This cozy peppermint mocha recipe embraces the holiday season with a blend of strong coffee, rich chocolate, creamy milk, and a cooling, fresh mint flavor.
This time of year calls for seasonal flavors, like a pumpkin spice latte or some healthy hot chocolates.
Another one of our favorite drinks, especially for the coffee lover and the sweet tooth, is this delicious peppermint mocha.
While delicious, the seasonal coffee drinks served at the local coffee shop are loaded with a wild amount of sugar and questionable additives. I simply prefer to make my own! I can make a peppermint mocha with wholesome ingredients that all make perfect sense.
Quality coffee, rich cream, maple syrup, spicy peppermint oil, and just enough real cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor and a smooth texture.
Top with freshly made whipped cream or homemade marshmallows for an extra special treat!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A seasonal favorite – Delicious and festive, this is a fun one to serve around the holidays!
Quickly made – Simply brew your coffee, whisk everything in a saucepan until warm, then serve. Making your own peppermint mocha is super easy!
Simple ingredients – I love to know what’s in the food or drinks I’m consuming. With this easy recipe, I get to control the ingredients, and the results are exceptional!
Ingredients
Maple syrup – If you don’t have maple syrup on hand, try substituting honey or brown sugar instead.
Peppermint extract –You could also substitute with one drop peppermint essential oil. Just make sure the oil you use is labeled as edible. Some essential oils are not intended for consumption.
Cocoa powder – Not to be mistaken for pre-made cocoa mix, cocoa powder is unsweetened cocoa bean powder. Cacao powder and cocoa powder are the same product at different stages of processing and can be used interchangeably.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
Espresso Machine – We love our espresso machine, but any way you like to make your coffee works for this recipe.
Immersion blender – Not necessary, but makes makes making this warm drink way easier.
Stand mixer – If making fresh whipped cream.
How to Make a Peppermint Mocha
Step 1: Add brewed coffee, heavy cream, maple syrup, peppermint extract, and cocoa powder to a small saucepan.
Step 2: Whisk to combine, stirring often over medium-low heat until steamy.
Step 3: Pour into your favorite mug, top generously with whipped cream, and enjoy!
Tips
- Make sure your coffee is strong or use espresso to avoid the mint flavor overpowering it.
- Mint flavor goes a long way. If you want a stronger mint flavor to your mocha, add only a drop at a time, testing after each addition. It can become overpowering pretty quickly!
- If you don’t have maple syrup on hand, try substituting honey or brown sugar instead.
- For an extra creamy consistency, use an immersion blender or milk frother to mix the ingredients up in the saucepan.
- Add some dark chocolate shavings on top of the whipped cream to be extra fancy!
Recipe FAQs
All you need to make a peppermint mocha is coffee, heavy cream, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and mint extract.
According to their website, a grande peppermint mocha has eight pumps of syrup between the Starbucks mocha sauce and the peppermint syrup. Making your mocha at home is a great option for a creamy, minty, dark chocolate coffee drink with a lot less sugar!
Either is great, as long as the oil is labeled as edible! You only need the smallest amount for a spicy yet cooling minty essence, with peppermint extract being much more diluted than the oil.
Yes, you can swap out the cream for a dairy-free alternative like almond milk or coconut milk and just leave the whipped cream off the top.
I use heavy cream for the richest and tastiest results, but you can also use whole milk or anything else you may have on hand.
More Holiday Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Cranberry Banana Bread
- Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
- Quick Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Sugar Cookies
- Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Peppermint Mocha
Equipment
- Immersion blender optional
- Espresso Machine optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong coffee or espresso
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, or milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Add brewed coffee, heavy cream, maple syrup, peppermint extract, and cocoa powder to a small saucepan. Whisk to combine, stirring often over medium-low heat until steamy.
- Pour into your favorite mug, top generously with whipped cream, and enjoy!
Notes
- Brew your coffee strong or use espresso to keep the coffee flavor from being covered up by chocolate and mint. I love to use a French press!
- The mint flavor goes a long way. If you want a stronger mint flavor to your mocha, add only a drop at a time, testing after each addition. It can become overpowering pretty quickly!
- If you don’t have maple syrup on hand, try substituting honey or brown sugar instead.
- For an extra creamy consistency, use an immersion blender or milk frother to mix the ingredients up in the saucepan.
- Add some dark chocolate shavings on top of the whipped cream to be extra fancy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am excited to try it his recipe. Do you have a recipe for homemade whipped cream?
This is soooo good! My new fav coffee to make at home!
Love It all year round!!
Tried this with oat milk and it is our new favorite at-home mocha. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this healthier and cheaper version of a favorite winter treat. Sooo good!
Delicious! Thank you. I will be making this all season
My daughter and I made this delicious coffee drink while decorating Christmas cookies this morning. It’s SO yummy! We actually used caramel flavor instead of peppermint. It’s much healthier amd cheaper than getting Starbucks!