Fermented Garlic Honey is a powerful, 3-ingredient home remedy every busy mom should keep on hand, especially when coughs start making the rounds. With raw honey, garlic, and a dash of cinnamon, this immune-boosting blend helps soothe scratchy throats and keep colds at bay.
"I felt GREAT and ready to tackle life back again the next day! 10/10 recommend! Thank you!!!" - Ali
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 25 minutes to prep and 4 days to ferment
- 👪Serves: 20
- 🍽 Calories: 44 kcals
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Raw honey, cinnamon, garlic cloves.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Easy to make while curbing your sweet tooth in a healthy way.
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With three young kids, two businesses, and a home that’s always buzzing, I just don’t have time to be sick. When I feel that first tickle in my throat, this garlic and honey recipe is the first thing I reach for, alongside a shot of this spicy homemade fire cider recipe and a few homemade honey lemon cough drops. It’s strong, yes, but also comforting and effective.
This fermented remedy takes just minutes to prep and then does the heavy lifting while it sits on your counter, just like onion honey cough syrup. I swear by it for cold season, and I love that it’s made with simple, nourishing ingredients I already keep stocked. It’s one of those “mom tricks” that feels like a secret weapon when life refuses to slow down, even when you need it to
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💭Why You'll Love It
Easy Ingredients: With just 3 main ingredients, you probably already have them on hand.
Quick to Make: The fermented honey and garlic is prepped in about 2 minutes.
Versatile: You can alter the flavor of the honey and garlic for coughs to suit your preferences. You can also enjoy it in a variety of ways.
Ingredients You Need
Raw honey: You want raw honey as it has the most powerful antibacterial properties. Likewise, if you can use local honey or a darker honey, that would be best. The darker the honey, the more benefits it has, we personally use a lot of buckwheat honey through the winter (like when making this elderberry cough drops recipe or homemade elderberry cough syrup).
Garlic: There are a ton of health benefits garlic, especially when it comes to your immune system. Mixed with the honey is just a tastier way to enjoy it.
Variations
Of course, there are a few ways you can vary the raw garlic and honey elixir. Below are a few we've done.
Ginger: Another great one for your immune system, I've been known to throw some peeled ginger into the mix, too.
Turmeric: A great immune system booster, adding in ground or raw turmeric would be a nice twist. Learn more about the benefits of turmeric and how to use it.
Chili flakes: For anyone who can handle some heat, adding chili flakes is a potent mix.
How To Make Fermented Garlic and Honey
- Step 1: Peel the garlic and place them and the cinnamon sticks into a wide-mouthed mason jar.
- Step 2: Pour the honey over top of the garlic and place the lid on the jar. Make sure that the honey is covering everything.
- Step 3: Let the garlic and honey sit on the counter for 4 days, giving it a shake every day. When done, pop it into the fridge and use as needed.
Expert Tips
Every day, you'll want to open the jar to "burp" any gases that have built up. Then, give the jar a shake once closed again to make sure everything is still covered in honey.
If you plan on eating the garlic, you may want to slice it beforehand. Eating a whole clove of garlic is intense.
Store the fermented garlic and honey in the fridge for upwards of four weeks.
To soothe throats and prevent colds make sure to also drink extra water (here's tips on how to drink more water when you hate it), and keep your immune system high with things like bone broth. I personally use powdered bone broth as it's such a mom hack.
Serving kids: Please remember that young kids shouldn't have honey. My girls wouldn't eat the garlic, but they will take a tablespoon of the honey when they feel a scratchy throat. Kid-friendly vapor rub for those long nights helps, too.
How To Use Garlic and Honey For Coughs
Here are plenty of uses for garlic honey in regards to cold season. Here's what we do:
- Take half a tablespoon of the fermented mixture 1-3 times per day when sick.
- Eat the garlic,
- Use the honey and garlic with some apple cider vinegar to make a salad dressing.
- Smear it on toast or eggs, it adds a deliciously sweet taste.
Frequently Asked Questions About Garlic And Honey For Coughs
Both garlic and honey are antibacterial, which means they help fight inflammation and keep you healthy. Honey itself is extremely soothing on sore or dry throats. So, the combo together is a great one to take during cold season.
If stored at room temperature to ferment, you can leave the garlic in honey for about 90 days. After that, you can either remove the garlic and leave the honey in a cool dark place or store the entire thing in the fridge.
Fermented garlic honey can help alleviate a scratchy throat and soothe a cough. Given the antibacterial nature of honey and garlic, it can also help boost your immune system during cold season.
Many people ferment garlic in honey for up to one month, and the mixture only gets more intense as time goes on. However, you can do a quick ferment of just 4-7 days, and you'll still experience lots of benefits.
More Cold & Flu Remedies
If you tried this Fermented Garlic Honey recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Fermented Garlic Honey For Coughs
Video
Equipment
- Wide Mouth Mason Jar
Ingredients
- 20 cloves Garlic peeled & sliced
- ¾ cup Raw honey
- 1 large Cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Peel the garlic and break the cinnamon sticks if needed.
- Place the cinnamon and garlic in a mason jar.
- Pour honey over top of the garlic.
- Cover with a lid and let sit on the counter for four to seven days making sure to "burp" the jar each day and shake the mixture to ensure it's coated.
- Once it's "done" you can place it in the fridge to keep.
- To use: pop a clove of garlic or a teaspoon of honey into your mouth when you feel a cold or sore throat coming on.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Rini says
This elixir was not only delicious, it was also very effective. I felt a scratchy throat and was feeling a little run down. This elixir was a great pick-me-up and my throat feels much better.
fitasamamabear says
Literally the best pick me up!
LIndsey says
This is the remedy that I keep coming back to. I've used your recipe for years and it works every single time. I keep the cloves whole because I'm lazy and nothing tastes as unpleasant and a cold feels lol
fitasamamabear says
Haha I feel you on the lazy lol love it! Thanks for following along for so long!
Sharina says
This is a very effective and convenient cough and cold remedy! I can't sleep whenever kids are sick, but with this amazing honey and garlic elixir, we can all sleep soundly!
fitasamamabear says
Ah, total win!
Allie says
I really like to try new homeopathic remedies and this elixir actually worked! I was feeling a little under the weather last week with a sore throat and took a spoonful and felt better the next day. Definitely going to keep this on hand for the fam this fall and winter.
fitasamamabear says
So happy it worked for you!
Jessica says
While I personally love all the flavors in this elixir, I had my doubts about whether or not my kids would find it palatable. But they do! I feel so much better about giving this to them than some store-bought cough drops made with artificial colors and flavors.
fitasamamabear says
It's definitely a challenge with kiddos but thank god for honey lol
Janice says
This honey garlic elixir just came at the perfect time, as my kids are currently battling a cold. Last night, I decided to give it a shot, and it works! Such a lifesaver!
fitasamamabear says
It's great on their throats, glad it helped!
Jane says
I love this! I've been using honey and garlic for a while now, but I never thought to add it to an elixir. Thanks for the tip!
fitasamamabear says
Haha two birds one stone!
Elizabeth S says
This is potent (in the best way possible)! I can feel it working the second I eat it. I will always have this in the house to avoid big pharma.
fitasamamabear says
It's such a great one to have on hand.
Lisa says
This elixir really works to soothe a throat and help with coughs. It's much better than a store-bought blend.
fitasamamabear says
And so easy to make!
Traci says
We’ve got the cold and flu going around and this was so helpful! Loved it and it helped us so much!
fitasamamabear says
Nooo! I hope yyou heal up quickly!
Lara says
I made this for my boyfriend because he's been traveling so much and came back with a sore throat. In a few days he was back to normal and never got sick. Definitely keeping this on hand!
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo! Happy to hear it!
Erin says
My son just got sick, so I made this in hopes of keeping myself healthy! I love how quick and easy this recipe is. Fingers crossed it works! 🙂 How long does it stay good in the fridge?
fitasamamabear says
Aw I hope he gets better soon! I had mine in the fridge for 5 months and it stayed okay, just don't get water into it and it should be fine.
🙂
Sara says
With kids in the house, I feel like we are alwaaaaays sick, so this is a recipe I've wanted to try for a while. I made it for my husband and me (both sick with colds) and it was amazing for our sore throats. We stored the rest away in a jar for when we are, inevitably, sick again.
fitasamamabear says
Haha I feel the same. Ah I'm so happy to hear it! It's a hard flavor combo but it works! Feel better!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
I found this at just the right time because we are passing around a family cold right now. I tried it out last night and it was refreshing and soothing!
fitasamamabear says
Ugh cold season is hitting it hard this year. This stuff is POTENT but it works!
Vladka says
Such a potent elixir with immune-boosting properties that it is really easy to make. Moreover, all ingredients are in my pantry!
fitasamamabear says
Haha it's nice to have on hand that's for sure!