Peppermint Mocha
Whip up a tasty and easy-to-make Peppermint Mocha at home. Iced or hot, it’s the perfect drink when you’re craving a chocolate-mint treat!
Why We Love Peppermint Mochas
- Homemade Peppermint Mocha is better than a copycat Starbucks peppermint mocha, made with rich chocolate and mint extract, instead of calorie-laden syrups and mystery ingredients!
- This peppermint mocha recipe is simple to make and ready in 10 minutes so you can enjoy a special treat whenever you get a craving.
- Make your mocha as strong or as sweet as you like! No one will judge you for adding more chocolate or for using your preferred coffee. You can even make a Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha for a richer experience!
- Simple swaps, like decaf coffee or plant-based milk, are great ways to make this drink even more to your liking. You can also serve this mocha over ice for a great chilled treat!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make a Peppermint Mocha Coffee
COFFEE: To make this mocha, you will need a brewed espresso or your favorite strong coffee.
MILK: For a rich mocha use whole milk, otherwise, use any milk you have on hand, including plant-based milk.
PANTRY ITEMS: Grab the mint extract, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
TOPPINGS: Don’t forget about the delicious toppings for this mocha! You’ll need whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and crushed peppermint. To make the chocolate shavings, purchase a semi-sweet bar of chocolate and grate it with a cheese grater. Also, easily crush peppermint candies in a food processor or place the candies in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to smack the pieces into small bits.
How to Make a Peppermint Mocha
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Brew the espresso or coffee and set it aside. Combine the milk, cocoa powder, and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir the mixture over medium-low heat continuously.
STEP 2 When the mixture begins to foam, add the espresso or coffee, the mint extract, and the vanilla extract. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins steaming and becomes frothy and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
STEP 3 Pour the mocha into two mugs and top with the whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and crushed peppermint, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Choose your favorite kind and strength of coffee for this mocha. Espresso is great but if you’re not a fan of strong coffee, make a lighter coffee or blonde espresso to enjoy your mocha.
- To make a peppermint white chocolate mocha add about 1 ounce of white chocolate to the milk and sugar and stir until it is melted. You can also use white chocolate shavings to top your mocha.
- Use your preferred kind of milk in this recipe. Whole milk, 2%, and plant-based milk all work wonderfully in this mocha.
- You can also use the sweetener of your choice in this recipe. Different products have different levels of sweetness so adjust the amount you add to the milk.
Peppermint Mocha Recipe FAQ
Are peppermint mochas available at Starbucks year-round?
Peppermint mocha is a huge seller for Starbucks, especially around the holidays! The dreamy combo of chocolate and mint is also a hit all year long and is always available. Making your own Peppermint Mocha at home is easy though, contains a lot less sugar, and you get to skip the long drive-thru line! Starbucks peppermint mochas are made with mocha syrup and peppermint syrup, and overall, have one of the highest amounts of sugar of all the drinks offered there.
Is the Peppermint Mocha iced or hot?
One of the great things about this drink is how you can enjoy it both hot and cold! To make an iced peppermint mocha start by following the recipe as written. Allow the drink to cool to at least room temperature and then add it to a glass filled with ice. You don’t want to add ice to the hot mocha right away, as this will cause the ice to melt and seriously water down your delicious drink. You can store peppermint mochas in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days so this is a great make-ahead drink to later serve iced or warm it up again if you’ve changed your mind and want it hot again!
Other Recipes You May Like
- Copycat Starbucks Gingerbread Latte
- Whipped Hot Chocolate
- Pumpkin Hot Buttered Rum
- Grasshopper Drink Recipe
- Crock Pot Mulled Cider
Peppermint Mocha
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong coffee or espresso
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon mint extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whipped cream for garnish
- Chocolate shavings for garnish
- Crushed peppermints for garnish
Instructions
- Brew the coffee or espresso and set aside.
- To a medium saucepan, add the milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. Place over medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the milk is heated through. (Don't let the milk scald.)
- When the edges of the chocolate milk begin to foam, pour in the coffee/espresso, mint extract, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Cook until the mocha is steaming and the edges are frothy.
- Pour the mocha into two coffee mugs. Garnish the tops with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and crushed peppermint if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.