Starbucks Copycat Peppermint Mocha

Now that the holidays are close and Starbucks has rolled out their new red cups to be filled with all of the yumminess of holiday drinks, I’ve been inspired to recreate them all at home to save a bit of money. One of my favorites is definitely the peppermint mocha—naturally it had to be my first experiment. I literally am obsessed with the way it turned out, it’s as good (or even better) than Starbucks. And what makes it even better?! It doesn’t cost $6 a cup!! lol.

I always order my drinks with almond milk and no whip, to save a few calories. So, this recipe excludes both as well… but feel free to make it your own! I honestly made up the entire thing, so I am sure it can still be tweaked (although, I should say it did come out quite perfect as is). Let me know if you try this out at home!

This drink will leave your mouth watering and you’ll definitely be wanting seconds. The rich, thick chocolate syrup is the perfect topping to the silky smooth peppermint mocha latte… and the crunch of the candy cane is a surprise bite you’ll be searching your mug for. The two pair delectably to create a small piece of winter time heaven in a cup!

Recipe

Ingredients

• Espresso
• Peppermint simple syrup- bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1 tsp peppermint extract (or more to liking). Let cool.
• Chocolate sauce- mix water and cocoa powder together until they form a syrup-like consistency. Add sugar and salt to taste.
• Milk of your choosing.
•  Whipped cream (optional).
• Candy cane (optional).

Directions

1. Make yourself two espresso shots. I use the Nespresso machine.
2. Add 2-3 Tbsp of peppermint syrup and 2-3 Tbsp of mocha syrup to milk (I use almond milk because it’s what I prefer).
3. Froth milk. I also use Nespresso’s milk frothing machine.
4. Add espresso shots to milk and top with whipped cream, mocha syrup and a candy cane/ crushed candy cane.

It’s as simple as that! Enjoy!

Amanda Strong

Amanda is the founder of Poised Avenue Design Studio. She has years of digital marketing, graphic design, and brand design under her belt. She has a passion for helping female entrepreneurs bridge the gap between their business and ideal audience with brand design rooted in strategy.