Trying to save a little extra money over the holidays but still want your Peppermint Mocha fix from Starbucks? Well, this isn't an exact recipe, but it comes close, and costs a lot less!
I don't even have an espresso maker - I just use a stovetop espresso maker like this one. I also did not want to buy a bottle of peppermint syrup as it would take me forever to go through one, so instead I made peppermint simple syrup, and this worked out fine. I had a little bit of the peppermint simple syrup leftover, and put that in some bourbon to make a quasi-julep, and it was yummy.
DIY Peppermint Mocha
Makes 1 drink
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 tablespoons powdered cocoa - run it through a sifter or fine wire strainer to remove lumps
3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup hot espresso
1 1/2 cups hot milk or soy milk (you can microwave it or heat it on the stovetop.)
Whipped cream (optional)
In a small saucepan, stir together the water and sugar, bringing to a soft boil, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to a low simmer and add the peppermint extract, and simmer for 20 minutes.
In a large mug add the cocoa and water and mix together until a creamy paste forms. Add the espresso on top, then 1 1/2 teaspoon of the peppermint simple syrup, and stir to mix. Top the mug off with the hot milk and stir. If desired, add whipped cream. Enjoy!
Related: DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte (Just Like Starbucks!)
(Image: Kathryn Hill)
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Sort of related, I was just at a Christmas party where the hosts made great flavored hot cocoas...with Swiss Miss packets and those Hershey's Kisses in cherry, caramel and mint. They took 2 kisses in your choice of flavors and popped them into hot cocoa that was made with water and stirred until dissolved. The resulting cocoa was super rich and yummy. I had the cherry, which was awesome. I imagine this would be even better in non-mix cocoa or if it were made with milk.
I'll also bet that you could put some of the mint ones in your coffee to make a version of a peppermint mocha...
Hot cocoa and peppermint schnapps.
I have an easy method that's not as decadent as the recipe above but it's quick and I think it's pretty tasty. One packet of hot cocoa mix, use hot coffee instead of water as your liquid, add some peppermint Coffeemate creamer (liquid, not powder), mix and enjoy! I usually reheat mine a bit in the microwave to get it nice and steamy since the creamer and powder cool off the coffee.
Mmm... what Faithbck said.
I am thinking of other applications for peppermint simple syrup!! I already keep plain simple syrup in the fridge for margaritas with fresh limes. But the peppermint has loads of possibilities...
oh yeah, the coffee sounds yummy too;)
Geez that sounds sooo good! At my last job they provided cocoa packets, tea bags and coffee (bad coffee) in the lunchroom. I would make a mug of hot chocolate, add a splash of bad coffee and dunk a mint teabag in it. Poor-Man's-Mint-Mocha. Sounds weird, but it was more than the sum of it's parts. I think the Hershey's kisses idea or the Schnapp's would've made the workday MUCH more pleasant!
If you have leftover candy canes, smash them and they melt down really well in milk with chocolate to make peppermint hot chocolate.
This sounds much nicer than my method of coffee half and half and then mixing it with a peppermint candy cane!
Steamed chocolate milk Mint chocolate Bailey's is my current favourite!