I love a good Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks but I don’t always love having to pay for it and/or having to go out and get it. So, I’ve been making this since last November and figured it was time to spill the beans and share with you my own Homemade Peppermint Mocha, are you ready?!
Coffee To Order
Okay, so the sad news this year is that I do not have the taste for coffee thanks to being pregnant. Yes, you can drink coffee and caffeine when pregnant (they recommend <200mg/day), but I just haven’t wanted it which is of course is so odd for me. However, I’m incredibly happy to be pregnant so I’m taking this as one thing I cannot wait to guzzle come February 2021. That being said, as long as there’s enough milk in my drink and not too much caffeine (hello pregnancy heart palpitations!) I have been able to enjoy the occasional coffee beverage.
I find so many people are nervous to order their drink the way they want, but the thing is most of what you want changed is super easy for the baristas at your local coffee shops and they are happy to do it. You can check the highlights on my Instagram page to find ways I’ve ordered my coffee drinks over the years.
I really love this time of year because I truly love all the holiday flavors like pumpkin, gingerbread, eggnog and of course peppermint. I’m generally a black coffee gal myself but this time of year I love to treat myself to some of the best flavors. I have made a few fun drinks before but this year I figured it was time to finally share my Homemade Peppermint Mocha. Check out some of the others:
Okay, so what makes a Peppermint Mocha the best? Well the flavors of course. You’ve got chocolate + coffee + a touch of peppermint. Now, you have to be a peppermint fan to love this drink so if you are really anti mint, feel free to opt out of it, it will still be delicious. However, if you love a good mint and chocolate combo, this is your drink. Frankly I think it’s even great for those of you who don’t even love coffee all that much.
The nice thing about making it at home, besides the reduced cost, is that you get to dictate how much sugar and sweetness goes into it. I just find that the syrups added in coffee shots can be heavy handed and almost make you feel like you are guzzling a sugar factory. So, making it at home allows you to add more or less depending on your taste.
If you find yourself at a Starbucks or similar coffee shop, feel free to steal my Peppermint Mocha order:
Grande Peppermint Latte, 1 pump mocha, 1 pump peppermint, no whipped cream. Thank you!
What You Will Need
This is such a simple recipe to make you might surprise yourself and have all you need on hand.
Coffee. I have made this both with a Nespresso Pod and with strongly brewed coffee. Use whatever you like regular, decaf, espresso or any ol’ coffee.
Milk. I used regular whole milk because that’s what’s been tasting good during pregnancy but feel free to use any milk or milk alternative that you like.
Cocoa powder. There are so many varieties out there but I love having cocoa powder on hand for occasions like this. Not to mention 100% cocoa powder has so many good antioxidants so that’s a huge perk, I mean the taste is pretty great too.
Sugar. Yes, a dietitian using sugar. You can use any variety you like. Would rather use maple syrup or honey? Go for it. I just used regular cane sugar because I preferred the taste for this drink and think it paired nicely.
Peppermint Extract. The last piece of the puzzle of course you have to have peppermint extract to have a peppermint mocha. I just get McCormick brand and you only need a few drops as they go a long way. My advice? Add 1-2 and then add more as you go to figure out what your tastebuds prefer.
How to Froth Your Milk
Okay, last important part of this recipe. The frothing of the milk. Here’s the thing, if you are feeling super lazy, you can easily just forgo frothing and add milk to the coffee, it will still taste amazing. However, I love frothy milk so any time I can froth the better. Here are my top 3 ways to froth:
Nespresso’s Froth.I got this with my Nespresso machine and it makes the most amazing froth ever. However, you will need to heed the guidelines on the lines of where to fill to. I’ve overfilled it thinking I was clever and it backfired with milk everywhere.
Hand Frother Froth.I have one of these and love it. You just turn it on once it’s in your milk and froth until you get to your desired frothiness.
Mason Jar Froth. You can use your favorite mason jar (I’d suggest a 16 oz. one), make sure the lid is on tight and if milk is hot, wrap it in a towel and shake vigorously until frothed. I’d recommend doing this over the sink in case you didn’t screw the top on as tight as you should’ve (believe me, been there, done that).
Now that I have typed froth so many times it no longer seems like a real word. Don’t you hate it when that happens?!
Homemade Peppermint Mocha
Alright, enough chit chat, here is the homemade version of the Peppermint Mocha. If you try it out please let me know in the comments section I love hearing from you guys! Also, if there is any other coffee drink you want me to remake let me know. Happy Holidays.
This is for you coffee lovers that want a little something special this time of year. This Peppermint Mocha is so easy to make at home and saves you some $$$ which who can complain about that.
Make coffee as you like and pour into your favorite mug.
In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, cocoa powder, sugar and peppermint and heat on medium until warm, stirring frequently so that no film forms on top of it.
Froth the milk with a frother (or pour milk into a 2 cup mason jar, close tightly, wrap in a towel and shake aggressively for 30 seconds) and pour overtop of your coffee.
Top with whipped cream, crushed candy canes and chocolate chips as desired.
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