This healthy peppermint mocha latte is rich, creamy, and full of chocolate and peppermint flavor. It's a lighter homemade version of the classic holiday coffee drink, and is easy to prepare right at home. Skip the Starbucks line and enjoy this festive peppermint mocha whenever the craving strikes!
Healthy Peppermint Mocha Latte
If you love the combination of rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint, this homemade peppermint mocha latte is sure to become a holiday favorite. After ordering peppermint mochas from Starbucks countless times, I decided to create my own version that I could easily make at home!
As a Registered Dietitian, I love finding ways to make favorite foods and drinks at home with simple ingredients. This healthier peppermint mocha latte has all the chocolatey, minty flavor you'd expect, but with less sugar and fat than a traditional coffeehouse version. Even better, each latte contains just 80 calories!
Pair this latte with gingerbread energy balls for a festive snack. It also makes a delicious addition alongside some gluten free pumpkin cookies or gluten free pumpkin bread!
Why You'll Love This Healthier Peppermint Mocha Latte
One of the things I love about making coffee drinks at home is being able to control what goes into them. Here's a look at how this homemade peppermint mocha compares to a regular coffee shop version.
| Regular Peppermint Mocha w/ whipped cream (coffee shop) | 440 calories | 54 grams sugar |
| Healthier Medium Peppermint Mocha w/ no whipped cream (Homemade) | 80 calories | 12 grams sugar |
This homemade peppermint mocha latte contains fewer calories, less sugar, and less fat than the coffee shop version. It also uses your choice of skim milk or unsweetened almond milk, making it easy to adjust based on your preferences.
Instant vs. Brewed Coffee
This peppermint mocha works with either double-brewed coffee or instant coffee. Here are instructions for each version:
Double Brewed Coffee: This simply means the coffee is made twice as strong to prevent the latte from tasting watery. To make double-brewed coffee, use double the amount of coffee grounds while keeping the amount of water the same.
For example, if you usually make a cup of coffee with 1 tablespoon of coffee grounds, use 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds and keep the same amount of water.
Instant Coffee: There are a lot of instant coffee options also available. These consist of pouring a packet of instant coffee grounds into hot water and mixing until combined.
The instant coffee must be made double strength, so follow the directions on the coffee label, however, double the amount of coffee grounds used while keeping the amount of water the same.
How to Make The Best Peppermint Latte
Prep your double-strength coffee. Make your coffee as usual, just use twice the amount. I absolutely love using my Ninja Coffee Maker
, because I can choose the size of coffee I want to make. In this case, I just placed it on the setting for a normal 8 oz cup of coffee.
Combine the coffee and almond milk, and microwave until hot. You can also use skim milk if desired. Wait to add the cocoa powder until after the milk/coffee mixture is hot. If added before cooking, it is difficult to stir the cocoa powder into the mixture, and it will be very clumpy.
Add the sugar, peppermint extract, and mocha to the milk! Feel free to use Stevia, or another sugar substitute if desired.
Variations and Substitutions
Coffee: Replace the double-brewed coffee with 1 shot of espresso. You can also use decaf coffee if desired.
Sweetener: the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon sugar. This can be replaced with a substitute such as Stevia. Use 1 packet of stevia and add more if needed.
Milk: almond milk can be replaced with skim milk, coconut milk or soy milk. I prefer the unsweetened version, however, you can use the regular version if preferred.
Iced Latte: make this an iced latte by chilling it and then serving it over a glass of ice!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Replace the coffee with one shot of espresso.
Good toppings are crushed peppermint, marshmallows, or cool whip. Reminder, these all add extra sugar and calories, so consider something like fat-free cool whip.
Yes, use any type of milk based on your dietary preferences!
This is gluten-free and vegan. It is dairy free if you use cocoa powder that does not contain any milk products or dairy.
Related Recipes
Healthy Peppermint Mocha Latte
Equipment
- Coffee maker (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup vanilla almond milk unsweetened
- ¾ cup extra strong brewed coffee (alternative: brewed instant coffee)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract (increase for stronger peppermint flavor)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Combine almond milk and brewed coffee in a microwavable dish.
- Heat in microwave on high power for 1 minute, or until hot.
- Add cocoa powder, sugar and peppermint extract. Mix until combined.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with crushed candy canes if desired.
Karen says
This has become my favorite drink! Even better than Starbucks! Thank you for sharing!