This skinny peppermint mocha latte is loaded with the rich and creamy flavors of chocolate and peppermint. It is a much healthier form than the normal version! This holiday drink is low in calories, low in fat, and easy to make! No need to go to Starbucks when you can make this at home!
Healthy Peppermint Mocha Latte
If you've ever had a peppermint mocha latte, you know that the rich and creamy mocha flavor combined with the pop of peppermint is a true joy to the taste buds. After having this drink a million times at Starbucks, I finally decided to recreate my own version!
As a Registered Dietitian, I love taking foods high in sugar or fat and making a healthy or skinny alternative that still tastes good. This version of a skinny peppermint mocha latte is low in sugar, low in fat and still delicious. One latte contains only 80 calories!
Pair this latte with these gingerbread energy balls for a festive treat! Or, it would go perfectly with a side or air fryer turkey bacon or healthy hashbrowns!
What Makes this Latte Healthy?
Here’s a comparison of a Regular coffee shop peppermint mocha versus a homemade healthy peppermint mocha:
| Regular Peppermint Mocha w/ whipped cream (coffee shop) | 440 calories | 54 grams sugar |
| Skinny Medium Peppermint Mocha w/ no whipped cream (Homemade) | 80 calories | 12 grams sugar |
This is considered a healthy latte because it has less sugar, less fat, and fewer calories than the normal version. Typically, the sweetener is replaced with a sugar substitute in a skinny latte. It also uses either skim milk or unsweetened almond milk –both which are lower in fat and calories.
There is no whipped cream on a skinny latte. The skinny version can save anywhere from 100-300 calories due to the lower-fat milk and alternative sweetener.
Regular Latte
A “regular latte” consists of 2% milk or whole milk. It is typically sweetened with a high sugar or syrup sweetener. Often, these coffees are topped with whip cream, more flavored syrup, and sometimes even sprinkles or candy bits.
A large-sized latte can pack in up to ¼ cup of added sugar! And, adding just a dollop of whip cream on top can add an additional 100 plus calories!
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. What's great about this recipe is that I only used 1 tablespoon of sugar, and it's still a lot less sugar than a store bought latte. You can also increase the peppermint extract if a stronger peppermint flavor is 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
Skinny 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 (or stevia sweetener to make "extra skinny")
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!