Simple homemade hot drinks are literally the only reason I’m still alive this November. Like, I’m sitting here in my freezing Columbus apartment, radiator clanking like it’s personally mad at me, wearing three hoodies and one very judgmental cat on my lap, and the only thing keeping me from full gremlin mode is whatever steaming potion I just threw together in my crusty kettle.
I’m not fancy. I’m the girl who once tried to “meal prep” broth and just ended up with salty water that tasted like regret. But these drinks? These I’ve tested while actually sick, actually broke, and actually too lazy to measure anything properly. They still work. That’s the magic.
Why I’m Obsessed with Simple Homemade Hot Drinks Right Now
Last week I got taken out by whatever plague is going around Ohio. Day three I was googling “can you die from coughing” and crying into a box of off-brand Kleenex. My mom (classic Midwestern) texted me “hot toddy stat.” I didn’t have whiskey. I had half a lemon that was plotting world domination in my fridge and some bourbon older than my last relationship. Close enough.
Turns out simple homemade hot drinks are my love language when my body hates me.
My Ride-or-Die Healing Hot Drinks (Tested on My Actual Sick Self)
1. The “I Swear This Turmeric Thing Doesn’t Taste Like Dirt” Latte Simple Homemade Hot Drinks
I hated golden milk for years because every Pinterest mom made it sound like liquid sunshine and it tasted like sadness with black pepper. Then I messed it up my way: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6261201/
- Almond milk (the cheap kind that separates, whatever)
- Heaping spoon of turmeric (no measuring, chaos only)
- Too much honey because I’m not a monster
- Cinnamon, black pepper, and a splash of vanilla extract I found in the back of the cupboard from 2019 Heat it till it smells like a hippie’s hug. It’s stupidly good at making inflammation shut up. I felt human again in like two mugs. Science or placebo? Don’t care.
2. Ginger-Lemon-Honey But Make It Aggressive Simple Homemade Hot Drinks
I grate fresh ginger until my knuckles hate me, squeeze half a lemon that’s definitely seen better days, and drown it in hot water and local honey. Sometimes I add cayenne because I apparently enjoy pain. This one kicks the back of your throat like “wake up, immune system, do your JOB.” I drank this while binge-watching trash reality TV and honestly felt 40% less dead by episode four.
3. The “I Have a Head Cold and Zero Chill” Peppermint Steam Bomb Simple Homemade Hot Drinks
Boil water. Throw in fresh mint leaves I stole from my neighbor’s porch (don’t judge). Add a drop of peppermint oil because I’m extra. Inhale like you’re trying to mainline inner peace. My sinuses opened up so fast I almost cried. Bonus: my entire apartment smelled like a candy cane had a spiritual awakening. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ginger-for-colds
Mistakes I’ve Made So You Don’t Have To Simple Homemade Hot Drinks
- Once used powdered ginger instead of fresh. Tasted like floor cleaner. 0/10.
- Added too much cayenne to the lemon one and literally saw God. My tongue went numb. Respect the pepper.
- Tried “oil pulling” with coconut oil in my drink because some influencer said it heals everything. Just ended up with greasy tea and trust issues.
Anyway, Final Thoughts from My Germ-Ridden Couch Simple Homemade Hot Drinks
Look, I’m not out here claiming these simple homemade hot drinks will cure cancer or fix your ex’s personality. But when it’s 2 a.m., you’re shivering under three blankets, and WebMD has convinced you you’re dying? These healing hot drinks are the warm hug your body actually asked for. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31003653/
Make one. Make it ugly. Add too much honey. Burn the cinnamon stick a little. That’s the point.
Tell me in the comments what weird concoction you swear by when you’re sick—I’m always one bad cold away from trying anything. Stay warm out there, friends. Or don’t. I’m not your mom. (Okay maybe a little.)
