and used them for years now in my home. Go ahead and try this recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. If you found this post helpful, please share it, and don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for more awesome tips.