This Tom Collins mocktail is made perfectly bright and sweet with a honey lemon simple syrup. Just as enjoyable as the original but without the alcohol.
Have you ever had the privilege of tasting the fresh and beautiful cocktail that is, the Tom Collins?
These always remind me of my college days. My friends and I used to order them at an Italian restaurant back in my hometown when we visited over the holidays. They were sugary and boozy, all the things a young 20-something appreciates in a cocktail 🤣
I haven’t ordered one in years (and I now realize that a perfectly-executed TC shouldn’t be overly sweet) so I wanted to try to recreate them at home, mocktail style. The end result turned out quite well if I do say so myself!
The original is fairly basic: gin, lemon, simple syrup and club soda. I put a fun twist on the simple syrup and used honey instead of sugar. Then I infused extra lemon flavor so you would get double the bright citrus (in the syrup and with the fresh juice).
Here’s what you need to make the Tom Collins mocktail at home:
Ingredients
- fresh lemon
- honey lemon simple syrup (see recipe notes)
- Seedlip 108 (or other similar n/a gin)
- club soda
- garnishes: lemon, bada bing cherries
Where to Find Non-Alcoholic Gin?
If you’re new to the idea of n/a spirits, they can be really fun. I first tried the Seedlip brand at a Denver restaurant and couldn’t believe how nuanced the flavor was. The Garden 108 is supposed to be similar to gin (very botanical) so we bought a bottle to play with at home a few years ago.
While I haven’t seen this available in any stores, it’s easy to buy online on the Seedlip website. And to be totally clear, this post isn’t sponsored by them in any way and I don’t make money if you purchase. I just think it’s a fun addition to your bar cart!
How to Make Honey Simple Syrup
The honey simple really takes this over the top. You use the same method as you would any other simple syrup: 1 part sweetener, 1 part water. Just heat and stir until everything is dissolved and thoroughly combined, then add in your flavor enhancers and let cool.
Here we use honey for the sweetener and lemon peels for the flavor enhancer.
Tom Collins Mocktail FAQs
For at least a month if you store it refrigerated in a jar. I think it would also be a great addition to green tea!
For sure. If you aren’t up for ordering a bottle of the Seedlip, just leave it out. I do recommend it though since it adds a great botanical flavor and there are so few ingredients.
Yes! As with all of my cocktail/mocktail recipes, you can always sub seltzer if it’s what you have. I just find it can give drinks a slightly watered down taste so I prefer club soda for the bubbles when possible.
More Mocktails
PrintTom Collins Mocktail
This Tom Collins mocktail is made perfectly bright and sweet with a honey lemon simple syrup. Just as enjoyable as the original but without the alcohol.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 ounces 1x
- Category: Drinks, Cocktails
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces Seedlip Garden 108 (or other n/a botanical spirit)
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 1.5 ounces)
- 1 ounce honey citrus simple syrup (see notes)
- club soda
- garnishes: lemon slice, bada bing cherry
Instructions
- Add Seedlip, lemon juice and simple syrup to a glass filled halfway with ice. Stir well.
- Top with club soda.
- Garnish with lemon and cherry.
Notes
- The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
- Make the simple syrup: combine 1/2 cup each honey and water in a small saucepan over medium low. Stir occasionally and remove from heat once well combined and viscous. Add a few lemon peels (I just used a peeler to pull off the yellow part of the lemon I used for the juice). Remove from heat, let stand until cooled completely. Remove lemon and pour into a small jar. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 drink
- Calories: 80 calories
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 19 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
Keywords: mocktails, alcohol-free drinks, dry January
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