Have you ever read the ingredient list on cough drops or cough syrup? It’s down right terrifying, with names I can’t pronounce. What is all this chemical stuff doing to our bodies when we ingest these products?
Since dealing with a sore throat can be painful and frustrating, I decided to try making my own chemical free cough drops. Next time you start to feel that tickle, try out these homemade honey lemon cough drops.
What Are The Ingredients
Local honey- I use local raw honey in these cough drops because it helps your immune system adjust to any pollen in the air and this helps reduce any allergies. Local honey from your area is the best to use in any of your recipes.
Lemon juice- helps prevent and eliminate bacteria, infection and helps keep your stomach alkaline. You can use either bottled lemon juice or freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Coconut oil- you can use refined or virgin coconut oil, it just depends if you want the coconut flavor in your cough drops. Virgin coconut oil is easily digested and metabolized, it has a higher concentration of the beneficial lauric saturated fatty-acids. Refined oil still has many healing qualities.
Cough Drops Recipe
Supplies
- large saucepan
- whisk
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- jelly roll pan or silicone mat
- thermometer
- parchment paper for jelly roll pan
Ingredients
- 1 stick of butter or 6 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup of local raw honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1/8 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- powdered sugar
Directions
- On medium heat melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the honey, water, and vinegar
- Continually stir the mixture with a whisk or it could burn
- Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil
- Keep stirring as its boiling and use a thermometer to check that the temperature is at 250 degrees. Maintain the temperature for twelve minutes by adjusting the heat lower
- When the mixture gets to 300 degrees it’s done. If you’ve made candy before you’re looking for the hard crack stage
- Stir periodically during this time
- Keep cooking until it reaches 300 degrees, then add the lemon juice. Boil for one more minute
- Immediately pour into a parchment lined (or well buttered) 15 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ jelly roll pan. Or
- Drop small spoonfuls onto a silicone mat
- Remember, you want these cough drops thin
- Once cool, remove from the pan and cut into strips then tiny squares
- Place powdered sugar in a baggie and drop the cough drops a few at a time into the baggie, shake the baggie to coat the drops. This keeps them from sticking
You want to use a jelly roll pan because you want the drops to be thin. If they’re thick they become chewy like taffy. I think the thin drops are are easier to suck on to soothe your sore throat.
If the cough drops are kept in the refrigerator, these have a cough drop texture that’s perfect for sucking on to sooth the sore throat of a big kid or adult. They’re just as delicious at room temperature but will have more of the consistency of a caramel.
If you want to store these cough drops long term, pop them in a baggie and put them in the freezer. You can use them straight out of the freezer and the cold drops will help soothe your sore throat even more.
Caution do not give these to children 1 years old or younger, as honey can cause infant botulism.
When I feel a sore, scratchy throat coming on, these honey lemon homemade cough drops are my new best friend.
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