The peppermint mocha is like the pumpkin spice latte of winter, I tried a vegan peppermint mocha for the first time in Starbucks last year and it was a massive let down! It tasted like chocolate-y toothpaste! So I decided to see if I could make my own, and I did!
One thing I always have to say about Starbucks’ seasonal drinks is that the syrup for drinks like the peppermint mocha and the gingerbread latte is much too sweet and overpowering, especially in this case when peppermint flavour very easy goes into toothpaste territory. I prefer the strongest flavour to be the coffee, while in this case, the chocolate and peppermint accompany it. So I present my not-too-sweet not-toothpaste-y homemade vegan peppermint mocha recipe for the holidays.
How To Make A Peppermint Mocha
Prep Time
Less than 5 minutes
Cooking time
5 minutes approx.
Total
Less than 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 200ml Non-dairy milk of choice (I recommend oat milk for any coffee drinks)
- 1 espresso shot (or equilivant amount of coffee)
- 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
- 10ml of peppermint essence
Method
Mix your maple syrup and maple syrup together in a mug and stand aside. Then get started on your milk and coffee.
The method to make your espresso really depends on what you actually have available to you. I have a coffee machine but I am very much aware that not everyone does, so I try to be as accessible as possible here.
If you have an espress maker, then great, brew your espresso! If not, then my trick is to use a French press. Put in enough grounds for one person (or more if you’re making coffee for a few people), and add hot water. The ratio of coffee to water for an espresso is 1:2, so you put in twice as much water as coffee. The rule of thumb for one shot is 8 grams (so 16 ml of water), but if you want a double shot make it 16 grams (with 32ml of water). Another important thing for making espresso is that pressure is just as important as water and heat, so place your plunger down on the surface of the water for a few minutes and then push it down the whole way.
For more on making espresso without a coffee machine, check this guide out.
If you’re not much of a coffee snob or want a super lazy way to do this then feel free to just put a teaspoon in a mug and mix it with two teaspoons of hot water.
You can either heat the oat milk on and off in the microwave until warm enough but I’d recommend heating over a stove instead.
To froth the milk, you can either use a handheld milk frother, but if you don’t have one of those then pour your espresso into a mug (and throw the coffee grounds away – you can DIY them into a great exfoliator!) and pour your milk in. Push the plunger up and down until the milk expands and froths.
Now you’ll need to melt you chocolate. I used chocolate buttons for this because they’re small enough to melt faster, they also taste more like milk chocolate because I didn’t want a dark chocolate mocha. You’re free to use chocolate syrup or hot chocolate powder for your mocha, but I think melted chocolate tastes the best. I heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to get soft, and then pour the espresso over to melt the rest. Chocolate burns very easy so be careful.
Add your milk and there you have it, a quick, easy, and delicious vegan peppermint mocha! Top with some vegan whipped cream and marshmallows, a cinnamon stick or anything you fancy!
Nutritional Breakdown
The exact nutritional breakdown of this homemade vegan maple latte will depend on the exact ingredients you use, such as your milk alternative or how much maple syrup you decide to go with. It should fall somewhere within this range.
| PER SERVING | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 481kJ / 115cal |
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrate | 27.5g |
| Sugars | 18.4g |
| Protein | 0g |
| Salt | 6.9mg |
If you’re not a coffee person then you might prefer my vegan pumpkin spice hot chocolate instead!
What are your favourite seasonal drin