Peppermint mocha latte, made at home, at a fraction of the fancy coffee shop price! Strongly brewed coffee, tempered with peppermint, rich chocolate, and creamy milk for a deliciously decadent sipper.
This post is sponsored by Milk Means More and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. All opinions are my own.
Happy New Year, Friends! I hope that y’all are well and rested after the holidays. I’ve missed you! I intend to explain my prolonged absence…but first, can we talk about this Peppermint Mocha Latte?
I’ve made no secret for lack of enthusiasm for coffee, for my heart lies deeply entrenched in chai latte. Bacon Slayer doesn’t understand it. My Danish heritage certainly scoffs at my disdain. Although my eyes involuntarily close and flutter at the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans, somehow my taste buds refuse to submit to the bitter flavor of the brew. Until now.
Somewhere in the deep recesses of my soul must reside a coffee lover. Maybe it’s the rich chocolate blending with hot, creamy milk. Or perhaps the refreshing bit of peppermint syrup that softens the edge of the biting brew? All I know is that after spending that past few weeks deep in the throes of a fairly spontaneous home renovation project, my only sips of sanity came in the form of Peppermint Mocha Lattes.
Apparently, I like a little coffee with my milk.
I was initially inclined to attribute my new appreciation of java to weeks of fourteen hours days spent wielding a caulk gun, inhaling drywall dust, and plentiful exposure to paint fumes. Let us not forget my silly notion of attempting to learn to code HTML at the end of those days. (We’ll chat more about the crazy-pants renovation project later.)
I was exhausted.
Then I found Peppermint Mocha Lattes.
Now I’m better.
The End.
Friends, I hope that that the vast majority of you do not suffer the threat of imminent suffocation under the weight of a mountainous To Do List. A word of advice:
Make yourself a Peppermint Mocha Latte and sip some delicious sanity back into the world. Then go forth and wield a pencil with the merciless, unwavering purpose of shortening that list.
♥♥♥
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 2 (12 oz. each)
Strongly brewed coffee is tempered with brisk peppermint, rich chocolate, and creamy milk make for a deliciously decadent sipper at home for fraction of the fancy coffee shop price. Yields 2 servings, 12 ounces each.
5 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
15 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 C. water
- 1 C. granulated sugar
- 1 1/8 tsp. pure peppermint extract
- 1 C. water
- 1 ¼ tsp. stevia in the raw
- 1 1/8 tsp. pure peppermint extract
- 2 C. 2% milk
- 1 C. strongly brewed coffee
- 1 Tbs. peppermint syrup (choose either regular or skinny syrup)
- 1 Tbs. chocolate syrup
- Whipped cream
- Crushed candy canes
- Additional chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Choose whether to make the regular peppermint syrup or the skinny version before proceeding.
- Prepare the peppermint syrup of choice by stirring the sweetener of choice into the water in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and syrup reduces slightly; about 5 minutes. Stir the peppermint extract into the syrup. Pour the hot peppermint syrup into a glass jar to cool. (Please note that for the skinny syrup, the syrup will not reduce or appear as “syrupy” as the full sugar version.)
- While the peppermint syrup is cooling, brew a very strong cup of coffee. (Recommended: 1 Tbs. dark roast coffee grounds per cup of water, brewing as directed by coffee maker instructions.)
- As the coffee brews, heat the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan set over medium heat. The milk should be steaming and bubbly around the edges. Remove from heat and vigorously whisk the hot milk for 20 to 30 seconds to add froth. The higher the fat content in the milk, the more frothy the milk will appear.
- Divide the hot coffee between two large mugs. Stir in the chocolate and peppermint syrups, until blended. Divide the hot milk between the mugs, using a spoon to hold back the froth while pouring. Spoon the froth over each latte.
- For an elegant, coffee shop style appearance--top the Peppermint Mocha Lattes with whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
- Remaining peppermint syrup should be stored in a jar with tight fitting lid in the refrigerator for one week.
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