Healthy Homemade Peppermint Mocha

Forget Starbucks! Save your time and money by skipping the coffee run and making this Healthy Peppermint Mocha at home. This recipe is easy to make, made with simple ingredients, and is delicious but not too sweet. It’s perfect to cozy up with at home while you watch holiday movies or decorate the Christmas tree.

If you’ve been wanting to make Peppermint Mocha Latte at home, but you also wanted it to be somewhat healthier, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t get me wrong, as a Registered Dietitian, I truly believe that all foods fit (even the traditional Starbucks holiday drinks), but personally I find the coffee shop lattes too sweet and far too expensive for my taste.

This Healthy Peppermint Mocha is a Starbucks copycat recipe (I swear it tastes just as good – if not better) without all of the added sugar. It takes 5 minutes to whip up and it’s the perfect holiday drink to make at home. Enjoy it with a side of Healthy Ginger Molasses Cookies or with my Buttermilk Gingerbread Pancakes for breakfast.

Recipe for This Homemade Peppermint Mocha:

To make this healthy mocha that will taste just as good as your favourite coffee shop version, here’s what you’ll need:

• 1-2 shots of espresso OR 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup OR other sweetener like honey, agave or table sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 cup milk of your choice (like dairy, soy, almond, oat, or cashew milk)
• Crushed candy canes and light whipped cream for topping (optional)

What Makes this Peppermint Mocha Recipe Healthy?

Being a dietitian, I can’t not nerd out on the nutrition piece of my recipes! If you’re wondering what makes this recipe more nourishing than a traditional coffee shop Peppermint Mocha, let me fill you in.

• It’s lower in sugar than coffee shop peppermint mochas. What’s great about making your own latte at home is that you can sweeten it to your liking. Personally, I find a tablespoon of maple syrup is plenty, but you can add more or less depending on your taste preference.
• Depending on the milk you choose, it can also be high in protein. I like to use a partially skim (1%) cow’s milk for my lattes, because the protein content (9 grams per cup) and small amount of fat help to fill me up and keep me full. If you prefer a non-dairy milk, soy milk would also offer a similar amount of protein.
• It’s made with only 5 simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

How Does this Compare to a Starbucks Skinny Peppermint Mocha?

According to Starbucks, a grande Peppermint Mocha is made up of 2 shots of espresso and steamed 2% milk with 4 pumps of peppermint syrup, 4 pumps of mocha sauce, topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Now, a Starbucks Skinny Peppermint Mocha generally consists of nonfat (skim) milk and replaces the regular syrups with sugar-free versions (which are sweetened with the zero-calorie artificial sweetener sucralose).

In this recipe, we’re replacing the commercial syrups with a mixture of cocoa powder, maple syrup, and peppermint extract. It’s simple, it’s easy to do at home, and it’s just as delicious.

Can I Use Stevia to Sweeten My Mocha?

Yes! If you prefer to use stevia instead of maple syrup or another sugar-containing sweetener, feel free. Be sure to read the label on your stevia sweetener, however 1-2 packets of stevia should probably be enough.

How to Steam/Froth the Milk:

You can froth or steam the milk for your healthy peppermint mocha a few different ways.

The easiest way would be to use a milk frother that steams and froths the milk for you. Another option would be to heat the milk on the stove (or in the microwave) until almost boiling and then froth the milk by hand. You can do this using a whisk or a handheld frother, or by pouring the milk into a mason jar and shaking the jar to froth the milk.

My Favourite At-Home Latte Equipment:

• My espresso machine. We love this thing!
• My Nespresso milk frother. Despite being able to steam/froth milk with our espresso machine, this is easier to use.
• My handheld frother. When I really want to be quick, this is the best. You can use it for more than just milk, too!
• A cute mug, of course!

Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a recipe rating and a comment below. Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me @hannahmagee_rd so I can see!

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