Homemade Cough Drops With Essential Oils for Sore Throat Relief

QUICK SUMMARY

Homemade cough drops can temporarily soothe a scratchy throat and occasional cough while letting you skip refined white sugar, artificial colors, and flavors. This recipe uses herb-infused water, raw local honey, coconut oil, and 20 drops of essential oils across the entire batch.

Human research supports honey itself for temporary acute cough relief, and menthol has human evidence for temporarily raising the cough reflex threshold. The finished cough drop recipe has not been clinically tested, and because the honey is heated to hard-candy temperature, those honey studies should not be treated as proof that the finished lozenge has the same biological effects. (6, 9, 15)

Because this is medicinal internal use of essential oils, follow the complete recipe instead of taking the oils separately. Honey should never be given to a baby under 1 year old, and hard cough drops should not be given to children under 4 because of choking risk. (7)

When we're sick, the last thing we want to do is pile on refined sugar while the body is already working hard to recover. Store-bought cough drops can contain refined sugar and, many times, artificial colors and flavors. DIY cough drops let you use your own herbs, healing honey, coconut oil, and essential oils in one practical remedy.

Our reason for skipping refined white sugar is not the old claim that one bite of sugar instantly shuts down the immune system. The stronger current evidence points to the bigger dietary pattern: high free- and added-sugar intake is associated with inflammatory and immune changes, while chronic hyperglycemia can impair important first-line immune functions. (1, 2, 3)

If you came for the practical remedy, jump straight to the Homemade Cough Drops recipe. The research and safety notes below explain why we use these ingredients and how to use the recipe responsibly.

Why We Skip Refined Sugar in Cough Drops

High intakes of free and added sugars are associated with inflammatory and immune changes, but one serving of sugar does not simply “turn off” the immune system.

White table sugar is sucrose. In modern nutrition research, it is usually studied within the broader category of free or added sugars, sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, and the metabolic effects of repeated high blood glucose. That distinction matters because the evidence supports limiting a high-sugar dietary pattern, not fear over a single bite of something sweet. If you want to see what we use instead in everyday cooking, start with our guide to the best natural sweeteners.

A 2024 cross-sectional study of 51 adult women found that, among the women experiencing overweight and obesity, higher free-sugar intake was associated with a lower proportion of circulating invariant natural killer T cells. These cells help bridge innate and adaptive immune responses. Because the study was observational and small, it shows an association, not proof that sugar alone caused the immune-cell difference. (1)

We also have stronger evidence that chronic hyperglycemia is not immune-neutral. A 2023 human and laboratory study found impaired neutrophil phagocytosis and microbial killing in people with type 2 diabetes, while a U.S. NHANES analysis found that high sugar-sweetened beverage intake was associated with higher C-reactive protein among adults with prediabetes. (2, 3)

Animal studies add mechanistic context. In mice, high-sugar diets have altered gut microbes, protective intestinal immune responses, gut permeability, and inflammatory signaling. These studies help explain possible pathways, but they do not prove the same effect from a homemade cough drop in people. (4, 5)

Bottom line: We do not need refined white sugar to make a soothing cough drop. Honey is still a concentrated source of natural sugar, but it serves a functional role in this recipe and has separate human cough research. Our goal is not “sugar-free.” It is a simple homemade remedy without unnecessary refined sugar, artificial colors, or flavors.

Essential Oils for Sore Throat

We often lump respiratory issues and sore throat issues together when we reach for cough drops. Whatever bug you're battling with at your house right now, there are essential oils that can help support your body's healing process and make you more comfortable while you recover.

It's really not hard to make your own cough drops. You'll use organic raw local honey, real herbs, essential oils appropriate for the recipe, and everyone's favorite… coconut oil! If you have a cold or feel a scratchy throat coming on, and you've made the cough drops recipe below, you can also utilize my immune boosting shot to give your system a head start.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses, which means the goal of a cough drop is usually temporary symptom comfort while your body does the work of recovery. Strep throat is different. It is a bacterial infection that can be tested for and treated appropriately, so essential oils and homemade lozenges should not be presented as a substitute for strep testing or treatment. (14)

Licorice Root

Licorice is traditionally used as an expectorant to help loosen mucus, and it has a long history of use for irritated throats.

The original study cited in this article was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a multi-herb tea called Throat Coat. The tea contained licorice along with several other herbs and provided temporary relief of sore throat pain compared with placebo. Because researchers tested the complete formula, we cannot give licorice alone all the credit. (8)

That distinction does not take licorice out of the recipe. It simply tells us what the human research actually tested.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender is popular for its familiar calming fragrance and fits beautifully into respiratory and throat-comfort blends.

Lavender also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory research, but most of that evidence is laboratory or preclinical rather than proof that a lavender cough drop treats the infection behind a sore throat. Here, I think of lavender as a supportive, calming member of the blend.

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint is wonderfully refreshing when you're dealing with a cough or irritated throat.

Menthol, one of peppermint's signature constituents, has direct human cough research. In a controlled experiment with healthy adults, inhaled menthol increased the concentration of capsaicin needed to trigger a cough. In other words, it temporarily raised the cough reflex threshold. The study tested menthol vapor, not peppermint cough drops, but it helps explain peppermint's traditional antitussive reputation. (9)

Basil Essential Oil

Basil deserves a place in this discussion, but the older research needs one important clarification.

A laboratory study found that Ocimum basilicum essential oil inhibited multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, and Pseudomonas. That's promising antimicrobial evidence, but it was an in vitro experiment. It does not prove that swallowing basil essential oil will treat bacterial pharyngitis or strep throat in a person. (10)

Myrrh Essential Oil

Myrrh is one of the healing oils of the Bible and remains one of my favorite oils for sore throat support.

A 2024 laboratory study tested myrrh oil against organisms isolated from oral swabs and found reduced growth of several microbes, including Staphylococcus aureus. The researchers specifically called for more work on safety, dosing, and clinical feasibility. That's a good example of promising oral-health research that should not be turned into a claim that myrrh cures a throat infection. (11)

Why Honey and Herbs Help

Honey is one of the original Biblical superfoods and is one reason this recipe has remained part of our natural home apothecary.

A 2023 systematic review included 10 randomized studies of honey for acute cough in children. The reviewers found low to very low quality evidence that honey may reduce cough frequency and improve sleep compared with placebo, no treatment, or cough medicine. (6)

There is an important evidence distinction here. Those clinical studies evaluated honey itself, not honey cooked into a hard lozenge. This recipe heats the honey mixture to 300°F so it will set like candy. Thermal processing changes honey's enzymes and other bioactive properties, and a 2024 review specifically emphasized minimal thermal processing when honey is being used for its biological activity. (15)

That does not mean the recipe has no value. A hard lozenge can still provide temporary soothing as it dissolves in the mouth, and the recipe gives us a way to combine herbs and properly dispersed essential oils without refined white sugar or artificial colors and flavors. I simply do not want to use unheated-honey trials as proof that this finished cough drop has the exact same biological activity.

The herbs add another layer. Licorice, slippery elm, chamomile, elderberry, cinnamon, and the other options in the recipe let you customize the infusion according to what you have on hand and what works best for your family.

And don't overlook the coconut oil. The recipe has you premix the essential oils into coconut oil before adding them to the full batch. That matters because it dilutes and disperses the concentrated oils instead of allowing an undiluted drop to hit the mouth or throat directly.

Homemade Cough Drop Safety

This is a natural remedy, but natural does not mean we ignore dose, age, or the reason someone has a sore throat.

• Babies: Never give honey or a honey-based cough drop to a baby under 12 months because of infant botulism risk. (7)
• Young children: Do not give hard cough drops or lozenges to children under 4 because they are a choking hazard. Older children still need supervision and must be able to safely manage a hard lozenge. (7)
• Essential-oil amount: The 20 drops in the recipe are for the entire batch, not each cough drop. Do not increase the total because you want a stronger remedy.
• Internal use: Because these cough drops are taken for symptom support, this is medicinal internal use. Use only essential oils whose identity, intended internal use, and product directions you have verified. Premix the oils with the coconut oil exactly as the recipe directs rather than taking them neat.
• My favorite triple-threat blend: The recipe notes already give my personal blend of equal parts frankincense, myrrh, and peppermint. Make that equal-parts master blend separately, then use only the recipe's 20 total drops of the blend in the complete batch.
• One at a time: Because mold sizes and final yields vary, the essential-oil amount per cough drop is not fixed. Use one lozenge at a time for short-term symptom comfort rather than treating these as an indefinite daily protocol. Do not increase the essential-oil amount or stack this with another internal essential-oil remedy. Stop if you experience burning, mouth irritation, nausea, reflux, rash, wheezing, or another unwanted reaction.
• Licorice: Licorice can raise blood pressure through its glycyrrhizic acid content. A 2024 randomized crossover trial found a measurable rise in home systolic blood pressure after two weeks of daily licorice providing 100 mg glycyrrhizic acid. If you have high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, low potassium, or take medications that may interact with licorice, choose another herb or get personalized guidance. (12)
• Coltsfoot: Coltsfoot naturally contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, compounds associated with liver toxicity. If you choose coltsfoot from the recipe's herb options, use only a product with documented testing or removal of these alkaloids. Otherwise, choose another herb. Be especially cautious with children, pregnancy or nursing, and liver disease. (13)
• Pregnancy, nursing, medications, or chronic illness: Get individualized guidance before using the essential-oil version, especially when choosing myrrh, peppermint, or licorice.

Most coughs and sore throats from a common cold improve with time, rest, fluids, and simple symptom support. Get medical care for trouble breathing, dehydration, a fever lasting more than four days, symptoms lasting more than 10 days without improvement, or symptoms that improve and then return or worsen. (7)

If the sore throat came on suddenly with fever, painful swallowing, swollen neck glands, or white patches on the tonsils, especially without a cough, consider strep testing. Most sore throats are viral, but confirmed strep is different and should be treated appropriately. (14)

Homemade Cough Drops FAQs

Does sugar really affect immune function?

High intakes of free and added sugars are associated with immune and inflammatory changes. A 2024 human study linked higher free-sugar intake with a lower proportion of circulating iNKT cells among women experiencing overweight and obesity. Research in people with type 2 diabetes also shows that hyperglycemia can impair neutrophil phagocytosis and microbial killing, while human observational data link high sugar-sweetened beverage intake with elevated inflammatory markers in people with prediabetes. Animal studies add evidence that high-sugar diets can disrupt gut microbiota and protective intestinal immune responses. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Do homemade cough drops work?

Homemade cough drops can provide temporary throat and cough comfort. Honey itself has human evidence for acute cough relief, but the clinical trials did not test honey heated to hard-candy temperature, so they do not directly prove this finished recipe works the same way. Menthol also has human evidence for temporarily raising the cough reflex threshold. Think symptom support, not a guaranteed cure. (6, 9, 15)

Can homemade cough drops treat strep throat?

No cough drop should be relied on to treat strep throat. Essential oils such as basil and myrrh have antimicrobial laboratory research, but that is not the same as proving they eradicate group A strep in people. If strep is suspected, testing can identify it and appropriate treatment can reduce symptoms and complications. (10, 11, 14)

Can children use these homemade cough drops?

Never give the recipe to a baby under 1 because it contains honey. Do not give hard cough drops to children under 4 because of choking risk. For older children, consider age, maturity, the herbs and essential oils chosen, medications, and health history before use. (7)

Can I ingest essential oils?

Do not casually ingest essential oils in water or neat (undiluted). Internal use of essential oils requires proper dilution, product quality, dosing knowledge, and safety guidance. Learn more about how to ingest essential oils here.

This recipe is an adaptation from one that my friend Katie put together for her blog, WellnessMama.com.

Homemade Cough Drops

Author Mama Z

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Quantity

2x4x6x

Ingredients

• 1 cup purified OR distilled water infused with organic herbs. (Try using licorice, slippery elm, coltsfoot, cinnamon, elderberry and chamomile)
• 1.5 cups raw organic local honey
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined
• 20 drops essential oils*

Instructions

 

• Pre-mix coconut and essential oils (dilutes them to prevent burning your throat).
• Boil 2 cups of water and infuse with desired herbs. Use about ¼ cup of each herb for a really potent cough drop, but as little as 1 tablespoon of each herb is effective.
• To infuse: Pour boiling water over herbs. Put herbs in a muslin bag to make straining easier. Let steep for 20 minutes and strain out herbs (or remove the bag).
• Pour 1 cup of the herb-infused water and 1.5 cups of honey into a medium saucepan and turn on medium-high heat. (save the extra liquid and mix with equal parts raw honey for a simple cough syrup)
• Stir the honey/herb mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches 300 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, this usually takes about 30 minutes and can be tested by dropping a drop of the mixture into ice water to see if it immediately hardens. It should harden to the point that it breaks if dropped on the counter. You can also tell because the mixture will start to foam and separate. At this point, it is vital to remove it from the heat quickly so it does not burn.
• Mix in coconut oil and essential oil mixture and pour into candy molds, or pour into a large baking sheet that has been greased with coconut oil or that has a silicon baking mat on it.
• Let cool until it can be touched and molded and immediately and quickly form into lozenges with your hands (you might need help to do this quickly enough).
• Put finished cough drops/lozenges on a silicon mat or piece of parchment paper to cool.
• When completely cool, toss in a mixture of powdered slippery elm and stevia to keep from getting sticky in humidity.
• Use as needed for coughing, congestion, or sore throat.

Notes

**Research and experience suggest that these oils are some of the most potent against bacterial throat infections, or that have an antitussive effect:

tea tree

lavender

fragonia

peppermint

lemon

These essential oils have been known to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus (3):

basil

mint

rosemary

lavender

Personally, my preference is to use myrrh essential oil as I have found it to be one of the most effective sore throat remedies out there. At least for me, and I used to get strep infections as a kid, so sore throats are no stranger to me! My sore throat triple-threat blend includes equal parts of:

frankincense

myrrh

peppermint

References: