Homemade peppermint mocha
Rich homemade peppermint mocha with real melted chocolate, cocoa, strong coffee and a touch of peppermint, topped with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.
50% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 5 min
- Cooking
- 5 min
- Serves
- 2
- Calories
- 315
- Protein
- 10 g
- Per serving
- $0.87
Why this recipe works
A peppermint mocha is chocolate, coffee and mint in one cozy mug, the holiday coffee-shop drink that's simple to make at home for a fraction of the price. Making it yourself also lets you set the sweetness and the strength of the mint.
- Melted chocolate plus cocoa gives a deep, smooth chocolate flavor; cocoa alone tastes thin and chalky.
- Whisking the cocoa into a splash of milk first makes a paste with no dry lumps before the rest of the milk goes in.
- Peppermint extract goes in off the heat and in a small amount, because it's very strong and its flavor fades if boiled.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Small saucepan
- Whisk or milk frother
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Make a cocoa paste
Whisk the cocoa powder with 2 tablespoons of the milk in a small saucepan until smooth, with no dry lumps.
Melt the chocolate
Add the rest of the milk, the chocolate and the sugar. Heat over medium-low, whisking often, until the chocolate melts and the milk is steaming with small bubbles at the edge, 4 to 5 minutes. Don't let it boil.
Add the mint and froth
Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the peppermint extract. Taste and add a little more if you like, a drop at a time. Whisk hard or use a frother until foamy.
Pour and top
Divide the hot coffee between 2 mugs, pour in the chocolate milk and top with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.
Cook's notes
- Peppermint extract is strong: ¼ teaspoon for 2 drinks is plenty, and too much tastes like toothpaste.
- For an iced peppermint mocha, cool the chocolate milk, then pour it over ice with cold brew.
- Use good chocolate. It's the main flavor, so chips or a bar you'd enjoy eating make a better drink.
Nutrition per serving
315 calories
$0.87 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 12% of calories | 10 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 43% of calories | 37 g |
| Fat | 45% of calories | 17 g |
| Fiber | 3 g | |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Can I make a peppermint mocha without espresso?
Yes. Strong brewed coffee, French press coffee or cold brew concentrate all work. Use about ½ cup per drink.
Can I use peppermint syrup instead of extract?
Yes. Leave out the sugar and stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of peppermint syrup into each mug instead of the extract.
How do I make an iced peppermint mocha?
Make the chocolate milk, let it cool, then pour it over a glass of ice with ½ cup of cold brew and top with whipped cream.
