By Stacy Karen, contributing writer
When a sore throat strikes, many of us reach for a throat lozenge to soothe the pain.
As you may have noticed, most store-bought throat lozenges or cough drops contain unpleasant ingredients, such as food colorings and preservatives. We don’t want these chemicals in our system at the best of times, and most definitely not when we are sick.
Thankfully, homemade cough drops are quite simple to make and only contain a few ingredients (all recognizable and safe).
Making your own throat lozenges or cough drops allows you to treat a sore throat and cough naturally and is also extremely satisfying (at least I think so).
Many years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of trying to make my own cough drops–I didn’t think it was possible. Now I find real joy in knowing it is not only possible, but completely doable.
Preparing these homemade throat lozenges is so easy your kids can help (or even do it for you, depending on their age).
About these DIY Homemade Cough Drops Ingredients
Why Slippery Elm Bark?
Slippery elm bark comes from the Slippery elm tree which grows in many parts of the world (including North America). The inner bark is most suitable for creating herbal remedies. Slippery elm bark can be purchased ground into a fine powder and may be used as a tea, infusion, poultice, or in throat lozenges. It has also been consumed as a food (warmed with hot water and eaten as a porridge).
Slippery Elm is known to be rich in mucilage, which makes it perfect for soothing a sore throat or cough. Mucilage needs to come into contact with the irritated area in order to deliver it’s benefits, which is why we are using it to create throat lozenges. Sucking on the throat lozenge allows the slippery elm to coat the mouth and throat, enabling it’s soothing properties to take effect.
Why Honey?
Honey is often recommended for a sore throat or cough since it is soothing to the throat, and contains impressive antibacterial properties. In this recipe, it is included for two reasons:
1. to soothe/coat the throat
2. to sweeten the lozenges
Honey makes the lozenges taste better (slippery elm alone is not overly pleasant) and is also the binding ingredient which holds the lozenges together.
Why Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a much-loved herbal remedy for many reasons. According to Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs, “…cinnamon is used to boost vitality, improve circulation, and clear congestion.” In these throat drops, cinnamon acts as a flavoring agent, and is also soothing to scratchy, irritated throats.
How to Make Homemade Cough Drops
You will need:
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- 1 cup slippery elm bark powder (finely ground) (where to find it)
- 4-6 Tablespoons honey (raw is best) (where to find it)
- 1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon (where to find it)
Method
Place slippery elm bark powder in a medium bowl. Add the cinnamon and four tablespoons of honey and stir to combine. If honey is somewhat hard, gently warm before adding to the slippery elm powder so that it is easier to stir.
If this mixture is crumbly and won’t form a thick dough, add the extra 2 tablespoons of honey.
Take small portions of the mixture (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon) and roll into balls.
Place the balls on wax paper that has been laid on a counter top, table, or in a baking dish or cookie sheet (I prefer the cookie sheet as it holds a lot and is easy to move around and get out of the way, if necessary).
(They may not be pretty, but they work!)
Leave the lozenges to dry for at least 24 hours. You may need to leave them slightly longer if you live in a damp climate.
Wrap the homemade cough drops in small squares of wax paper, or store unwrapped in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Makes approximately 36 throat lozenges.
DIY Homemade Cough Drops
Ingredients
- 1 cup slippery elm bark powder (finely ground)
- 4–6 Tablespoons honey (raw is best if you can find it)
- 1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Place slippery elm bark powder in a medium bowl. Add the cinnamon and four tablespoons of honey and stir to combine. If honey is somewhat hard, gently warm before adding to the slippery elm powder so that it is easier to stir.
- If this mixture is crumbly and won’t form a thick dough, add the extra 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Take small portions of the mixture (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon) and roll into balls.
- Place the balls on wax paper that has been laid on a counter top, table, or in a baking dish or cookie sheet (I prefer the cookie sheet as it holds a lot and is easy to move around and get out of the way, if necessary).
- Leave the lozenges to dry for at least 24 hours. You may need to leave them slightly longer if you live in a damp climate.
- Wrap them in small squares of wax paper, or store unwrapped in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
- Makes approximately 36 throat lozenges.
More DIY Remedies:
- 4 Fast and Natural Cough Remedies
- Dandelion Salve for Muscles and Joints
- Herbal Home Remedy for Congestion
- Top 10 Healing Herbs to Grow
Stacy is a preacher’s wife and mom to three children. She is slightly obsessed with DIY projects, especially when they involve herbs or natural body care. She blogs at A Delightful Home, where she shares tips on natural, family living and is the author of Simple Scrubs to Make and Give and DIY Face Masks and Scrubs.
Thanks for this, I will be trying it soon I think. One of my girls reacts to weather changes with sore throats so this would be good for her. The Amazon links are backwards, just so you know. 🙂 Have a great day!
Could you use cinnamon bark essential oil instead of the powder and still get it to bind correctly?
Jo, I don’t know how much it would affect the binding, but cinnamon essential oil is fairly caustic; I wouldn’t want to use it on a raw throat. (Most people can’t use it neat on bare skin, even.) The powdered bark is much milder and safer.
If you decide to try it, start with one or two drops, and test it on a person who doesn’t have a sore throat. 🙂
It shouldn’t effect the binding, but do be careful with the EO– it’s hot! 😉
Your cinnamon and elm bark links are switched.
This looks like a great recipe, i want to try it.
Whoops!
These look wonderful…just wondering if they are safe for kids?!
I see recipes for cough drops every year and would love to try them. One slight hitch, however: I am allergic to honey. Is there any alternative that would coat the throat and hold up as well as the honey?
Use molasses instead of honey.
Could you use Mace instead of Cinnamon? My husband is allergic to Cinnamon, and I am allergic to Nutmeg. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes.
Could these be frozen to not only help soothe, but to give them a longer “shelf life?”
I think that would probably work just fine!
I don’t have an exact portion amts, However, this is what I do for sore throat:
32oz glass of room temp water, add local honey to your sweetness tastes, add small amt ground cinnamon, add just a touch of red chili powder……drink slowly throughout the day.
I will warn you it does taste a little weird, I know, by my experience my sore throat was gone the next day. I don’t get a sore throat but rarely, so when it hits it’s really bad, but this works every time for me.
I have just one query in my mind, is it safe for children ?
I don’t have slippery elm on hand, but I do have elderberry powder- could this be used in place? And far as being safe for kids, I’m sure as long as they are older then 1 (but these I’m sure would be choking hazards to kids 3 and under anyways and a syrup would work better) and not allergic to any ingredient, they should be fine.
Elderberry is good stuff, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t quite work the same in this recipe.
This looks wonderful. Can’t wait to share with son & dtr-in-law. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ll re-ask a question from earlier (not previously answered)….is this safe for children? I have 2 kids under 5.
Hi. Thanks for the recipe! I’m curious as to the shelf life, though. Why only a few weeks refrigerated when each of the ingredients used would be good on their own for much longer than that, and don’t need refrigeration?
Hey Jill really want to try these but I am allergic to cinnamon! Is there an alternative?
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So, you eat suck on these like regular cough drops?
Can pwdered thyme be added to this recipe, also?
My husband is allergic to Cinnamon, and I am allergic to Nutmeg
do these fall apart as soon as you start sucking on them? i really don’t want a paste in my mouth after a few minutes of sucking on it.
Homemade cough drops are such a great idea… Why have I never thought of this?! We’ll have to give it a go sometime this season.
People are killing trees to get this bark ingredient… Soon it will be extinct if someone doesn’t start growing it commercially.
Dear Chantel, trees are cut down, not killed. They don’t have a spirit or a soul. Whereas, men and women, who are made in the image of God, are eternal and are often killed or murdered. People who do not manage the resources wisely which God entrusted to them will answer to God for that.
Revelation 11:18 (NASB)
“And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
John 8:44 (NASB)
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 6:40 (NASB)
“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
1 John 5:20 (NASB)
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.