Honey Lollipops — a Natural Sore Throat Remedy

By Ann Fulton
96 Replies
Jump to Recipe

A 2-ingredient, natural sore throat remedy that’s easy to make and helpful to have on hand. Fun to give away too!

 

In the past few months, I have read several times about the antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties of honey and cinnamon.  I am certainly not a doctor, but when I saw the idea from my friend, Justine, at Full Belly Sisters for a honey lollipop that was supposed to soothe a sore throat, I figured it was worth a try.  If nothing else, it would taste good!

Because of what I read, I added cinnamon to the lollipops.  After making them, I let the kids and their friends sample the home remedy—they got good reviews in the taste department–then put the rest away for when the next cold struck.  When my older son got the knock-out-drag-down flu recently, we put them to the test. He reported that the honey concoction soothed his sore throat and asked for them several times over the next few days.  Whether it was truly an effective natural medicine or a placebo effect, we were both pleased with the results.

For a child who is at least two years old, these would be a good alternative to a cough drop, which may pose a choking hazard.  Conversely, you could make these as a cough drop, simply omitting the stick, for an adult or older child.  If you end up with more lollipops than you need to sooth a sore throat, they will keep indefinitely stored in a cool, dry place and may also be used as a sweetener/stirrer in a cup of hot tea.  I highly recommend making them in advance and having them on hand for the next time a soar throat strikes…and please let me know what you think!

A 2-ingredient, natural sore throat remedy that's easy to make and helpful to have on hand. Fun to give away, too!

Honey Lollipops — a Natural Sore Throat Remedy
Prep Time: 1 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 26 min
My yield was 13 lollipops, although this may vary somewhat depending on how large you make them. An inexpensive candy thermometer, available in most grocery and kitchen stores, makes these especially easy to prepare.
Print
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
  • Lollipop sticks (available at craft stores)
Instructions
  1. Lay the lollipop sticks on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet.
  2. Pour the honey into a small saucepan and boil over medium-low to medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the temperature on your candy thermometer reads 300 degrees F. The honey will bubble up. Adjust the heat so that the honey continues to bubble but does not boil over, stirring occasionally. (If you do not have a thermometer, you may test the honey for doneness by dropping a drip or two into a bowl of very cold water. If the honey hardens into a ball, it is ready. If it remains soft to the touch, return to a boil.)
  3. Once the honey has reached 300 degrees F., remove the pan from the burner. Stir the honey and allow it to cool for a minute or two in the pan. Add the cinnamon, if using, and stir to thoroughly incorporate.
  4. Slowly pour the still-hot mixture over one end of the lollipop sticks. When the honey is very hot, it will spread out and form an uneven circle. Your first few lollipops might be thin and misshapen. As the honey cools, it becomes easier to pour an even circle. If desired, you may even out the first few lollipops by pouring a little more honey over them at the end. The thinner lollipops may be a little sharp around the edges once the honey hardened, so I would recommend making them thicker. Additionally, if your honey cools to the point that it becomes hard to pour, simply return to low heat for a minute or so to thin.
  5. Once completely cooled, wrap in clear, plastic treat bags and secure with a twist-tie or simply store in an air-tight container, separating the lollipops with a piece of wax or parchment paper.
Notes
  • Note to parents with kids who have braces: As the lollipops are sucked on, the honey softens and, like taffy, would most likely not be orthodontist approved. If your child likes tea, he or she could instead use the lollipop as a sweet stirrer in the tea.
More On YouTube More on Instagram
Tried this recipe?Post a picture on instagram and we will repost it! Mention @fountainavenuekitchen or tag #fountainavenuekitchen!
The Fountain Avenue Kitchen https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/
A 2-ingredient, natural sore throat remedy that's easy to make and helpful to have on hand. Fun to give away, too!

Leave a Reply

Make it? Rate the recipe:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Eryn Albert

    Hi. I did exactly what the recipe said, and I set a timer for 8 minutes just to be safe, and I came back 5 minutes later and the whole house almost caught on fire and there was thick smoke covering everywhere, every room in the house was black and the honey turned to ash. Has this ever happened to anyone else?? It was extremely scary, as well as dangerous for me and everyone else who was in the house. As far as I can see the reviews look pretty good tho.

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Eryn, I think the best suggestion I can offer is not to walk away when you’re actively cooking. As the instructions mention, the honey can bubble up and you need to be there to adjust the heat. My guess is that the honey boiled over and caught fire. That would have been very scary to return to. If you try again and watch the pot, my guess is you’ll have a much better outcome!

      Reply ↓
  2. Mwebembezi isaac

    what is the boiling degrees that will not denature honey chemicals
    i would like to make them for public as well as business. so help me and advice me how to make them . i have fear that when you boil honey , you may denature some chemicals inhoney.
    thank you

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Boiling honey will weaken its beneficial enzymes but it will still have soothing properties because it coats the throat. If you are planning on selling this or any other food product, you will probably want to take a class on food safety to be fully aware of the current safety requirements, regulations, etc.

      Reply ↓
  3. Lee

    I’m a beekeeper and just wanted you to know that once honey is heated it loses all its health benefits. Once its heated it’s just basically sugar.

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Thanks for your comment, Lee. Raw honey does offer more medicinal properties, but many doctors (including my own) recommend honey for its soothing properties, even when not consumed raw, as it coats the throat. I also mention the relevance of the placebo effect in the write-up. A spoonful of raw honey would be wonderful, too!

      Reply ↓
  5. Misty Lee Hummel

    I have made honey cough drops for years. I love adding lemon essential oil to my honey right after I take it off the heat for a nice honey lemon cough drop. I also have added thieves oil to the honey which adds a medicinal value to the cough drop!

    Reply ↓
  6. cheryl

    Love this idea! We are planning a wedding and I would love to make these for the favors. Can you suggest a way to make the color (honey) a little lighter? I was going to put a dried flower in the lollipop but need it almost clear. What are your thoughts?

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Cheryl, I love this for a wedding idea! The only way I can think of to make them lighter would be to heat the honey to less than 300℉. The problem with that is that the lollipops wouldn’t be too soft. Perhaps starting with the lightest color honey possible would be the best way…but they still might not be clear enough for what you want. If you try, I’d love to know how you make out!

      Reply ↓
    2. Penny

      You’ll want to find a very light colored honey. Or else you may need to add sugar/corn syrup, which, while great for stabilizing the candy (supposedly) and lightening the color, does not have a healthy reputation.

      Reply ↓
  7. Priscilla B

    Hi!
    I just made these for myself and my husband. I’m at the end of some awful summer time funk that turned into bronchitis, and my sweetie has just come down with the funk.
    I SO needed these 2 weeks ago!

    I didn’t have cinnamon solo so I used the pumpkin pie spice blend (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger) and they’re spectacular.

    I’m blessed enough to have a plastic hard candy mold that looks like little honeycombs so they pop out in perfectly shaped drops.
    Thanks! I’m going to make more and keep on hand.

    God bless!

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      I’m sorry you’ve been sick, Priscilla, but I’m glad you found these and they worked so well. Thank you for the thoughtful comment, and I hope you and your husband feel better soon!

      Reply ↓
  8. Loni

    How do you keep from burning the honey at 300 degrees? Every attempt I’ve done hasn’t worked, suckers twisted and smell burnt. Any tips?

    Reply ↓
  10. Debbie

    Hello

    When I make my honey candy it seems hard but when I put in in the plastic bag it sticks to the side. Any ideas please on what might help.

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Debbie, Some of the natural stickiness does remain and but will be less apparent when the honey is cold. I sometimes store these in the refrigerator for that reason. Also, some wrappers work better than others, so if you’ve been using plastic bags, you could try wrapping them in parchment or wax paper instead. I hope this helps!

      Reply ↓
  12. Elena Sandbo

    Tried these twice, first time I didn’t measure the honey and wasn’t prepared for how much it boiled up then got scared of overflowing the pot and stopped. It wouldn’t get over 250°, needless to they didn’t harden so I left them in the freezer and used them for tea at work. I was looking for an more eco-friendly way to add honey to my tea. In the end I was sort of happy with the result but unhappy with the small plastic bag waste I was then producing with each one. My second time around, used a larger pot and measured half a cup of honey and… Success! They were a lovely deep golden color and the smell was significantly different as they neared 300°, fyi. Wrapped them with the parchment paper I made them on after they firmed up. They are perfect! I’m so happy, thank you so much!

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      I’m so glad you gave them a second try, Elena. As you found out, reaching that 300 degree threshold is key. Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, and enjoy those lollipops!

      Reply ↓
  15. Shayan

    Nice and easy recipe . I would like to know if there is a natural substitute to making a sugar free lollipop. I have seen a lot of people recommend stevia and agave nectar which I believe is still not 100% percent organic. Do you have any suggestions that might be helpful ?

    Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi Shayan, That’s a great question, but in this recipe honey provides the bulk of the lollipop and offers the soothing qualities. Since it’s a powder, stevia wouldn’t have the right consistency. Agave nectar might work, but the amount of natural sugar in each pop would be pretty close. I hope that helps!

      Reply ↓
    1. Ann Post author

      I wouldn’t bother to use raw organic honey for this recipe for that reason. The soothing properties, however, when using regular honey are still helpful!

      Reply ↓
        1. Ann Post author

          I think that’s it, Melanke. Maybe your burner heat just didn’t get the temperature up in that amount of time. You could try increasing the heat slightly the next time. The process of candy making is rather persnickety and really does rely on temperature. If you try again, let me know how you make out!

          Reply ↓

  20. Pingback: Travels with Toddler - Peonies and Paper Dolls