If you’ve ever tried making homemade cough drops with just honey, you know it’s nearly impossible not to end up with a scorched mess. I’ve tried every winter for the past three years, but have never actually succeeded. These soothing sore throat meltaways are as far as I’ve gotten to a true cough drop . . . until this year, that is.
You see, one upside of packing up a home in 12F degree weather is that while you’re defrosting the freezer, your bone broth and soups stay perfectly frosty outside, and your kids can help by transporting boxes in their sleigh. The other upside is that creativity often comes when you’ve run out of your normal options.
After a couple of long days working in the cold, dry air, my throat was feeling irritated and scratchy. Taking stock of what was left in my kitchen led to this throat-soothing, herbal homemade cough drop that I’m so excited to share with you. No dehydrator or food processor needed – just a bowl, a cookie sheet, and your oven!
The therapeutic herb in this cough drop recipe is slippery elm powder, which – when taken as a lozenge – transforms into a mucilaginous (gel-like) consistency that coats and soothes irritated throat mucosa.
It can also be used to make sore throat tea or homemade throat spray if you have the other ingredients on hand.
One quick note before we get to the recipe: Slippery elm bark is considered an at-risk species, so it’s important to support shops that are using sustainable harvesting practices to ensure it will be available for generations to come – here’s one option. Only a small amount is needed per batch, so a bag that size lasts a long time.
What To Buy If You Don’t Want To DIY
This cough syrup from Genexa is made with organic honey that has been infused with echinacea, elderberry and acerola cherry extract. It’s delicious, soothing, and great to have on hand.
It’s available in many grocery stores, health food stores, and pharmacies, so if you’re reading this list and you need it right away, you can check availability here. (I’m a partner with them, just FYI.)
Homemade Cough Drops With Honey And Lemon
Equipment
- small bowl
- teaspoons
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 large medjool dates (pitted – If you press the dates into a measuring spoon, they should equal 1 rounded tbsp. If they are small you may need to use more)
- 1 tbsp slippery elm powder (plus more for coating the lozenges)
- 1 ½ tsp raw honey
- ½ tsp lemon extract
- ¼ tsp water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Using clean hands, work them together until you have a dough. At first you may think it feels too dry and crumbly to work with, but just keep kneading with your fingers. It should form into a ball as everything combines, but if the dates were very dry it may stay crumbly. Add in water in ¼ teaspoon increments until it forms a ball.
- Divide the ball into 16 pieces, forming each one into a ball as you go. Roll them in a small bowl of slippery elm powder to coat the outside, then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press each one down to flatten them a little as you go. Place in the oven at the lowest setting possible (my oven was 170°F) for six to eight hours, or until hard and dry.
Nutrition
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What sore throat remedies have you tried? Which ones worked for you?
These look awesome! Can’t wait to try out the recipe. How long do you find these last stored on the counter?
If they’re really dry they should last indefinitely, but I would recommend using them within a year.
Any sub for the dates?
If the dates are not an option I would probably go with this my homemade cough syrup instead.
Are you not supposed to somehow chop the dates first?
Medjool dates are typically very soft and will mash easily as you combine the ingredients.
Did you do anything with the dates? Not sure if I can see this coming into a dough type with solid dates? Or did I miss something… thank you 🙂
I was wondering the same thing!! Chop them up fine??
press the dates into a measuring spoon.
Medjool dates are typically super soft and almost gooey if you press them, so I just mushed everything together with my fingers. You could also put them in a food processor if you have a mini version that can handle small amounts.
Do I have to use lemon extract or can I use fresh lemon juice from the lemons I have?
Could these be made using marshmallow root powder in place of the slippery elm?
I have a few recipes for lozenges but I cannot wait to try these!
Why do you use the dates?
The dates keep the herbs together and make the cough drops sweet 🙂
What herbs? I didn’t see any. Did I miss something?
Sound good. I wonder if it’s possible to grow Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva in Latin) over here in the UK? I’d love to grow all (or almost all) of my own herbs…
Can these be made using a dehydrator?
What is the purpose of the lemon extract? Can you sub with vanilla extract?
It’s partly for flavoring and partly because it imparts a mild astringent property. You can substitute vanilla but I’m not sure how it will taste.
Do these actually help suppress cough or simply sooth irritated throat? Thanks!
You don’t really want to suppress a cough, whatever is in the lungs needs expelled. These should sooth the throat (which can trigger excessive coughing) as well as help as an expectorant due to the slippery elm.