Tom Collins is a classic cocktail. In fact, it is about as classic as you can get. The yummy drink has been around for ages! We thought it was about time someone made a really good Tom Collins mocktail. Of course we were up for the challenge!
When making our virgin tom collins, we wanted to keep the classic flavors of the drink in mind. We think we nailed it with this delicious tom collins cocktail. Take a look at this yummy tom collins recipe and then grab your highball glass and give it a try.

Tom Collins Ingredients
Wondering what is in a tom collins mocktail? That is a great question! Of course, we have the answer.
Traditional Tom Collins cocktails are made with gin. Gin and lemon are the main flavors that you taste if you sip a regular tom collins drink. But what is in a tom collins that has no alcohol? We have a solution!
Gin has a very strong cucumber taste so we replaced the gin with cucumber. It is strong, earthy and very refreshing. The best part is that you get a whole lot of great flavor without any alcohol at all.
Take a look at the virgin Tom Collins ingredients we use to make our mocktail.
- Cucumber- fresh cucumber is juicy and flavorful. It is also quite healthy! Be sure to peel your cucumber to make the juice as clear as possible, just like the original tom collins drink.
- Fresh Lemon Juice- Fresh lemon juice is bright and tangy. It helps bring the drink to life. It is a traditional Tom Collins ingredient that you just can’t skip!
- Simple Syrup- A little simple syrup makes the Tom Collins mocktail sweet. No one can resist a drink with a little bit of sweetness.
- Seltzer- Seltzer adds a lovely effervescence to the mocktail. It is bubbly and bright. Seltzer is used in almost every Tom Collins recipe. Since it is non alcoholic, we can use it in our mocktail too! You can also use tonic water which is one of the best gin mixers. Seltzer, tonic and plain soda water are all good mixers for gin which make them great for our virgin Tom Collins.
- Ice- Tom Collins should definitely be served iced. For that, you will need ice! A crucial ingredient if we do say so!
You should be able to find every one of these ingredients at your local grocery store. The only think that may be hard to find is premade simple syrup but that is no problem at all. Click here for our perfect, very easy simple syrup recipe. Make a big batch and keep it on hand for all your mocktails.
How To Make a Tom Collins
Making a virgin tom collins is very simple. You can make this yummy drink in a matter of minutes. You can also make multiple servings at once, serving all of your friends and family this yummy drink. Here is how to make a tom collins without the gin:
- Peel and chop a fresh cucumber. Place the cucumber in the blender and puree until very very smooth. Get it as smooth as possible!
- Pour the cucumber juice through a mesh sieve, into a pitcher, and discard the pulp.
- Add the lemon juice and simple syrup to the pitcher and whisk into the juice.
- Fill four highball glasses with ice and divide the cucumber juice between the four glasses.
- Top each glass with the seltzer then enjoy!
A cucumber slice or lemon wedge are great garnishes for our virgin Tom Collins cocktail. The classic garnish for a Tom Collins is a cherry. We love using those as well since they add a nice pop of color to the drink!
Tom Collins Mocktail with Non Alcoholic Gin
We like to make mocktails using real ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store. We think most of you like this style too! However, there are some non alcoholic mock-liquors that you also may want to try.
You can make an amazing virgin Tom Collins using non alcoholic Ritual Gin. Ritual Gin is a zero proof, alcohol alternative that has all the flavors of gin. It can be used to replace gin in any cocktail recipe, giving you all the flavor of the alcohol without any of the alcohol itself.
Ritual Gin Alternative is also calorie free and carb free. It can be enjoyed as a diet drink, too!
Make a fantastic Tom Collins mocktail with Ritual Gin and this quick recipe:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add 2 ounces Ritual Gin, 1 ounce lemon juice, ½ ounce simple syrup.
- Cover the shaker and shake thoroughly.
- Fill a Tom Collins glass with fresh ice and strain the shaker mix into the glass.
- Top the drink with club soda and garnish with a lemon or orange slice and a cherry.
Give Ritual Gin a try and let us know what you think. It definitely has all those juniper berry flavors that you love in a gin!
Our Tom Collins mocktail is one of the most refreshing drinks we have ever tried. It really is the perfect, classy summer drink.
Give this virgin Tom Collins recipe a try and let us know what you think. We hope you enjoy it all summer long!
You Asked, We’re Answering
Have a few questions about our tom collins? Maybe these frequently asked questions and answers will help!
What’s the difference between a Tom Collins and a John Collins?
A Tom Collins and a John Collins are the same drink. However, a Tom Collins is traditionally made with Old Tom type gin. The name Tom Collins stuck and now most drinks are called Tom Collins no matter what type of gin is used.
Why is it called Tom Collins?
The Tom Collins was originally called a John Collins, named after a British bartender who invented the drink. The name became “Tom Collins” when the drink started being made with Old Tom gin.
What is the best gin for a Tom Collins?
We like using Ritual non alcoholic gin for our mocktails. It has the same great taste as gin but without the alcohol or the calories.
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