Peppermint Mocha Recipe
If the holidays had a flavor, they might taste exactly like this peppermint mocha recipe-creamy, minty, and unapologetically festive. One sip, and you'll feel like you're wrapping yourself in a blanket made of twinkle lights.
🔍 Recipe At-A-Glance: Peppermint Mocha Recipe
- 🕰️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- ⏰ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- 🍫 Flavor Profile: A candy cane dipped in chocolate and swirled in a yummy warm coffee.
- ☕️ Good For: Perking up a December work morning, sipping while decking the halls, and warming up while everyone opens presents.
- 🧡 Difficulty: Know how to brew coffee and heat ingredients on the stove? Then you got this!
"This is just what I have been looking for! I haven't been able to find a single serve version, and I wanted to make my own with sugar substitute... Making one now to officially kick off the Christmas season!"
- LAUREN -
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🧡 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Hiya friend: There's nothing I love more than figuring out how to DIY a restaurant favorite to save some cash. This peppermint mocha is rich, minty, and just fancy enough to make you feel like you swung by your local coffee shop this morning.
Here's why you'll love this recipe:
- Peak Christmas flavors: While I love a salted caramel mocha year-round, at the holidays I switch firmly to all things peppermint, eggnog, and gingerbread (ahem, gingerbread latte and eggnog latte). You can't beat the peppermint + chocolate combo for a treat that will make you want to curl up under the twinkle lights with a warm blanket!
- Simple ingredients: This recipe is infinitely forgiving, and you probably have all five ingredients or a variation of them in your kitchen already. I do recommend picking up some whole milk for the absolute best foam, but if you have a hankering for a mocha, any milk will work in a pinch.
🍫 The Ingredients You Need
- Espresso: Espresso works well when making this peppermint mocha recipe because it's a very strong coffee. If you don't want the flavor of the peppermint to overpower the coffee flavor, then I highly recommend using espresso. If you don't have an espresso machine yet, I recommend picking up the Bialetti Express. It brews a great cup of strong espresso without a costing you an arm and a leg.
- Peppermint extract: Peppermint extract has a really strong flavor, which is why we recommend using only an ⅛th of a teaspoon in this peppermint mocha. If you prefer a stronger peppermint flavor, you can go up to a ¼ teaspoon, or try adding crushed candy canes to the top of your coffee when it's time to serve.
- Whole milk: If you've ever made a mocha or latte at home and felt like the results were ho-hum, it might be because of your milk choice. Whole milk is how you'll get a dreamy coffee shop-worthy froth and foam.
Make sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, along with quantities and my expert tips and tricks.
🔁 Variations & Substitutions
- Nix the coffee: Want to share with a kiddo who is too young for coffee? My peppermint hot chocolate recipe or my hot chocolate mix recipe gives the same vibe, without the shot of espresso.
- No espresso maker? No problem: If you don't have a way to brew espresso, you can brew a strong cup of your favorite bold coffee using another method. It will still taste delicious!
- Go vegan: This peppermint mocha recipe calls for whole milk because it produces the best froth. If you're not focused on a froth in your coffee, then you can sub the whole milk for any milk of your choosing-and that includes plant-based and non-dairy milk.
- White peppermint mocha: For an even creamier, more peppermint-focused mocha, replace the cocoa powder with white chocolate, as in my white chocolate mocha recipe.
- Make it a cocktail: I love a Christmas cocktail recipe, and you can transform this mocha into one with a splash of peppermint schnapps or my coffee liqueur recipe.
🥣 Peppermint Mocha Recipe How-To
Step 1: This is going to be painless, I promise. Brew your espresso or coffee so it's hot and ready to go. While the coffee is brewing, whisk together the sugar, milk, cocoa, and peppermint extract in a small saucepan on the stove top. Heat 'er up.
Step 2: Once you see steam rising from the pan, it's time to froth the milk. You don't have to do this step, but it really adds some delicious texture to this Christmas coffee. You can use an immersion blender, or a milk frother to achieve a light foamy froth.
Step 3: Pour the espresso or coffee into your favorite festive mug.
Step 4: Pour your peppermint chocolate froth over the coffee or espresso. Ta da! You could stop here and have a delicious, cafe-worthy mocha. But if you want to take it a step further...
Step 5: Top your mocha with optional whipped cream, crushed candy canes, chocolate shavings, chocolate syrup, or peppermint syrup. Yum!
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🙋🏻♀️ Peppermint Mocha Recipe FAQs
If you're going to make a bunch of mochas and lattes, it is worth keeping some whole milk stocked in your fridge. The higher fat content makes the creamiest foam, while the proteins in dairy milk help stabilize the bubbles...which means your frothed whole milk makes a big foam that lasts.
The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend caffeine for kiddos under the age of 12, so I wouldn't serve them a mocha. You could definitely make them peppermint hot chocolate, though!
👩🏻🍳 My Expert Tips & Tricks
- Double it up: If you're in the mood for sharing, you can easily double this peppermint mocha to make enough coffee for you and a friend!
- Shake it up: No milk frother? You can still froth your milk! Give it a vigorous whisking, or pour it into a large jar and give it a good shake (careful that it isn't too hot when you pour it into the jar!). Voilà: frothed mocha milk.
☕️ More Great Christmas Drink Recipes:
If you tried this peppermint mocha recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Peppermint Mocha Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces espresso OR 1 cup brewed black coffee
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and/or chocolate shavings for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat the whole milk, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and peppermint extract until boiling. Remove from heat.
- Using a milk frother or immersion blender, froth the mixture.
- Pour the peppermint chocolate mixture over your brewed coffee or espresso.
- Top with whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and/or chocolate shavings if desired!
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled to make two lattes!
- If froth is not a priority for you, you can definitely use a lower-fat or plant-based milk in place of the whole milk.
- If you don't have a frother, give the peppermint chocolate milk a vigorous whisk until it bubbles. Or, you can (carefully, with not-too-hot milk) pour it into a large jar and give it a good shake to create a foam!
The Ho Ho Mint Mocha from Caribou is my absolute favorite holiday drink, and this peppermint mocha makes a great substitute! I've made it with cocoa powder and with white chocolate chips, and both versions were excellent.
How much espresso powder can I add to dry choc mix for gift giving
We recommend starting with 1 tablespoon, and tasting the hot chocolate to see what you think. You can always add more! This is our favorite hot chocolate mix: https://wholefully.com/the-best-hot-chocolate-mix-recipe/
Did you know that "latte" just means "milk" in Italian (comes from the Latin word "lac" as in "lactose" like "leche" and "lait" in Spanish and French, respectively)? It's used incorrectly in English for some reason. So this is a type of "caffè latte" b/c it has espresso or coffee in it. With that said, this peppermint caffè mocha looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
This is just what I have been looking for! I haven't been able to find a single serve version, and I wanted to make my own with sugar substitute to keep the carb count low. Making one now to officially kick off the Christmas season!
Thanks, Lauren! We hope you love it!