I don’t know about you, but I think one of the best things about cold weather is having hot drinks. And one of the best hot drinks is a peppermint mocha. Coffee, chocolate, and peppermint all mixed together in a cup of creamy goodness… perfect for the holiday season!
First you’ll want to make peppermint syrup if you don’t have some on hand. You can purchase flavored syrups from the store but it is very easy to make your own.
Start with one cup of water and one cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of peppermint extract (more or less, depending on how minty you like it!). I also added a few small candy cane pieces to give it this lovely rosy color.
Pour the syrup into a glass container and store in the fridge.
To make a peppermint mocha, you’ll want:
6 oz. coffee, freshly brewed
1-2 Tablespooons chocolate syrup
3 oz. hot milk
1-2 teaspoons peppermint syrup
You may want to adjust the amounts of the chocolate and peppermint, depending on your preference. I don’t like my mochas to be very sweet so I add a bit less.
Start by stirring the chocolate syrup into the coffee. It’s important for the coffee to be hot in this step, otherwise the chocolate will just sink to the bottom of the mug and stay there.
Add the hot milk into the coffee mixture. If you’re feeling fancy, you can add frothed milk. You could also use half and half if you like your drinks to be thicker and richer.
Add the peppermint syrup and stir to combine. Take a little taste and see if you need to add more peppermint or chocolate.
Top with a little foamed milk or whipped cream. This is one of my favorite ways to make coffee, especially around this time of year. I hope you enjoy it as well!