I’ve been seriously enjoying making my own home remedies. It’s amazing how much you can do with a few simple ingredients, and after I made my first batch of homemade cough syrup, I knew that I had to follow it up with homemade cough drops. I’m a huge believer in the power of cough drops on those nights when I can’t sleep for coughing so much. Bleh.
Probably the biggest drawback with making home remedies however, is that it can get expensive really fast.
I tend to fight that tendency by using the most common ingredients I can.
Would it be better to use coltsfoot and elderberry flowers? Theoretically, yes. But most of us don’t have those things sitting around in our pantries, nor can we pick them up at a local grocery store. And ordering specialty herbs gets expensive fast.
Here’s the herbs I’ve included, and why:
Peppermint
Aside from the fact that peppermint tea tastes awesome, it’s a common cold and flu remedy. Studies have shown that it kills bacteria and viruses. It also has a numbing effect. It also dulls the pain of an aching body. The menthol in peppermint effectively thins mucus and breaks up phlegm. It provides relief from coughs and congestion. You will find menthol as a common ingredient in decongestants. (source)
Chamomile
Chamomile contains immune boosting, and antibacterial properties. (source)
Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties.
Ginger
Ginger has been shown to be a powerful natural pain killer, and contains anit-inflammatory properties. (source)
Did you notice anything about that list? All of those herbs have powerful healing properties, and every single one of them is available at almost any grocery store, and are inexpensive to boot. Who says high quality herbal remedies have to be expensive?
There are many different ways you can make your hard syrup into cough drops, you could even make them into lollipops with lollipop sticks and molds.
How To Not Make A Mess
One common way is to let the syrup cool until it’s just barely cool enough to handle, and then roll them into lozenges with your hands.
I found doing that to be awfully sticky though, and decided to do things the easy way and drop the hot syrup onto parchment paper.
Maybe they’re not as pretty, but I ended up with zero mess, and yes, the cough drops pop right off the parchment paper. Nothing sticks to that stuff. 🙂
Homemade cough drops
- 1 Tablespoon (or one teabag) peppermint tea leaves
- 1 Tablespoon/teabag chamomile tea
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ¾ cup honey
- Optional: Essential Oils such as peppermint, or Thieves (Great for boosting the immune system!)
- Steep peppermint, chamomile, cinnamon, and ginger in boiling water for 10 minutes or more.
- Strain off water, and pour into a small saucepan.
- Add honey.
- Heat over medium heat until mixture begins to boil.
- Clip candy thermometer to the side of your pan.
- Continue boiling until mixture reaches 300º.
- Watch carefully, it is really easy to burn when it gets this hot!
- Let mixture cool for 5-10 minutes, until it starts to get syrupy.
- At this point you can add a few drops of healing/antibacterial essential oils (this is totally optional!)
- Drop by small spoonfuls onto parchment paper and let cool.
- Dust with slippery elm bark, or at the very least, cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca starch to absorb condensation and prevent them from sticking together in storage.
- Store in an airtight container.
Use as needed to sooth sore, itchy throats, and coughing.
Recipes everyone can make!
Nourish your body with ingredients you already have in your kitchen!
Abby says
These look good! I will have to try them 🙂
Anna @ Feminine Adventures says
This is brilliant! I’m pinning for later this week when life (hopefully) slows down just a wee bit. Thanks. 🙂
kathleen a mchale says
3/7/2015 I found books on homemade treats,that we normally buy at the local grocery store,or corner store[ice cream sandwich’s,for one] I thought recipe’s for store bought items were secret and owned only by the company,so I was glad to find books about food,makeing your own treats.we always had homemade treats,growing up and they handed us money to go to the corner store,regularly.
Alex says
I made these following your instructions to a ‘T’. They tasted great but very chewy. Any way to get them to harden?
Elise says
Hmmm not sure. Mine are like hard candy until the humidity gets to them and they start to “sweat” (which is why you need to dust them with something like slippery elm and store them in an air-tight container).
It *could* be a variance between our candy thermometers? If yours is measuring slightly hotter than mine, that would do it.
Wendy says
Way late in the game for this response, but it could also have something to do with a difference in the amount of water (tea at this point) after straining. Although I’ve found it difficult to get mixtures to the proper temperature without the correct sugar to liquid ratio, I’m sure it could be done with more patience than I have. Also, with batches this size, the way things like honey are measured can make a difference. Using a 1/4 cup measure three times, or a 1/2 and 1/4 can give you significantly different results than a pourable liquid measuring cup. Also, scraping the cup measures…all things to look at when figuring out what to change in the next batch.
Jill says
I want to make these but my first thought was “how much water for tea?” A cup? A pot? These could make a big difference in the turn out. I would love some guidance.
Elise says
Hi Jill, you’re going to steep the tea in the 3/4 cup of boiling water called for in the recipe. 🙂
Amber says
Alex it could do with where you live also. How how many feet above sea level you are too
Amber says
Can’t wait to try these, but I was surprised at the tea tree oil suggestion. Isn’t it harmful to ingest? We use it for about everything topical around here, but I’ve read to never eat it.
Elise says
Well… from what i’ve read, it’s very powerful, so you wouldn’t want to use more than a drop or two, but it should be safe. That’s what I’ve read. Certainly don’t use it if you’re uncomfortable with it!
[email protected] Spirit Mommy says
Just wanted to add here that you shouldn’t ingest it unless the bottle says it is safe for that. If it says topical only, I would go with what it says. Some essential oils are safe for ingestion becasue they go through extra purification tests, but not all oils are. I use DoTerra brand.
Elise says
True, I should have added that. I would only ingest a reputable pure, therapeutic grade like Young Living.
[email protected] Spirit Mommy says
I really want to try this, thank you for the recipe! 🙂 i like to make honey/chamomile tea for coughs but this would be a nice alternative to store bought drops.
CJ says
Hello. Do you use fresh ginger or powdered ginger when you make these? Thanks in advance. 🙂
Elise says
Fresh is best, but powdered works in a pinch.
Vesna says
Hello I love your recepe. I wonder whether the boiling temperature of the mixture is given in celsius or fahrenheit?
Elise says
Fahrenheit.
Laurie says
Love this
Vivian says
Wouldn’t thieves lose it’s potency if put into this hot of a liquid?
Elise says
I would definitely let it cool a bit before adding the thieves. After you start dropping them, the cool off happens pretty quickly, so there should be very little loss of essential oil.
Christina says
I was wondering if you have ever added marshmallow root to these and if so, about how much? Thanks!
Elise says
I haven’t, but it would be a great one to try!
Lisa says
I’m sorry, I must be missing it somewhere-how much water do you boil? Is it 8oz for each of the three tea bags?
Elise says
It’s 3/4 cup for all of the herbs combined.
Regina Malm says
I tried making these but wanted to added 2 tbs Brags Apple cider vinegar in place of tea but they never harden I made sure it boiled at 300 but still like honey. i also added Lemon and Peppermint Oils when it cooled off. Tasted great but still honey texture. Thanks.
Ashlee Overdick says
These look awesome and I can’t wait to try them! But, I was a little surprised by tea tree oil. I’ve always read that it is toxic if swallowed…?
Elise says
I think that was a mistake (and is now fixed). Yes, tea tree oil is considered a topical oil.
Jessica says
Can you tell me about how long it takes to get to 300? I had it on a medium low heat for what seemed like a pretty long time (probably 15 minutes) and it didn’t get past 190 or so. I kept turning up the heat and it eventually got to 300 but by that point they were burnt. I’d love to try again! Thanks!
Elise says
It should take between five and ten minutes depending on your water content and humidity – candy temperatures are finicky things.
So sorry they burned! Your cough drops should taste richer than raw honey – almost like they have a bit of horehound in them – but shouldn’t burn if you remove them from the heat as soon as they reach 300º.
Elise R Mysker says
I found that when making things such as these cough drops or peanut brittle you need to use stainless steel pots & pans only. My recipes don’t turn out in my coated pans. With that being said I forgot about that and made these in a coated pan. They are sticky I put them i the freezer and they’re perfect to pop in your mouth. Cool & menthol. Next batch I’m going to use the steel pot.
Elise says
Interesting to know, Thanks for sharing!
That honestly never occurred to me, and I’ve only ever had stainless steel pots.
Antoinette says
I dusted mine with arrowroot but by the next morning they had absorbed it and were sticky. Any suggestions?
Angela says
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. I made some yesterday and used them during the night, but despite dusting them with cornflour, they have stuck back together so tenaciously that I’ll have to melt them in their container in hot water and re-blob them! Think I might store them in layers on baking paper next time.
Elise says
Oh bummer! Yes, it sounds like parchment paper may be the way to go. Freezing them is also another great option!
Cheryl says
Is there anything you can use in place of the camomile. As this is an allergy in some
Elise says
You could just omit it, or substitute another favorite tea.
Mln1369 says
I think I have used lavender tea in place of camomile tea at times.
Meghan says
I’m so excited to try your recipe! I was just wondering, about how many drops does your recipe yield? I’m going to make some as gifts for friends 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing!
Elise says
I make mine pretty small, and it comes out to somewhere between 3-4 dozen.
Ssharon says
I am making these asap.. Thanks
Debbie Brugman says
Hello,
I love your home remedies. But I’m having a problem making the cough drops. 35 minutes later and neither of my thermometers is over 250 degrees. What am I doing wrong? I admit I’ve never made candy before and I did research via the Internet before attempting this recipe. Any suggestions?
Elise says
You may try using less water/more honey. Still, after 35 minutes the water should have evaporated to the point that the cough drops should have gotten hot, so I’m not sure I can really diagnose…
Donna Norris says
What can I use in place of chamomile since I’m allergic to it.
Elise says
Anything you think might be soothing, or you can just omit it. 🙂
AMy says
I’ve made these several times and love them, but even after coating in cornstarch or arrowroot powder they still tend to stick to each other. Any ideas to help? Do I have to wrap each individually? THanks
Elise says
Hmm, you may have to. Or maybe try refrigerating or even freezing them.
Mariella Kennedy says
Hi!!
Thanks for the recipe!!
I made them today as my son got a cold! I was unsure about him liking them , he is 16 and very fuzzy, but he loved them!!!
I have posted a picture in my Instagram! Thanks a lot
Summer Cole says
What would the reductions be?
Christinia Peake says
Love this
nicole says
When you say 1/2t cinnamon and 1/2t ginger, are those powder spices your talking about or should i buy whole cinnamon sticks and ginger and grate them? i Usially have ginger around that i can grate but i don’t have cinnamon sticks.
Elise says
I use powered cinnamon, but try to at least grate my own ginger. 🙂
Jessie says
Hi, I make a lot of homemade products such as soap and lotion, granola bars, etc. Anything I like to eat/use that is generally expensive but requires little effort to make at home. I wanted to try this recipe because it fits that genre. The first time I made it, way too soft, and stuck together. The second time I burned it to a crisp and had to soak the pan in water overnight to clean (worked like a charm). Tonight I made the cough drops with two things in mind. Hard crack candy needs a temp of 309 F, so I did that plus dropped a drop into cool water to be sure that it had set properly before pouring into my mold. Second I looked up the flash point of peppermint essential oil which is 135F, so I waited for it to cool as much as possible before adding, 170F. Cinnamon flash point is around 200, so that or thieves oil would be a better choice.
sarah says
How long would these be “good” for?
Nicole Rice says
About at what temp are you adding essential oils. They have a fairly low flashpoint especially if you are heating all this to 300 degrees. It would be a waste to add them if they are going to scorch.
Hania says
What I can use instead of perchment paper..
Elise says
Waxed paper may work, a silicon baking mat, or a marble slab perhaps. Anything that will let them cool without sticking. 🙂
Soaplady says
I gave this a good try. They are too soft.
Jim says
Plagued with upper resp in late fall through march.olive leaf is one of my prime defenses along with products from company Herbs Etc.in New Mexico.took biactin for to many yrs still recovering.
Kim says
Are these safe to use if you are on blood pressure tablets?
Elise says
I have no idea, I imagine you’ll want to compare the ingredients to your list of approved/forbidden foods.
Terri says
I couldn’t get past 225 but I think it is because my element on my stove turns on & off. Could also be the pot I used (I rock) next time I will use stainless steel and see it that works better. Turning up the heat didn’t help so we will see how it goes, just cooling now!
I am adding lollipop sticks for the kids if it gets hard enough.
Terri says
So I changed pots, continued to boil and it made a difference.
Took longer than 10 mins but again I think that is caused by my burner turning on and off. Cook top look nice but not effective for this!
I took it off at 275 because it started to smell like it was burning but it is thickening up so hopefully it doesn’t taste burnt!
Kendra says
I like to make almond roca at christmas time for a special treat. I’ve made it for years with no issues. Then, 2 years in a row it didn’t turn out no matter what I did (lots of wasted, expensive ingredients). It never firmed up.
Finally, I tested my candy thermometer. It was way off. No problems when I used a new thermometer.
You might want to check that your candy thermometer is reading correctly
Christen says
Yum 🙂 I made a couple of additions – 1/2t turmeric (anti-inflammatory) and 1/2t kava kava powder for its anesthetic (pain numbing) benefits for sore throats, to the tea mixture. They taste like ricola drops! I think next time I’ll cook them to a slightly higher temperature; mine soften slightly in the warmth of the mouth and I would prefer they stay hard. Otherwise, lovely!
The cough syrup is also yummy – I was really surprised it doesn’t taste oniony!
Elizabeth says
Hello how long does it take for these to harden? Do you need to leave them all night?
Thank you!
Elise says
It shouldn’t take long. They harden as they cool.
Carina Garcia says
I tried this. Now I didnt have parchment paper to work on but the mix was too runny. Even with the starch, it spread out too much to the point that it was all over the cookie sheet and couldnt solidify into losenges. Did I miss something?
lawrence j seliger says
Mine did not turn out to be hard. let it get to 300 degrees. Maybe thermometer is off. Or is it a soft crack cough drop? I did use raw honey as I have my own bee’s.
Elise says
I don’t think raw honey should make a difference. If you reached 300º you should definitely have hard drops.
Lorraine says
How do you bring 3/4 cup of water to 300°?
Elise says
You add the honey to it.
Debbie says
Hi,
Can I incorporate eldeberry juice into this recipe?
Madeleine says
I’m so glad I found this! I’ve been using real food to keep my immune system healthy but every once in a while the body gets something foreign such as bronchitis from a co-worker who refused to stay home. I don’t like over the counter cough drops that can be loaded with sugar. And the natural ones are super expensive. This recipe is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thank you!
Jimmy says
Lovely recipes. However, boiling raw (unpasteurized) honey will destroy any anti-microbial properties it contains.
Regards,
Jimmy Hamilton
JBJ Beekeeping
Carrickalinga, South Australia
Eagan says
How long do they last for?
Crunchy_pepper says
Also wondering about this
Thaleia from Something 2 Offer says
I’ve been boiling my mixture for 20 minutes and it’s not to 300! I’m going to turn it off before the mixture boils away or over the side of the pot.
Roberta Taylor says
Thank you so much for this. I will make some for my grandson (5) who gets so many colds at school; therefore constant coughing.
Sara says
When boiling sugar, it can take quite a long time to reach 300 degrees. I always use the low setting when making candy/cough drops and it can take up to 45 minutes or longer depending on the weather outside. If it’s boiling to the point you think it is going to overflow the pot, then your temp is too hot or too small of a pot. I’d try again……
Laura says
When do they expire?
Marybeth says
I tried this twice and they did not get hard. I checked my thermometer to make sure it was on target (water boils at 212) and it was. I wasted 1.5 cups of beautiful organic honey.
Glenda says
My mother always cured us with homemade medicine. I have grown up in NM and she would pick herbs and grow some too. That is how I grew up. My daughter is highly allergic to soy, corn, pumpkin family and much more, so we have had to get a little more aware as to what she can ingest, or land up in the ER each time. Thank you for your site, I am sure it is going to help us.
Paula Adams says
What did I do wrong? So sticky, I pulled out a cap!
Hayley says
300 degrees Celsius, or Fahrenheit?
Thanks.
Elise New says
Fahrenheit.
Kaley L Bartram says
How long do they typically take to set up? I’ve had them out for about an hour and they are still very liquidity
Deborah Eilert says
Mixture needs to get to the hard crack stage on a candy thermometer.
Nicole says
How many drops of essential oils did you add?
Also, I know honey does not have an expiration date but after it is boil to 300 degrees, does that change?
Brooke says
Thieves oil has eucalyptus in it and is toxic to ingest.
Carole says
how much essential oil in the cough drops?
Mary M says
How long is it supposed to take to get to 300°? I have tried twice, being as careful as I could, and it burns. They are not inedible, but it just takes so long, I don’t see how it can he done without burning. Any tips would be appreciated.
Charla says
Can these be made and stored in the freezer til needed?
How long do you think they can last?
Lyndal M Curry says
I made this twice thinking I had overcooked the first batch somehow. But, I cooked it to 300°, only both times. They poured nicely into disks but both batches taste burned at 300°. How do you make them set up completely without cooking them until they taste burned? I also dropped a few at 260° and 280° and they tasted burned, but also, they were too sticky to be useful. Ideas?