To chase away the winter cold, I turn to my New England take on a classic hot drink. My Hot Toddy with real maple syrup and gin is quick to make and so comforting.
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On frosty autumn and winter nights in New England, it sometimes feels like cold just settles into your bones. We like to chase that chill away with a couple of Hot Toddy cocktails!
My very New England take on a hot toddy has pure maple syrup blended with lemon and gin. It's a simple mixture, which means the drinks are straightforward and speedy to prepare.
Make the drink with local maple syrup; I'm going with Vermont's Runamok Maple, in particular, their extra sparkly variety!
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: A comforting, aromatic blend of maple syrup, gin, and lemon in a hot drink that'll warm you right up.
- You'll love this part: It's simple to mix together, and the lemon slice garnishes can be prepped ahead of time.
- How it's made: Roast lemon slices and let them cool. Mix the drink ingredients with simmering water, then garnish and serve.
Jump to:
What is a hot toddy?
You can find hot toddies in just about every restaurant, bar, inn, and hotel, and the variations are innumerable as well. A classic hot toddy is a blend of hot water, lemon, whiskey, and honey, with spices and brewed tea sometimes added as well.
According to VinePair, the British created the hot toddy cocktail in the 18th century, during the years when England occupied India. They got the idea from an Indian drink called "taddy", which was made with aged palm sap. With British influence, the taddy became a toddy, with a blend of spirits, spices, and hot water, along with a sweetener.
An Irish doctor also gets credit in various sources for creating the hot toddy, even though the English references predate him by close to a century. Dr. Robert Bentley Todd practiced medicine in Ireland in the mid-1800s, and one of his most well-known remedies was a toasty tonic of brandy with cinnamon, sugar, and hot water. With his providential surname and the similarity of his prescription to the English drink, it's no wonder that the toddy's creation is so often ascribed to Dr. Todd!
Today, you can find hot toddies made with all kinds of spirits, including bourbon, brandy, whiskey, gin, and lemon liqueur. Hot toddies are often thought of as a curative, in part because of the old fashioned notion of treating colds and flus with strong, often herbal liquors. The honey in traditional toddies is also a well-known treatment to sooth coughs and sore throats.
I'm certainly not here to make any claims about the medicinal value of a hot toddy! However, I will say that the drink is very comforting on a cold night, and is an especially nice aperitif to sip on in the evening when I'm relaxing after a busy day or a winter day spent shoveling snow!
Why you'll love my New England Hot Toddy
I took a traditional hot toddy recipe and turned it into a very New England cocktail!
My Hot Toddy is made with gin instead of whiskey, and I wanted to find a gin with a very floral and honey-forward flavor. That led me to the Vermont brand Caledonia Spirits. Their award-winning Bar Hill Gin has pronounced botanical, and honey flavors that are so well suited to this lemony toddy.
The other New England ingredient in the drink is pure maple syrup, which is the sweetener that I use instead of honey. With notes of caramel, butterscotch, real maple syrup is a delicious pairing with herbal gin and lemon juice. And if your maple syrup was boiled over a traditional wood fire, you'll have a light smoky, forest flavor as well.
I decided to add a little glitter to my Hot Toddy by using Sparkle Syrup from the Vermont brand Runamok Maple. It's Grade A maple syrup infused with flakes of glittering, edible mica. I love to give Sparkle Syrup as a gift; it's lovely in drinks and also adds a magical shimmer to pancakes and waffles!
As a finishing touch, the maple hot toddies are garnished with roasted lemon slices, which you can make ahead of time to have ready for your drinks. Brushed with maple syrup then baked, the lemon slices emerge from the oven still tart but with a caramelized sweetness and lovely color on the rind.
Make a Hot Toddy with Maple and Gin on chilly fall evenings, or on downright bitter winter days. The hot cocktails are flavorful and comforting.
Watch me make a Hot Toddy!
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I ♥ lemons!
My Favorite Lemon Recipes
After you finish your hot toddy, try my other lemon recipes like homemade ice cream, crisp salads, and iced rolls!
🔪 How to make a Hot Toddy with Maple and Gin:
Ingredients:
- Lemons: You'll need a couple of lemons to squeeze for lemon juice; it has a much better flavor than bottled. Slice up another lemon to make the roasted lemon slices to garnish the mugs.
- Real maple syrup: I like using the Sparkle Syrup from Runamok Maple for a glittery Toddy! However, you can use any pure maple syrup in this cocktail; get some from New England sugarhouses or a maple producer near you. Don't use the fake stuff; there's just no flavor like real maple!
- Gin: I highly recommend smooth and flavorful Vermont brand Bar Hill Gin from Caledonia Spirits. Other honey gin brands to look for include Pollinator Gin from Pollinator Spirits in New York, Plymouth Honey Gin from England, and Silks Irish Dry Gin from Ireland's Boann Distillery. Or, try the toddy with your own favorite gin.
- Water: Have it simmering in the kettle for these hot drinks!
Roast the lemon slices
Brush fresh lemon slices with a little pure maple syrup and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Roast them in a hot oven, then let them cool. (This step can be done up to two days in advance.)
Mix the drinks
Divide maple syrup, lemon juice, and gin between two mugs. Pour simmering water in each cup, and stir to mix everything up. Garnish the rims with the roasted lemon slices and serve 'em hot.
Hot Toddy FAQs
The best spirit to add to your hot toddy is really up to you! Whiskey is a traditional choice, but hot toddies can also be made with sweet bourbon, brandy, an herbal spirit like amaro, or a lemon-flavored liqueur. And of course, hot toddies are delicious with gin! I love how the botanical and honey flavors of gin taste with the real lemon juice and pure maple syrup in my Hot Toddy recipe.
Hot toddies are more likely English in origin, a drink that the British adapted from an Indian beverage (called a taddy) in the 18th century during the English occupation of India. An Irish doctor in the 1800s named Dr. Robert Bentley Todd is sometimes credited with the creation of this cocktail, because he prescribed a similar hot drink made with brandy to his patients. (And because his last name was Todd!)
To make an alcohol-free Hot Toddy, simply omit the gin. You can add a botanical tea to the drink to replicate the botanical flavors you'd get from the gin.
Another option is to seek out alcohol-free versions of gin such as the Gin Alternative from Trejo's Spirits, the zero-proof brand from actor Danny Trejo.
Warm up!
Friday Night, a Cocktail
My favorite way to unwind at the end of the week: a 2-ingredient cocktail that features Shanky's Whip liqueur.
Tips:
- You can roast the lemon slices in advance. Store the cooled slices in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.
- Use pure maple syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor in the Hot Toddy.
- For a glittery Hot Toddy, try using Runamok Sparkle Maple Syrup!
The Hot Toddy recipe with Maple and Gin is below. Here are more drinks you'll love:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Hot Toddy, with Maple and Gin
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Ingredients
For the roasted lemon slices:
- ½ large lemon
- pure maple syrup (Regular pure maple syrup can also be used)
For the drink:
- 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup (For a glittery Hot Toddy, try Runamok Sparkling Vermont maple syrup)
- 4 ounces gin (Ideally a honey-based variety like Barr Hill Gin.)
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1½ cups simmering water
Instructions
Prepare the lemon slices:
- Preheat the oven to 300° F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice ½ large lemon into ¼-inch thick slices and lay them on the baking sheet. Brush the lemon slices with a little pure maple syrup.
- Roast the lemon slices for about 45 minutes, until they are browned and no longer juicy. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.
- Note: this step can be done in advance. Store the cooled slices in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.
Make the Hot Toddy:
- Divide the 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup between two heat-proof glasses, mugs, or small mason jars. Divide the 4 ounces gin and the 5 tablespoons lemon juice between the two cups as well.
- Pour 1½ cups simmering water into the cups, about ¾ cup into each one. Stir each drink to mix the gin, water and flavorings together.
- Cut a small slit into each of the roasted lemon slices. Add one or two lemon slices to each rim. Serve the hot toddies immediately.
To store:
- If you have any Hot Toddy leftover, let it cool, then transfer it to a tightly sealed jar or container. Store the mixture in the fridge for up to five days.
- You can reheat the Hot Toddy gently on the stove top or in the microwave.
- Leftover roasted lemon slices should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.
Notes
- You can roast the lemon slices in advance. Store the cooled slices in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.
- Use pure maple syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor in the Hot Toddy.
- For a glittery Hot Toddy, try using Runamok Sparkle Maple Syrup!
Nutrition
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