Hot toddies are warm alcoholic drinks, meant to take the chill off (especially welcome since when they were invented, there was only a fireplace to heat the room).

National Hot Toddy Day is January 11th. National Hot Buttered Rum Day is January 17th. National Mulled Wine Day is March 3rd. That’s a trio of hot cocktails for cold winter days. National Hot Mulled Cider Day is September 30th, making good use of all of that freshly-pressed apple cider.

Beyond toddies, we’ve got 10 other hot cocktails below, but first we present a new recipe: a mezcal hot toddy from one of our favorite distillers, Mezcal Unión.

You can make a hot toddy with any spirit. Scotch and other whiskeys were traditional in Europe. When the trade with the Caribbean brought rum to the Colonies, a rum toddy, a.k.a. hot buttered rum, became a variation.

But Colonials had not yet discovered tequila and mezcal, not to mention saké. Over time, these spirits made their way into hot toddies.

> Mezcal Unión review.

> Mezcal history.

> Hot toddy history.

> Check out more hot toddy recipes below, along with recipes for 10 non-toddy warm alcoholic drinks.

> Hot toddy relatives (glögg, mulled wine and cider, etc.).

> The difference between mezcal and tequila.
 
 
OAXACAN HOT TODDY WITH MEZCAL

Note that this recipe makes a cocktail-size drink, four ounces or so. If you want a cup or a mug, increase the ingredients accordingly.

You may wish to make the cocktail size first, then adjust the ingredients to your personal preferences.

Some readers may not be familiar with herbal liqueurs, so we’ve added a section about them below.
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
> There’s more about herbal liqueur below, along with food pairings.
 
Preparation

1. MIX the ingredients together and pour into a rocks glass.

2. GARNISH with a slice of lemon.
 
 
10 MORE HOT COCKTAILS

Beyond the many recipes for hot toddy, hot buttered rum, and mulled wine and cider, consider:

 
 
MORE HOT TODDY RECIPES

Food 101: “Toddy” refers to a drink made with hot water, sugar, and alcohol. A “hot toddy” specifically refers to a toddy that’s served hot or warm. A toddy is made with hot water because the temperature is needed to dissolve the sugar. But the drink can be served at room temperature, or even with ice.

On to the recipes:

 
 
WHAT ARE HERBAL LIQUEURS?

Herbal liqueur is a category of distillate‡ where a base spirit is flavored by adding spices, roots, herbs, fruits, or other botanicals. The sub-categories are:

 
If you need to buy a bottle, you can also use it in cooking: to make sauces or glazes for meat and poultry, or to flavor or spike desserts like tiramisù or dense cakes (bundts or loaf cakes like pound cake and carrot cake, e.g.).

And of course, there are many cocktail recipes, and easy variations of the wine spritz.

Party time: If you want to get to know herbal liqueurs, why not have a potluck, with everyone bringing a brand from a different category? Food pairings follow.

 
 
PAIRING LIQUEUR WITH FOOD

See additional pairings in the footnote†† below.

Savory Apéritif Liqueurs: Pairings

 
Sweet Liqueurs: Pairings With Dessert

 
Pairings Examples

 
 
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LIQUOR & LIQUEUR

Liquor and liqueur are distinct categories of alcoholic beverages.
 
Liquor (Also Called Spirits)

 
Liqueur

[1] Oaxacan hot toddy, made with mezcal instead of more traditional spirits (photos #1 and #4 © Mezcal Unión).

[2] Use the best apple juice or cider you can find. In addition to Red Jacket, we like Knudsen’s (photo © Red Jacket Orchards).

[3] It’s no surprise that Herradura, one of the finest tequila distillers, turns some of that agave into a great agave syrup (photo © Tenley Market Liquor).

[4] Mezcal Unión Uno is an unaged mezcal, but the brand also has expressions that are aged in oak for 8 to 14 years.

[6] The ideal herbal liqueur is Green Chartreuse, a complex blend of 130 herbs and plants that complement mezcal’s smoky, earthy profile. See more about Green Chartreuse in the footnote* below (photo © Sip Liquor).

[6] A rum toddy. Add a pat of butter to make hot buttered rum (photo © Mount Gay Rum).

[7] A gin toddy (photo © Janis Kaugurs | Pexels).

[8] A tequila hot toddy made with blanco (unaged) tequila (photos #8 and #9 © Peligroso Tequila).

[9] A tequila hot toddy made with reposado (aged) tequila..

[10] An apple-ginger toddy (photo © Castello USA).

Green Chartreuse is produced by just one maker, the Carthusian monks at the distillery in their head monastery (Grande Chartreuse) in located in a remote mountain valley in France. The recipe is known only to two monks at any given time.

You can find two versions: Standard Green Chartreuse (55% A.B.V.) and V.E.P. Green Chartreuse (54% A.B.V.) aged in oak casks, often for 8-10 years. A third variety, no longer made, is the rare Tarragona Chartreuse, produced in Spain between 1903-1989 when the monks were expelled from France. These bottles are highly sought after by collectors.

Some other good herbal liqueur options to pair with mezcal include Ancho Reyes Verde (a spicy herbal liqueur made from green chiles), Génépy (Alpine herbal liqueur similar to Chartreuse but lighter), and Strega (Italian herbal liqueur with saffron notes) [source: Claude.ai 2025-01-09].

Substitutes for herbal liqueur include honey mixed with herbal tea (like chamomile, mint, or a blend); herbal bitters; or spiced simple syrup (infused with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, e.g.). Or, you can borrow some herbal liqueur from a friend or neighbor

†Cider vs. apple juice, the difference: Fresh apple cider is raw apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process. Apple juice has been filtered to remove solids and pasteurized so that it will stay fresh longer. Hard cider has been fermented into an alcoholic beverage.

††Snacks with herbal liqueurs: In general, avoid overly spicy or heavily seasoned snacks.
> Intense herbal liqueurs like Bäska Snaps, Fernet-Branca, Green Chartreuse, Jägermeister Manifest, Zwack Unicum: candied ginger, dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), Marcona almonds.
> Other bitter herbal liqueurs like Amaro, Campari, Cynara: candied orange peel or orange segments, salted dark chocolate, toasted nuts with rosemary.
>Milder herbal liqueurs like Anisette, Bénédictine, Drambuie, Galliano L’Autentico, Strega, Yellow Chartreuse: aged hard cheeses like aged Gouda or Gruyère, fresh apple or pear slices, honey-drizzled figs.

‡A distillate is a liquid product condensed from vapor during distillation. All spirits and liqueurs are considered to be distillates.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] The three expressions of Elvis Presley spirits (all photos © Grain & Barrel).

[2] Midnight Snack whiskey with a pint of Tipsy Scoop ice cream. Both have Elvis’ favorite flavor combo: peanut butter, banana, and bacon.

[3] All shook up: Turn the boozy ice cream into boozy shake (see the recipe below.

[4] A shot at midnight.

[5] Straight whiskey, straight rye.

Today marks what would be Elvis Presley’s 90th birthday. So how about something commemorative: Elvis spirits, including one expression* inspired by The King’s favorite sandwich, peanut butter, banana and bacon (photos #1, #2, #4).

The Elvis Whiskey collection debuted in 2021 with three expressions:

 
The label of each expression features an iconic photo of Elvis, his signature, and the letters “TCB” printed on the neck of the bottle—the latter referring to “Taking Care of Business,” a phrase which was the mantra for Elvis and his Memphis Mafia.
 
 
GET YOUR ELVIS MIDNIGHT SNACK WHISKEY

> Head to ElvisWhiskey.com for the spirits.
 
 
GET YOUR MIDNIGHT SNACK ICE CREAM

> Get the ice cream (photo #2) at GoldBelly.
 
 
PLUS “MIDNIGHT SNACK” ICE CREAM

We love Tipsy Scoop ice cream, an artisan ice cream brand that incorporates popular spirits into super-premium ice cream. It’s the best boozy ice cream we can name.

Founder Melissa Tavss blends cocktails, stouts, and wines into her handmade ice cream. Her creations are inspired by classic and contemporary cocktails, are made with local and seasonal ingredients, and contain up to 5% alcohol by volume.

> Check out this season’s flavors.

Tipsy Scoop partnered with Elvis Whiskey to create the ultimate Elvis dessert: Elvis Whiskey Midnight Snack ice cream.

Elvis Whiskey Midnight Snack ice cream has the same flavors as the whiskey: peanut butter, banana and bacon.

 
 
RECIPE: ELVIS MILKSHAKE

Made with Elvis Whiskey Midnight Snack and Tipsy Scoop’s Midnight Snack Ice Cream, this milkshake is fit for The King and all you courtiers (photo #3).

If you can’t get hold of Tipsy Scoop Midnight Snack Ice Cream, substitute scoops of peanut butter and banana flavors. As for the bacon flavor, serve a couple of strips of this caramelized bacon recipe on the side.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BLEND the ice cream, milk, whiskey, and peanut butter until smooth. Pour into a tall glass.

2. TOP with whipped cream and a cherry.
 
 
MORE ELVIS RECIPES

 
Plus:

 
 
ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Grain & Barrel Spirits, a Charleston, South Carolina-based spirits company, has a license from Elvis Presley Enterprises to produce an Elvis Presley-branded whiskey line. Our brands include iconic Chicken Cock Whiskey, Dixie Vodka & Canned Cocktails, High Goal Gin, Tequila Eterno Verano, See the Elephant Amaro, and Virgil Kaine Whiskey.

You can also buy canned or frozen cherries and soak them in the whiskey. In season, a fresh cherry with its stem is lovely.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Updated July 2026

January 6th is National Shortbread Day, celebrating Scotland’s great contribution to cookiedom*. The classic Scottish cookie (or biscuit, the term used for cookies in the U.K.) recipe is traditionally one part white sugar, two parts butter, three to four parts plain wheat flour, and a bit of salt—but no leavening†.

Over the centuries, the original buttery delight has also been:

 
Below:

> Cherry lime shortbread cookie recipe and variations.

> More delicious shortbread cookie recipes.

> The year’s 45 cookie holidays.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of shortbread.

> The history of cookies.

> The 10 categories of cookies.

> The differences between butter cookies, shortbread, and sugar cookies.

> The different types of cookies: a photo glossary.
 
 
RECIPE: CHERRY-LIME SHORTBREAD WITH DRIED CHERRIES

These delightful shortbread cookies (photo #1) are not too sweet and and have a sweet/tart bite from the dried cherries. For a sweeter cookie you can substitute mini chocolate chips.

Note that the best, freshest butter will give you the very best cookies. Do not substitute any other fat.

Prep time is 25 minutes and bake time is 10 minutes.

Ingredients For About 4-1/2 Dozen Cookies

 
Variations

 
Preparation

1. CREAM the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until blended. Beat in the lime zest and extracts. In another bowl…

2. MIX the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat the dry mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in the cherries.

3. DIVIDE the dough in half; shape each half into a 7-inch-long roll. Wrap each roll in plastic and refrigerate overnight. Note that many recipes will say to refrigerate the dough for 3-4 hours or until firm. We have found a longer time yields easier slicing; or you can as easily freeze the dough for 1-2 hours until it is firm enough to slice.

4. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices with a very sharp, thin knife (there should be 28 quarter-inch slices per 7-inch log.

5. PLACE the slices 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the sheets to wire racks to cool.
 
 
MORE SHORTBREAD COOKIE RECIPES

 
Plus:

 
> Jump to all the cookie holidays below. <

________________

*Other Scottish cookies we love: Abernathy biscuits (with caraway seeds), oat cakes, oat and walnut biscuits.

†Leavening: Most cookies are made with leavening agents, such as baking soda or baking powder. Leavening agents cause the dough to expand and rise while baking, which affects the cookie’s texture and structure.

The two most common leaveners are baking soda and baking powder. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) reacts with acidic ingredients (e.g. buttermilk, lemon juice, molasses, vinegar) to release carbon dioxide, which creates air bubbles and a denser cookie with craggy tops. Baking powder causes cookies to rise higher and have a cakier texture.

††Treacle and golden syrup, the difference: Ingredients in British baking, golden syrup is the lightest and mildest form of treacle. It has a more caramelized, buttery flavor and a golden color. “Treacle” is most often used to refer to a darker, richer, and slightly bitter syrup.

While there is regular treacle, “black treacle” is the darkest variety of treacle, essentially considered the British equivalent of blackstrap molasses. It’s the most concentrated, intensely flavored type of treacle.

Molasses is often compared to treacle. Both are by-products of sugar refining. There’s a slight difference based on processing: Treacle is sweeter, thinner, and slightly less bitter than molasses.

Typically, molasses boils for much longer, resulting in a darker, thicker liquid with less sugar. “Black treacle” is most similar to molasses, but can still have slightly different flavor profile depending on the manufacturer and region.

‡Parlies, short for Parliament cakes, are a type of dark-hued shortbread biscuits that look like they might be flavored with cocoa, but intead they get their color from black treacle or molasses (photo #8). They’re seasoned with ground ginger and optional candied ginger, making them warm and spicy with an added hit of mild toffee flavor from the treacle.

The history of Parlies: The flavored shortbread, sometimes spelled Parleys, was originally served with Scotch whisky. Today they’re most often served with tea. [Editor’s note: Here’s a recipe. Why not serve them with hot toddies or hot butted rum] [source].

The story goes that in the 18th century, a Mrs. Flockhart, proprietor of a bakeshop located near the Scottish Parliament buildings in Potterow, Edinburgh, created the biscuits and supplied them to the politicians and staff working there.

While her first name is lost to history, she is referred to as Luckie Flockhart, Luckie being a Scots term for a respected older woman, particularly one who ran a business. This suggests she was a well-regarded figure in her local community [source: Claude.ai, 2025-01-07].
 
 
 
THE YEAR’S 45 COOKIE HOLIDAYS

Note that brownies are cookies—bar cookies—and not cake.

[1] Lime and cherry shortbread cookies. The recipe is below, as are flavor variations (photo © Taste Of Home).

[2] These rectangles are known as shortbread fingers. When we bake recipes like shortbread where the butter flavor is paramount, we use 83% butter, also called Euro style. It has a butterfat content of 83%, which is higher than regular butter—80% in the U.S. Check out the different types of butter (photo © Kerrygold USA).

[3] Need tips on how to zest a lime (or any citrus)? Head here (photo © Eating On A Dime).

[4] If you’d prefer flavor accents other than lime and cherry, check out some options.

[5] The original shortbread was cooked in a skillet over the fire and sliced into triangles. The shape is called “petticoat tails.” This espresso chocolate chunk shortbread can also be baked in a tart pan. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Beach House Kitchen).

[6] Elegantly embossed (photos #5 and #6 © Walker’s Shortbread).

[7] Walker’s also honors Scotland’s iconic Scottie with these cookies.

[8] Parlies (Parliament shortbread) are flavored with ginger and black treacle. Here’s the recipe (photo © London Eats | WordPress).

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.