Peppermint Mocha Latte Syrup

Save money and make your favorite Starbucks holiday latte at home with this peppermint mocha at home with this Peppermint Mocha Latte Syrup. Starbucks’ peppermint mocha sauce has milk in it. Mine doesn’t — this version is built on a can of light coconut milk, which means it’s dairy-free without tasting like a compromise.

It takes five ingredients and just twenty minutes to make. One batch makes enough for a dozen lattes, and the whole thing costs me about $5.15 — less than one drink at my local Starbucks in New Jersey.

Many people who have made this syrup note that the peppermint tastes like actual peppermint rather than candy-cane syrup, which comes down to using extract and a dark cocoa.

Why you’ll Love this Recipe

• Save money – save time and money by making your favorite fun holiday coffee at home. You can skip the drive through and make a Starbucks peppermint mocha latte at home. I like my homemade version even better!
• Tastes amazing – Probably the best thing about this syrup is that it tastes amazing!! It has the perfect balance of mint and chocolate flavor with just a touch of salt to deepen the chocolate.
• Only use simple ingredients – Just use 5 simple pantry ingredients to make this amazing peppermint mocha syrup. Grab some lite coconut milk, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, peppermint syrup and salt and you are ready to cook!
• Use it for more than just coffee – This peppermint mocha syrup recipe is not just for coffee. Use it for a minty hot chocolate or drizzle it over ice cream and brownies.

What it costs vs. Starbucks

Making your own latte syrups at home is a real money saver especially in the long run. You can see the cost breakdown below:

You still have to include the cost of coffee and milk, but you break even before you’ve made 2 lattes at home! I love making a an iced shaken espresso at home with this syrup. I add 2 tbsp of the peppermint mocha syrup to2 shots of espresso from my espresso machine, shake it over ice and add a bit of half and half over top. I love that I’m saving money and consuming better ingredients.

ingredients You’ll Need

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make this peppermint mocha syrup at home with just five simple ingredients.

• 1 can (13.5oz) light coconut milk — the body of the syrup and the reason this version is dairy-free. Shake the can hard before opening; it separates on the shelf. Full-fat works and makes a richer syrup. Evaporated or sweetened condensed milk will also work if coconut isn’t an option, though you lose the dairy-free part. Don’t reach for almond milk — it turns unpleasant when it simmers for any length of time.
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed — sweetens and gives a little molasses depth behind the chocolate. Coconut sugar or plain white sugar both work; white will taste cleaner and slightly less round.
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder — use a dark or Dutch-process cocoa if you have one. It’s the single easiest upgrade here, and it’s what keeps the syrup tasting like a mocha rather than hot chocolate. Any unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder will do in a pinch.
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract — extract, not oil, and not “mint” extract. Peppermint oil is several times stronger and will overwhelm the batch; mint extract usually leans spearmint, which tastes like toothpaste in coffee. This is the ingredient that separates a real peppermint mocha from a candy-cane-flavored one.
• ⅛ teaspoon salt — small amount, but it sharpens the chocolate and keeps the sweetness from flattening out.
• Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract — adds depth behind the mint. Stir it in off the heat.

How To Make a peppermint mocha latte syrup

Step 1: Mix ingredients and bring to a boil

To begin, add coconut milk, brown sugar, and cocoa powder to a small saucepan. (Images 1 and 2). Then, whisk the ingredients together and bring to a boil.

Be careful not to let the mixture boil over the edge of the pan.

Step 2: Simmer

Once boiling, reduce the mixture a simmer (Image 3). Then, simmer uncovered for 14 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Step 3: Add peppermint and cool

Next, remove the pot from heat and allow to cool for a minute before whisking in the peppermint extract and salt (Image 4).

Finally, allow the syrup to cool completely then place in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

Peppermint Mocha Latte Syrup FAQs

Is a Starbucks peppermint mocha dairy free?

No. Starbucks’ peppermint mocha sauce contains milk, so even ordering it with oat or almond milk doesn’t make the drink dairy-free. This homemade version is built on coconut milk instead, so the syrup itself has no dairy in it at all — pair it with the milk of your choice and the whole drink is dairy-free.

How long does peppermint mocha syrup last?

Keep it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use it within two weeks. It will separate and thicken as it sits, which is normal with a coconut milk base — shake or stir before each use, and let it sit out for a few minutes if it’s very cold.

Can I use peppermint oil instead of extract?

Only if you cut it dramatically — peppermint oil is several times more concentrated than extract, so you’d want a drop or two at most, added off the heat and tasted as you go. Extract is far more forgiving and it’s what I’d recommend. Avoid plain “mint” extract altogether; it usually leans spearmint and tastes wrong in coffee.

Why did my syrup turn grainy or get too thick?

Grainy usually means the cocoa went in dry and clumped — whisk it into the coconut milk before the pan gets hot, or sift it in. Too thick almost always means it reduced too long; it thickens considerably as it cools. Warm it gently with a splash of water or milk and whisk, and it comes back.

Storage

It is important to allow the syrup to cool completely and then transfer to a glass jar. I like to use mason jars with a plastic replacement lid.

If you’re already standing at the stove, my caramel brulee latte syrup uses the same method and about the same amount of time — a batch of each gives you two of the holiday drinks for roughly the price of one at the counter.

Both of these syrups keep for about two weeks in the fridge, so I make them in the same afternoon in early December and then don’t think about it again until the jars are empty.