Warm Honey Lemon Ginger Tonic for Chilly Days
The Mug We Reach for All Winter
There's a reason grandmothers everywhere make some version of this drink. Warm ginger, bright lemon, and a spoonful of honey feel good on a scratchy throat and a cold morning. (Curious whether honey really helps? Here's what the research says about honey and sore throats.)
This version uses fresh ginger simmered into a spicy tea, then finished with lemon and raw honey. It's simple, cozy, and takes about 15 minutes.
The one rule: add the honey last, once the tea has cooled enough to sip. Stirring honey into boiling water cooks away some of its flavor, and raw honey deserves better.
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Honey Lemon Ginger Tonic
Fresh ginger tea, lemon, and a spoonful of raw honey.
| Prep5 min | Cook10 min | Total15 min | Yield2 mugs |
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced, plus a few slices for serving
- 2 to 4 teaspoons raw honey (we use our Beeholden Farms raw honey), to taste
- Optional: 1 cinnamon stick, a pinch of turmeric, or a small pinch of cayenne
Instructions
- Simmer the ginger. Bring the water and ginger (and cinnamon or turmeric, if using) to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. The longer it simmers, the spicier it gets.
- Strain. Pour through a strainer into two mugs.
- Cool slightly. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes, until it's hot but comfortable to sip.
- Finish. Stir half the lemon juice and 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey into each mug. Add a lemon slice and a pinch of cayenne if you like a little heat.
Recipe notes: To make a big batch, simmer 8 cups of water with a 6-inch piece of ginger, strain, and refrigerate the ginger tea for up to 5 days (a glass pitcher with a lid works well). Reheat a mug at a time and add lemon and honey just before drinking.
When We Make It
- First thing in the morning, in place of a second cup of coffee.
- After a cold day working the hives or the garden.
- Before bed, since it's naturally caffeine-free.
- Iced, in summer. Chill the ginger tea and serve it over ice with lemon and honey. (Or make a jar of ginger honey syrup to keep in the fridge.)
Storage and Safety Tips
- Store plain ginger tea in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add lemon and honey when you serve it.
- This is a comfort drink, not a cure. If you're sick, check in with your doctor, especially if symptoms hang on.
- Not for babies. Honey in any form should never be given to children under 12 months old.
Keep a Jar in the Pantry
A jar of raw honey is one of the most useful things you can keep in your kitchen during cold season. Ours is lightly strained and harvested in small batches from our hives.
Ready for a cozy mug? Shop our raw honey here. Local to Fremont? Pickup is free, and we offer free local delivery to the 94536 zip code on orders of $35 or more.
Want to learn more about the traditional uses of honey? Our 17-page Honey as Medicine Guide is available as a digital download.
