Pinterest Review - Homemade Cough Drops

I rolled them in powdered sugar so they hopefully
won't stick together

I searched Pinterest for some cough drop recipes that I could make for my sister.  She's allergic to soy and apparently most cough drops on the market have soy in them.  When she gets sick she pops hard candy to suck on so she isn't always coughing.  I heard that she's been fighting a cold for the past couple weeks so I committed to making these tonight.  They won't get to her for this cold, but I see her in a week so I'll be packaging them up and giving them to her when I do see her.

I don't know if these cough drops are going to be effective at halting her cough, but they sure are yummy and they've got to be at least as good as sucking on hard candy.  I mean, they are hard candy, but they're tea, honey and lemon hard candy!

I originally found the pin on Artzcool's Blog and I'm not going to steal her recipe and share.  Click on the link to get to her recipe.  Visit her site!  I will, however, add some comments/experience that I gained by making this recipe.

I didn't use the medicinal/cold-type teas like she brewed.  Not that it would be a bad thing to do**, but I just never liked the taste of them so instead I used my favorite tea...orange pekoe!  I also used some local-ish Colorado honey.  I didn't use the 1/2 lemon.  I never seem to have them just lying about so I grabbed the bottle of lemon juice from the fridge and used 1 tablespoon.  They aren't really lemony so I may add more next time.

Cough drops hardening in powdered sugar.
The light brown tops on some are bubbles.

I love her idea of using powdered sugar on a cookie sheet and carving out indentations with a measuring spoon to shape the candies...ahem...cough drops.  I believe she said that she used a 1/4-teaspoon.  I used a 1/2-teaspoon for mine and this made 54.  I can tell you that I had to grab some more powdered sugar and another pan and make about 24 more because there was still so much left in the pot!  That's not a bad thing, but I was unprepared.

Her blog says that when you spoon the candy into the little indentations that it will just fill the nearest hole.  True, but you have to be relatively close for it to just slide on in there.  As you can see from my picture I've got little drippings in between cough drops.  Naughty little things!

The mixture does harden quickly, but not so much that you need to freak out and rush and proceed to spill liquid sugar on you.  That would be bad people!

My choice of tea and honey

Also, that whole bring to a boil and in 10 minutes it'll be done.  Bullshit.  OK, I am cooking at altitude and all, but um...no. One, she doesn't say what setting to bring it to a boil over.  High?  Medium?  Low?  In between?  So I brought mine to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently and then lowered to medium-low.  Candy thermometer stayed in there the whole time and while I didn't time it, I can tell you that bitch cooked for at least 30 minutes.  Don't just assume it will be the same for you and walk away, but be prepared for a long wait.

Overall, I'd have to say that I'm incredibly pleased with the results.  Whether they stop the cough or not, they're certainly tasty!

UPDATE - You should probably keep in mind that if you don't like the taste of honey...you won't like cough drops with honey in them.  I loved these, but both of my children who don't ever put honey in tea, didn't like them.  Oh well...more for me and my sister!

**Always remember to check ingredients on herbal teas...well, on herbal anything.  Just because it's an herb or "all natural" doesn't mean it belongs in your body.  Check with your doctor regarding the herbs used in herbal teas (and anything else if you're on meds or pregnant).  I have seen other recipes with slippery elm in them and this can cause miscarriage!  Think before you drink (eat...whatever)!