Easy Iced Peppermint Mocha: Starbucks Inspired Recipe
If you’ve ever stood in line at Starbucks just to get your hands on an iced peppermint mocha, you already hate the fact to stand long in line with higher prices.
The good news is that this seasonal favorite is surprisingly easy to recreate at home, and once you know how much ingredients and ratios to use, you’ll never feel like you’re “missing out” between November and January again.
In this guide, we’ll walk through exactly what goes into a Starbucks peppermint mocha, how to make your own peppermint mocha syrup from scratch, and how to turn all of it into a properly balanced peppermint mocha iced coffee at home.
How to Make Peppermint Syrup at Home
You can make your own peppermint mocha syrup and store it in your refrigerator for later use. A basic peppermint syrup recipe is just
Ingredients
1 cup of mint leaves
1 1/2 cup of sugar in 2 separate bowls
520ml of water Lemon peel (optional)
Method
- Prepare the mint: Wash the mint leaves well and remove the leaves from the stems. Add the leaves to a food processor with 1 1/2 cup of sugar and keep blending until you have a smooth thick paste.
- Make the syrup base: Add the water, remaining 1 1/2 cup of sugar, and lemon peel (optional) to a saucepan. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves completely, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the mint: Once boiling, add the mint paste and stir well to combine. Continue boiling for 8 minutes, then remove the saucepan from the heat to let the mixture cool down.
- Strain and bottle: Strain the mixture and pour the mint syrup into a clean bottle or a jar and store it for later use.
How to make Iced Peppermint Mocha with Starbucks ingredients at home
Ingredients
1–2 shots of espresso, or 2 tablespoons of instant coffee mixture.
200 ml chocolate milk
1–2 tbsp peppermint syrup
1 tbsp sweet condensed milk
1 tbsp chocolate chips
Ice
Whipped cream (optional)
Cocoa powder for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brew your coffee. Pull 1–2 shots of espresso, or use 2 tbsp of instant coffee to make a strong coffee mixture.
- Mix the syrups. In a blender, add espresso, ice cubes, peppermint syrup, chocolate chips, sweet condensed milk, and chocolate milk. Blend until everything is mixed.
- Fill a glass with ice. Fill the glass with the blended mixture.
- Top with whipped cream. Garnish with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings. You can also sprinkle some sea salt at the end if you’re going for the full Starbucks Iced peppermint mocha experience.
Variations and Subsitute
- White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha: Alternate the regular chocolate syrup to replace chocolate chips for white chocolate sauce for a sweeter, creamier variation.
- Decaf Peppermint Mocha: Simply swap in decaf espresso or decaf ground coffee if you want the flavor without the caffeine.
Read more
Instant Iced coffee Caramel Latte Recipe
Instant iced latte recipe with condensed milk
Iced white chocolate mocha
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make an iced peppermint mocha without espresso?
Yes. Strong instant coffee can all be used in place of espresso. The main goal is using a coffee base strong enough to hold its flavor against the ice, milk, and syrups.
Is peppermint mocha the same as mint mocha?
They are very similar and are often used to mean the same thing. Peppermint mocha usually refers to the Starbucks-style holiday drink, while mint mocha is a more general name for any mocha made with mint syrup or mint extract.
How many calories are in an iced peppermint mocha?
This can vary depending on the type of milk, the amount of syrup, and whether you add whipped cream. A homemade version with less syrup and your choice of milk can easily be adjusted to have significantly fewer calories than a café version.