Skip to main content

Homemade Peppermint Mocha


Let me just get this out of the way and say that I love coffee.  I do.  I also love fancy coffee drinks.  It's a fact.  And in the winter, that means peppermint mochas. 

But I don't really want to pay upwards of $4 for one every day, so I've come up with own little version to make at home.  I must say that it tastes very good, and is actually quite easy to make. 

I know that several companies make flavored creamers, but I'm not a fan.  I have never liked the non-dairy creamers.  I've even tried the newer ones that are supposed to be made from milk and cream, but they didn't do it for me either. 

This recipe is what works for me.  Feel free to adapt it to your tastes {obviously}.  I don't have an espresso machine of any kind, so I just use strong brewed coffee.  I have a Keurig machine and love that I can make one cup at a time, and each cup can be different from the next.  No, I was not paid by the company to say that.  I just love my machine!  Anyway, I know that I can get some espresso blend cups.  I haven't tried them, but may.

Another product plug:  a few years ago D bought be one of these little gizmos.  It is handy for so many things, including mixing coffee drinks, hot chocolate, chocolate milk, and more.  Put one on your Christmas wish list if you don't already have one.  Seriously.  My kids even fight over who gets to use it. 

Ok, finally, the recipe.  :)  This doesn't have a "punch you in your face" peppermint flavor.  It's a little more subtle.  If you want a stronger flavor, I would suggest doubling the amount of peppermint extract in the syrup.

I am posting this without a picture.  Why?  Because Blogger is giving me problems, and since it's not one of my children, I can't ground it and send it to its room.  In the meantime, imagine how yummy, warm, and inviting a mug of this would look.  Hopefully later I can add the picture.  :)

Homemade Peppermint Mocha

1 heaping Tbsp Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
6 ounces heated milk (I use fat-free half-and-half; it's a contradiction, I know, but good!)
6-10 ounces strong brewed coffee
2-3 Tbsp peppermint simple syrup (recipe follows)
whipped cream (I used Reddi Whip)
crushed peppermint candies (I'm lazy, smart and found a jar of peppermint sprinkles at the store!)

In a very large mug, mix together the chocolate and milk.  Add the coffee and peppermint simple syrup and mix well.  Top with whipped cream and crushed peppermints (optional). 

Peppermint Simple Syrup

3/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Mix water and sugar in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until boiling and sugar is dissolved.  Add extract and let cook a couple more minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.  (I use a plastic squeeze bottle with a lid.)

Enjoy!  :)

Comments

Anonymous said…
hello there thanks for your grat post, as usual ((o:
Anonymous said…
I love finding fun treats like this to make and enjoy at home. I'm on a mission to recreate the pumpkin lattes. And now anxious to try your peppermint version. Thanks for sharing!

Popular posts from this blog

Thick and Chewy Snickerdoodles

I admit, I love snickerdoodles.   Cinnamon and vanilla?   Yes, please.   What’s funny is that I never really had them much as a kid, just occasionally in the school cafeteria.   I know, ew. Anyway, snickerdoodles were one of the first cookies that the Munchkin helped make when he was little.   He could help dump everything in the mixer (or “loud noise” as he would call it!) and then it was fun for him to roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar before putting them on the baking sheet. Even since then, my go-to recipe for snickerdoodles has been this one by Emeril.   It’s a great recipe, baking up a thin, crispy cookie (at least when I make them!).   However, I was looking for something different this time, something thicker and chewier.   I found this recipe from the blog How Sweet it Is .   I decided to try it, and while I did keep the ingredient list the same I changed up the method a bit to suit me better.   The result?   What I was looking for – thick and

Homemade Cinnamon Dolce Latte

I recently professed my love of coffee and fancy coffee drinks.  After the success of the Peppermint Mocha , I decided to tackle the Cinnamon Dolce Latte, another one of my favorites.  According to the Starbucks website, it has flavors of "cinnamon, butter and brown sugar".  Well, I covered the cinnamon and brown sugar components, but left out the butter.  And you know what, I think it turned out quite well, if I do say so myself!  I honestly wasn't sure if the cinnamon flavor in the syrup was going to be strong enough, but it was.  I will admit to being impatient and not letting it steep for very long, so the cinnamon flavor might develop more if you do actually let it sit and cool off first.  If you wanted it to be even stronger, you could always add a tiny bit of cinnamon oil to it as well.  But be careful -- a little of that goes a long way! How much to make depends on how much you'll actually use.  I just made a single batch this first time, but considering

Hello Dolly Cookie Bars

Several years ago, my mom gave me an old cookbook, it was hers but I'm not sure she ever used it, Favorite Recipes from Southern Kitchens:  Desserts .  I love this cookbook!  I thought it would be great to go through it and pick a recipe or two to use for this year's 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats series.  For this week, I chose a super easy one, Hello Dolly Cookies.  I have absolutely no idea where the name came from.  I'm really not sure I've ever eaten one before, though the ladies I shared the finished product with knew about them!  I did an internet search too, and it seems they go by a lot of names, including Magic Layer Bars.  Honestly, they are so easy to make.  There's no mixing required.  Kids could absolutely help with these.  The cookies smelled divine while they were baking, and I barely waited for them to cool before trying one. At first I thought "these taste almost like German chocolate cake", then "or definitely like a ca