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A classic Tom Collins is delicious, thirst-quenching gin cocktail that’s as bubbly and refreshing as a glass of sparkling lemonade.
Recipe ingredients:
Step-by-step instructions:
- To make one cocktail, combine 2 ounces of gin with ¾ ounces of lemon juice and ½ ounce of simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice, close, and shake vigorously. If you’ve pre-chilled some tall glasses, take one out of the refrigerator and fill it with fresh ice.
- Strain the cocktail into the glass. Top with 2 ounces of club soda and garnish with a lemon and a cherry, if you have it.
Recipe tips and variations:
- Glassware: Collins glass is a tall, thin, straight-sided 12-ounce glass.
- Simple syrup: Combine equal parts granulated sugar and warm water (ie, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water) and stir to combine. Cool completely.
- Vodka Collins: A cocktail made with vodka instead of gin.
- Tom Collins with grenadine: If you like a sweeter drink, float a little grenadine on top.
- Rum Collins: Use rum and either lemon or lime juice.
More fun cocktails:
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Tom Collins
A classic Tom Collins is delicious, thirst-quenching gin cocktail that’s as bubbly and refreshing as a glass of sparkling lemonade.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin (¼ cup)
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup (1 tablespoon, see notes)
- Ice as needed
- 2 ounces club soda (¼ cup) or more if desired
- 1 lemon wheel for garnish, optional
- 1 maraschino cherry for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill glassware if desired: Coat the outside of a glass with water and freeze until serving time. Or, freeze dry glassware for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.
- Fill chilled glass with ice, then strain cocktail into glass. Top with club soda and garnish with a skewered lemon wheel and maraschino cherry if desired.
Notes
- Glassware: Collins glass is a tall, thin, straight-sided 12-ounce glass.
- Simple syrup: Combine equal parts granulated sugar and warm water (ie, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water) and stir to combine. Cool completely.
- Vodka Collins: A cocktail made with vodka instead of gin.
- Tom Collins with grenadine: If you like a sweeter drink, float a little grenadine on top.
- Rum Collins: Use rum and either lemon or lime juice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 28mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin C: 11mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
