Feeling sick? These natural homemade cough drops are my go-to when I’m fighting a cold. Made with natural ingredients like raw honey which is known to help suppress coughing and immune boosting coconut oil you can’t go wrong with this natural alternative!
Our family has been down with a cold for the last week. It started with my 5-year old who was only sick for 3 days. Once she was better our 2-year-old came down with it and soon after my 1 one year old, husband and I were sniffling and coughing.
I usually make my homemade cough syrup when we get sick but it just wasn’t cutting it this time. I didn’t have the patience to melt it every time we needed it so I decided to make a batch of cough drops instead. I stored these in the refrigerator and we just popped them out when we needed a cough drop.
Homemade cough drops ingredients
Raw Honey – Known to naturally suppress coughing and help with sleeping due to respiratory infections (source). In clinical studies, honey has shown to be just as effective in alleviating coughs as over the counter cough medicine. Honey is also known to help reduce allergies. According to this article, taking a few teaspoons of local raw honey a day prior to pollen season can be effective in boosting your immunity to pollen!
Coconut Oil – This healthy fat is rich in antioxidants and contains lauric acid, which is antibacterial and antiviral. Coconut oil can be used to help prevent colds by boosting the immune system. Once the cold has set in, coconut oil can help reduce the length of sickness and can be quite soothing when added to warm honey-lemon water or tea. You can also make your own coconut oil at home for extra DIY points.
Thieves Essential Oil – The “Four thieves” remedy is based on an ancient formulation originating from Europe with time spanning from 1413-1722. Due to its touted protective benefits, herbalists have passed along its recipe for hundreds of years. The legend states that a combination of various herbs, most often cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary, clove, and lemon as protecting four robbers from contracting the plague in France while rummaging through the houses of the infected sufferers. Their freedom was won by revealing to the King that the herbal vinegar, which they drank and sprinkled on themselves every two hours, had been their saving grace. Thieves Essential Oil is a blend of essential oils Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Clove and Lemon.
How to make homemade cough drops
In addition to the ingredients above, you’ll need a small ice cube tray or mold like this.
From there, it’s simple and straightforward:
- Scoop coconut oil into a mixer bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until it’s whipped.
- Add the honey and continue to whip until the honey and oil are mixed.
- Add essential oils.
- Pour mixture into small ice cube trays.
- Freeze the coconut cough drops until they’re hard, about 20 minutes.
- Pop the cough drops out of the ice cube tray and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Homemade Cough Drops
- Yield: 20–25 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 1/2 cup Raw Honey
- 1–2 Drops Thieves Essential Oil
Instructions
- Scoop coconut oil into a mixer bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until it’s whipped.
- Add the honey and continue to whip until the honey and oil are mixed.
- Add essential oils.
- Pour mixture into small ice cube trays.
- Freeze the coconut cough drops until they’re hard, about 20 minutes.
- Pop the cough drops out of the ice cube tray and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Hi Tiffany:
The steps in the recipe look easy. This is especially appropriate when noting the urgency to have lozenges available for the cold season.
Can a blender be used to obtain the whipped effect stated in the recipe?
Thanks,
Steven
Hi Steven! I find that a mixer works best for whipping because it incorporates air. That said, I think you could still use a high speed blender and achieve good results with this recipe!
Good idea. My spouse is teetering between natural and OTC. Shall give this a try.
For those of you in warmer climates, perhaps setting your bowl into a “nest” of ice cubes would enable the oil to solidify while mixing the ingredients. Just a thought.
Thanks For Good Sharing information.
Hello,, did I miss something , or was it not here,,, How do you make the Thieves oil ? I would like to make the cough drops for my family ( not me due to an extreme allergy to honey) but all my grandchildren, sons, daughter-in-law and of course hubby could benefit greatly from this.
Thieves oil is a blend of essential oils. I buy mine online: https://thecoconutmama.com/essential-oils/
I have made and used Thieves Vinegar for decades. I credit my not having the flu in all those years to its use in the final rinse on all my linens, as a full body rinse at least once a week during flu season, as an air freshener in a misting bottle and tiny cups set around the house, general bathroom cleaner, and other uses.
I know a few who swear that drinking a few spoonfuls in a glass of water daily keeps them healthy (these are senior citizens like me).
In all my years of studying any ancient mention of this exlixor, I’ve never seen Eucalyptus as an ingredient. This tree did not reach Europe until the 1700s from Australia.
There are litterally hundreds of versions of the recipe, much like meatloaf and chili.
But the most common herbs that show up in the majority of them are rosemary, sage, lavender, thyme and mint, with garlic being added after the 6th week to set another week before being strained and used.
But I can see the benefits of Eucalyptus being added for its anti-viral Properties.
What is or How do you make Thieves ‘vinegar’?
Can you use regular essential oils for this, or do they have to be “food grade”?? I’ve wanted to try this recipe for a while! Also I’m pregnant, so I guess I need to see if four thieves is okay to use while pregnant lol
I’ve made these before and they truly are wonderful for soothing a sore throat, and have turned into my go-to recipe. However, I discovered that they aren’t very travel friendly, as they melt into a giant glob. I’m just wondering if you happen to know of a travel friendly recipe Where they don’t need to remain refrigerated to keep their shape?
Thanks,
Katelyn
I noticed the same thing. I sing and wanted a honey lozenge before hand. Well, unless there’s a fridge nearby, forget it! It melts quickly after taking out of fridge. I won’t be making another batch.
Wonder if they could go into a dehydrator and be “dried” for shelf life??
Coconut oil won’t dry out. It’ll just melt in the dehydrator. I keep mine in the freezer or fridge. Hope this helps! 🙂
maybe you can put it in a clear vegetable capsule
These melt in the mouth very fast so in that sense, they are not really good for soothing a sore throat because they are gone so fast. I made this recipe because I didn’t want to go to the trouble of making a hard candy type cough drop on the stove. Now I almost wish I had.
That’s why I keep them in the freezer, instead of the fridge
I used this recipe but I added lemon and ginger it came out so delicious my kids love it
How much of each? I like ginger and lemon over just plain honey…
I made these last night, even added some lemon oil to it, and they never truly got hard..i left them in the freezer overnight beacuse they wouldnt harden and took them out this morning and they started melting almost right away..
My family loves these cough drops. They taste great and they work like a charm i have a 5 year old and an eight year old so when one gets sick the other will get it so it nice to be able to make something that works for both of them and not have to spend money on buying cough drops at the store and also to be able to give them something that works with their bodies to help it heal rather then something that hides the symtoms and that only last for a few hours and really doesnt do anythong for them
Hi, I made the cough drops and they didn’t come out as in the photo. The cough drops never solidified like in the instructions and I left them in the freezer for over an hour. Not sure what went wrong.
How do you take these with you when on the go, without refrigeration, so they don’t melt?
How long do they last
Hi Coconut Mama. I’m having some trouble making these cough drops. My coconut oil won’t whip up. It is staying a smooth liquid? I used room temperature organic unrefined coconut oil. Please help????
Love these!! Thank you for the recipe. I will be using these daily. Making another batch to send with friends..
Have you tried making these with lemon juice? I’ve made your cough syrup just yesterday and love the flavour, even the kids are taking it. I was thinking it would be a really nice combination for cough drops. I have seen a lot of recipes that boil the honey to get a syrup but would rather not do that myself. I am going to try making these tomorrow.
What if someone can not eat honey ?
I read agave nectar could be substituted.
Sooo excited about these! I made these as the recipe said and although They taste great, all the honey went to the bottom when I froze them so they are stuck to the tray and fall apart when I remove them. Any idea as to what I did wrong so I can try again? Thanks!!
They taste delicious and work either way, if they are solid or mushy!!! The benefits come through as expected. Heck, I was licking my spoon clean before I could freeze them! They were great !! Also, I wanted to say… Why do people feel it necessary to add to recipe?
Can you add lemon essential oil to these cough drops and if so how much do you recommend? I love to take a spoonful of honey with a drop of lemon oil. Tastes delicious!
I made these and they never got hard- even after being in the freezer for months! They were very messy and not like a cough drop at all, thoughts? I really wanted this to work!
If you didn’t use true raw honey, it will be too runny…. Really raw honey is thick and has to be scooped rather than poured out……
Not sure it through the the first time but really want to do this but where did u find the molers for the cough drops? / shape ? Is there a website ?
You can find molds at a craft store they have real Cute candy molds that can be used a wide variety of molds check it out fun..
Where did u get the things that make the cough drop.. The forum .. The shape ..I want to make some but can’t come across in stores that I can use.. Thanks.. I want to do this for my kids! Along with cough med as well
has anyone tried adding peppermint extract to any of them for possible decongestant? Or Ceyenne pepper?
For those whose drops came out gooey or taffy-like, mine did the same and I think I know why. I live in Texas, so my coconut oil is melted at room temp in October. It needs to be in a solid/semi solid state to be whipped with the honey and stay emulsified until hardened in the freezer/fridge. If the coconut oil and honey are both liquid, they will separate…honey on the bottom, thus the goo. Am I right?
That sounds right, since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees. In my experience, they won’t mix well unless the coconut oil is somewhat solid.
Totally Agree! Coconut in the liquid form on the counter is no going to retain a solid form after you add honey and oil! Purchase Coconut Oil that is stable on your counter – in Solid form!
Does the coconut oil need to be refined or unrefined or does it matter? Could you add lemon essential oil to make them honey-lemon cough drops?
Coconut oil needs to be organic and raw. If it’s not raw that means it’s been heated and compromises the integrity of the oil
how big of measurement would these turn out to be from your ice cube tray? 1 tsp or 1 tbsp? I made the recipe and just put some in my hot water! see what happens … how long did you have to do this for to help a cold go away? And how long would you have to take coconut oil for to help with abdominal fat?
Can I add additional items like ginger root and lemon juice or will it alter the outcome?
mine didn’t set so still gooy had to spoon them out why???
Those really helped with my throat! Been having trouble with a cold for almost 3 weeks and my throat decided to go nuts.
Those helped losen up the slime and give me my voice back!
1-0 to nature, once again. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Coconut oil is amazing. Just making these to pop one in your mouth every day has huge benefits! I am making them just for that reason. The shelf life will be long, it’s just oil, honey and cinnamon, none of that will go bad in the frig for several months, maybe up to six months. If you are worried about tasting oil, you will get past it once you Google the benefits of Coconut Oil. Buy smart, Unrefined, Organic, xtra virgin is the only way to go. Walgreens has Natures way on sale right now buy one get one half off. Make the investment, your body will be glad you did.
Didn’t work for me. Came out like taffy.
Yes, coconut milk in the can will be that way! Often underneath all the fatty part will be coconut water, basically. But when it’s all mixed together it is coconut milk :o)
Keep in mind that this recipe calls for coconut OIL, though! ;o)
Hope that helps!
Well I’m wondering what its like when tht coconut oil starts melting in ur mouth, would tht feel like an oily goo??
is coconut milk thick in a can???I bought a can of coconut milk and it was thick like frozen butter…..is this nommal??
That’s coconut milk…you want coconut OIL. Found usually with the other cooking oils.
I made some of these today and I cant get the finished product to just pop out. They are stuck. Any Ideas to make this part go smoother?
Maybe put bottom of pan in pan of warm water for a few seconds? That might melt them enough to pop out.
I would just dip the bottom of the mold in some warm/hot water to loosen them but not so long as to melt them.
I just made these today. Hubby is getting a cold. Anxious to see how well this recipe works!
how much of the coconut do you taste? Not the biggest fan of it but love honey.
These are a huge hit with the 2 & 4 year old! Thank you!
Did your 2 year old suck on these well? I was wandering if I should make them into suckers for her?
I’m curious if the coconut oil should be soft or melted. In my house at room temp, it is melted :o)
Very cool idea. Going to make some this winter XD
Just put a batch of these in the freezer to firm up.
My husband & I are both coughing a lot, so these will be so nice to have.
Thanks for such a great recipe!
Room temp coconut oil? I live in Arizona and my oil is liquid does it matter?
Love your blog!
What is Thieves oil? so I can see if it is called by a different name in Britain.
I will use Cinnamon if I cant get it here.xx
If I do not have the ice tray right now, is there something else I can do to form the cough drops?
I would pour the mix into a shallow pan or cookie sheet type of thing (IDK how much this makes, but whatever would be appropriate for the amount of cough drop base you have) Use a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper to prevent it from sticking (if it sticks at all – haven’t made it yet!) and let it cool in the fridge or freezer, then cut or score it and break it up into smaller sizes. I realize it’s been almost two months since you posted that question, but I just found this, lol!
I used a cookie scoop let them set for 10 min in the freezer then cut in quarters to make a bit smaller. Not quite as pretty but they still work!
Is there something I can substitute for the coconut oil? My son is allergic to coconut.
The only thing I can think of might be palm oil or palm shortening. It doesn’t have the same antibacterial & antiviral properties, but it would do, I think.
Palm probably will be a problem if there is a coconut allergy. Coconut is classified as a palm oil. I am also allergic to coconut. In other recipes that call for coconut oil I have been told you can substitute other carrier oils. I wonder if that would work in this situation. They don’t have the same consistency as coconut…
Tallow might have a suitable consistency. Holler at your local butcher or save it up from your cooking.
I’d like to know, as well, how long these will last for?
I’m honestly not sure. We went through this batch fairly quickly.
I might even make some elderberry syrup and add it in just to prevent any colds before they get bad.
Love the sound of this recipe but annoyingly I don’t have a freezer. Is there a different method I could use to make these drops (or similar)?
Yes, you can refrigerate them instead. Just leave them in the refrigerator until they’re hard.
Any idea how long they last?
How long do they keep?
I hope you and your family are all feeling better – and I bet you are if you’ve been popping these frequently! What a fantastic cough drop recipe, a much better alternative to suppressant pharmacy medicines 🙂
Thank you, Ally! We are all feeling much better. 🙂
Hi, Is there a substitute for cinnamon? My daughter is allergic to it.
Just leave it out. 🙂
Ginger
Does it have to be Raw honey?
you could use regular honey and it will sooth but raw honey has far more medicinal properties and will sooth and help heal.
You can also use maple syrup.
Do you chew these or suck on them more like a cough drop?
I would say suck on them. If you chew them they won’t last. They should melt soon enough by your body heat.
Excellent recipe. Can’t wait to make them, but when I’m poorly, the last thing I’ll want to do is make them.
Do you know how long they keep either at room temp or refrigerated?? Thanks again, Katie 🙂
I’m wondering the same thing. Almost can’t wait till I get a cold! lol!
There is absolutely no ingredient listed that is going to go bad on you. Coconut oil has a general shelf life in the cupboard airtight container of 2 years but it can last longer. Air is the enemy causing coconut oil to taste stale. Honey doesn’t go bad Cinnamon doesn’t go bad allthough it loses it’s potency over time …. They might pick up smells from the fridge and taste stale so be careful to protect them from that. I would use a glass container because I avoid plastics.
So airtight container in the fridge these are going to be okay as long as they taste good . And if you want too you could finish them off now and then and start over. Eating them every day is a nice way to get coconut oil.
I would assume they would have a long shelf life. At least 6 months to a year. Raw/natural (unprocessed) honey has a 2-3 year shelf life and coconut oil is similar + I don’t believe spices go bad (although if they do it takes years) – freezing them couldn’t hurt either
The shelf life of honey is infinite.