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January 9, 2012 By Jill 50 Comments

How To Make Homemade Cough Syrup

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Making homemade cough syrup is easy, very effective and does not have those questionable ingredients you can’t pronounce like the syrups at the store.  The onions alone will do a great job to break up phlegm and discharge it.  If you add the wild cherry bark and licorice root, you will have an even more effective remedy for coughs!

Ingredients:
2 large onions
Raw honey

{The herbs below are completely optional.  Their properties make the syrup even more effective, but it it works great without them.  If you have licorice and wild cherry bark on hand like I do, throw it in! :)}
2 TBS. Licorice root
2 TBS. Wild Cherry Bark

Directions:
Cut 2 large onions and place in double boiler (if you have one).
Cover with raw honey at least 1/2 inch above the onions.
Add 2 TBS. licorice root and 2 TBS. wild cherry bark {optional}.

Simmer on very low heat until the onions become translucent.  If you don’t have a double boiler, you can simmer it very gently in a pan for about 20 minutes.  A double boiler is better because the pan being directly on the heat willl take more of the beneficial properties from the raw honey. Strain the onions and herbs out and store in a jar in the refrigerator up to 3 months.

Dosage:
Adults can take 1 Tbs. and children 1 tsp. of the syrup up to every 15 mins as needed.  Allow the syrup to slowly trickle down the throat as you take it.  If you don’t have the licorice or wild cherry bark, you can use this same recipe with just the onions and raw honey for a very effective syrup! You can also make a cough syrup out of just the wild cherry bark and licorice, but that is a different recipe.

If you’re concerned about the taste using onions, even my pickiest daughter can take this syrup just fine.  Some secrets to help your children willingly take it: make sure you add enough honey, and don’t tell your children that it’s made from onions – sometimes the thought of something affects the taste! 🙂

Once again, the things I love about this syrup are:

*No questionable ingredients
*Very effective
*You can take this remedy for coughs up to every 15 minutes if the cough is really bad, whereas store-bought medicine can typically only be taken every few hours.
*Very affordable to make

I would love to hear how this remedy works for you!

Linked To:
The Prairie Homestead    Day 2 Day Joys    Far Above Rubies    Deep Roots At Home
The Purposed Heart   Raising Homemakers    Raising Mighty Arrows
Wildcrafting Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds Her Home    Women Living Well
An Original Belle      Growing Home   Time Warp Wife

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Filed Under: Chest Congestion, Coughs

Previous Post: « New Year Resolutions ~ Exercise
Next Post: How To Make Bone Broth »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mindy says

    January 9, 2012 at 4:44 pm

    This is awesome, Jill! I’m definitely going to have to try this next time we need it in our family.

    Your video is great and very professional. I would love for you to come link up your post to my “Make-It Yourself Mondays” 🙂

    http://thepurposedheart.com/

    Reply
    • Ann says

      January 6, 2021 at 7:27 pm

      Any alternative to the honey?

      Reply
      • Jill says

        February 4, 2021 at 6:19 am

        Ann, food-grade vegetable glycerin can be an alternative for honey. I am not sure how well it would work in this recipe, however, since the honey itself is a medicine for the cough. If I were going to use the glycerin, I would likely stir in at least 1/4 cup of lemon juice to add benefit to it. Let me know if you try it! Onion is so great for coughs – it may just shine when paired with the glycerin. 🙂

        Reply
  2. Judee says

    January 9, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    I hope we won’t need it, but if we do , I’ll keep it in mind. I love all the home remedies you share.

    Reply
  3. Missy Shay says

    January 9, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    This is great! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Jill's Home Remedies says

    January 9, 2012 at 7:56 pm

    I will for sure link up, Mindy – thanks for sharing! 🙂
    Thank you, Judee & Missy. 🙂

    Reply
  5. MissFitness says

    January 9, 2012 at 9:54 pm

    I will definitely be making this recipe.
    Thanks! http://easyglutenfreerecipes.wordpress.com

    Reply
  6. Kasey @ TFOMplus2 says

    January 10, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    This is awesome! We are the lucky carriers of the latest cold and cough circulating our little mountain! I will see if my hubby will stop after work to grab a few things, and I’ll give this a try! Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Jenny says

    January 10, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    Blogs like yours are the reason I am SO GLAD I started blogging! What an awesome collection of talent!

    Reply
  8. Jill's Home Remedies says

    January 10, 2012 at 8:36 pm

    Why thank you, Jenny! How sweet of you! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Jill's Home Remedies says

    January 10, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    I hope you all are better soon, Kasey! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Amy says

    January 11, 2012 at 1:46 am

    Thank you for posting this! I get side effects with some of the commercial cough syrups, so I’ve been looking for a good natural alternative.

    Reply
  11. Rachel @ day2day joys says

    January 11, 2012 at 5:45 am

    Great recipe! I know I’ve invited you before, but would love for you to share this at Healthy 2day Wednesdays!

    Reply
  12. Hidden Treasures says

    January 11, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    Great recipe! Going to have to pin this so I can make it sometime!! You’re like my personal herbalist!! =D

    Reply
  13. Mind Body and Sole says

    January 11, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    Hi Jill, this would be a great post to share on Wildcrafting Wednesday! 🙂 I hope you’ll stop by today.

    Thanks!
    ~ Kathy

    Reply
  14. Jill's Home Remedies says

    January 11, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    LOL, Angela! I have a lot more to learn!!!

    Reply
  15. Jenn says

    January 12, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    Thank you for the excellent recipe! We usually just use honey but I’m guessing this would work more effectively? Found your link at Raising Mighty Arrows, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  16. Ashley says

    January 12, 2012 at 9:24 pm

    I’ve heard ginger is also a great cure for the cough/cold. Plus, ginger is supposed to cure nausea so it couldn’t hurt to add some 🙂

    Reply
  17. Sherry Hefner says

    January 28, 2012 at 2:54 am

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! My husband is a beekeeper…so I have one of the main ingredients on hand! Blessings to you!

    Reply
  18. Jills Home Remedies says

    January 29, 2012 at 7:39 pm

    Thank you, Sherry. You too!

    Reply
  19. h. rae says

    February 14, 2012 at 1:01 am

    Oh, wow! How clever! Thanks for linking up, Jill!

    Reply
  20. Lindsey Elise says

    April 16, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    Ok, I’m a little late on the commenting, but I just found this post and had a question. My dad and I are allergic to onions, and I was wondering if there was an alternative that we could use, that would work the same. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jills Home Remedies says

      April 16, 2012 at 4:07 pm

      Lindsey, you can make a cough syrup with just wild cherry bark and licorice root. The onions add amazing properties for coughs, but you certainly don’t want to use them if you’re allergic. 🙂 Boil 1 pint of water 1 tbsp. wild cherry bark and 1 tbsp. licorice root for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Strain the herbs out and add 1/2 cup raw honey. Take up to 1/4 cup of the syrup 3 times a day. Keep refrigerated. Hope this helps! Thanks for the question! 🙂

      Reply
  21. Maria - Greece says

    August 29, 2012 at 8:32 am

    Jil thank you so much,
    you can see your remedie here on my blog:
    http://cupcaketherightshape.blogspot.gr/p/homemade-creams-butters-lotions-scrubs.html

    Reply
    • Jills Home Remedies says

      September 24, 2012 at 6:06 pm

      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  22. Crystal says

    September 19, 2012 at 2:18 pm

    My littlest guy who is 4 was up coughing all night, so I’m making this right now! I only have one onion an raw honey so I’m just going to work with what I have! Thanks so much! 🙂

    Reply
    • Jills Home Remedies says

      September 24, 2012 at 6:07 pm

      Hope he’s better soon!

      Reply
  23. Grateful for Grace says

    January 1, 2013 at 1:33 am

    I’m not sure my kiddos will take this well. They are not fans of onion or licorice. sigh. I may try it anyway.

    Reply
    • Jills Home Remedies says

      January 1, 2013 at 3:46 pm

      The secret is to not tell them it contains onion :). All my children and my sister’s girl love this syrup, but they wouldn’t if they knew it had onion. 🙂 You can leave the licorice out – it makes it even more effective, but works great without. 🙂

      Reply
  24. Keisha says

    February 12, 2013 at 6:28 pm

    I am going to make this tonight. My youngest is only 13 months and is taking breathing treatments right now because of all the congestion in his little chest. Is the honey safe for him?

    Reply
    • Jills Home Remedies says

      February 12, 2013 at 6:56 pm

      My doctor says honey is safe over a year! Best wishes, Keisha!

      Reply
  25. Keisha says

    February 12, 2013 at 7:35 pm

    Thank you Jill!! I made the Echinacea tincture this weekend. We had to go in to the clinic yesterday because his congestion had gotten really really bad. I asked the PA what her opinion was about the giving him the tincture and she said she really liked the idea. I really really enjoy your blog and you have truly blessed my family with a more natural way to care for our bodies! Thank you so much! Many blessings to you and yours!

    Reply
    • Jills Home Remedies says

      February 13, 2013 at 3:02 pm

      Thank you for the kind words, Keisha! 🙂

      Reply
  26. Cheryl Pitt says

    October 12, 2014 at 12:09 am

    I really want to try this. One questions though, does it have to be raw honey? Especially since you’re cooking it anyway? We usually have raw honey, I’m just curious.

    Reply
    • Jill says

      October 27, 2014 at 9:22 pm

      If I didn’t have raw honey on hand, I would use regular honey because the onions will still be a help. Since this is fixed in a double boiler, my syrup does not actually simmer but cooks very slowly, so most of the benefits of the raw honey are there. I would use raw honey if at all possible. 🙂

      Reply
    • Shawn Woodell says

      October 17, 2015 at 12:41 pm

      I wouldn’t worry about it being raw honey since it is simmered. Most, not all, of the beneficial properties are gone. Just use regular honey. If I were making it, I would add water to the licorice root, bark, and onions and simmer away half of the liquid. Let it cool done and then add the raw honey. Just my way though.

      Reply
      • Jill says

        October 17, 2015 at 1:23 pm

        I definitely believe that there are still benefits to the raw honey even after cooking it in a double boiler. When mine cooks, not a single bubble even surfaces- it just infuses the onion in the honey. But I’m sure the syrup would still work with regular honey! Thanks for sharing your opinion! 🙂

        Reply
  27. Cheryl Pitt says

    October 12, 2014 at 12:11 am

    Oh, and is it safe for little ones with the licorice and cherry bark? I’d love to try this with my 2 year old if she needs it this year.

    Reply
    • Jill says

      October 27, 2014 at 9:22 pm

      I would definitely give this to my 2 year old with the 2 added herbs. 🙂

      Reply
  28. Heather says

    October 26, 2014 at 8:20 pm

    What is the licorice root and wild cherry bark that you use? I use licorice root for tea. Is that what you use, or is it powdered? Thanks – hopefully I won’t need this this winter, but I most likely will. 😉

    Reply
    • Jill says

      October 27, 2014 at 9:03 pm

      Heather, I normally buy from the Bulk Herb Store. It’s in cut form and not powdered when I add it.
      Licorice Root: http://bit.ly/1nKFUZx
      Wild Cherry Bark: http://bit.ly/12UHLSy
      Thanks!

      Reply
  29. Faith says

    October 29, 2014 at 7:41 pm

    This couldn’t come across my news feed on fb at a better time. I already make a lot of your recipes and have a cough that will not quit. I made this recipe this afternoon and took some about five minutes ago. It’s the quietest five minutes we have had here all day! I did have licorice root but not the cherry bark. It’s working great so far!

    Reply
    • Jill says

      November 4, 2014 at 12:32 am

      Wonderful, I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
  30. Jenny S says

    December 13, 2014 at 4:15 am

    Hi Jill, I am allergic to honey. Is there anything that could be substituted?

    Reply
    • Jill says

      December 15, 2014 at 8:12 pm

      The only other thing I can think of would be food-grade vegetable glycerin, though I’ve never tried it. Glycerin wouldn’t have the medicinal properties that raw honey does, but you would still get the benefits from the onions and any other herbs you added.

      Reply
  31. Keri Morales says

    January 6, 2019 at 8:48 am

    Is it possible to put this in a “ cold water bath” to seal it

    Reply
    • Jill says

      January 7, 2019 at 3:35 am

      I honestly don’t know, Keri! That would be awesome if so! I would reach out to a canning expert for more information. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How To Stop A Continuous Cough - Jill's Home Remedies says:
    November 20, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    […] 2. Onion/Honey Cough Syrup […]

    Reply
  2. Top 5 Must-Have Herbal Books - Jill's Home Remedies says:
    January 12, 2015 at 6:29 pm

    […] lung tea recipe that I use often for asthma, coughs, and congestion are from this book, as well as cough syrup.  I am currently using his eyebright formula to correct my daughter’s eye condition.  {More […]

    Reply
  3. How To Stop A Cold In Its Tracks | Natural Remedies Mom says:
    October 29, 2020 at 9:01 pm

    […] *Take a spoonful of homemade cough syrup hourly or up to every 15 minutes. Recipe HERE. […]

    Reply

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Hi, there! I'm Jill, a Christian herbalist, homeschool mom of four, and live on a homestead in the Midwest. Welcome to my herbal home on the web! Here you'll find ways to treat your family at home with natural remedies, as well as how to make herbal medicine in your very own kitchen. Get To Know Me Here!

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