Peppermint Mocha (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)

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A cold weather favorite, peppermint, chocolate, and espresso are combined to create this delicious caffeinated Starbucks drink at home.

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Copycat in a clear glass.

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Recipe Highlights

  • Starbucks Peppermint Mocha is an espresso drink with milk that’s flavored with chocolate and peppermint. It’s topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
  • Mocha is espresso, chocolate, and milk together in one drink. Peppermint Mocha adds peppermint to the mix.
  • Use an espresso machine or a Nespresso to make espresso at home.
  • Peppermint syrup and chocolate syrup can be homemade or store-bought. (Homemade is better but lasts only a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.)
  • This copycat recipe recreates a grande size (16 ounces) Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, and includes how to make whipped cream in seconds.

RELATED: Starbucks Mocha Copycat

Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks

The absolute most popular drink during the holidays at Starbucks, Peppermint Mocha is made with espresso, milk, peppermint syrup, mocha sauce, and topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

This drink can be ordered all year, not just during the holidays, because peppermint syrup and mocha sauce are always available.

Starbucks calls their chocolate sauce a mocha sauce even though there isn’t any espresso in the sauce.

Peppermint Mocha comes in 4 sizes: short, tall, grande, and venti.

Like all other mochas, it’s made with 2% milk but can be customized with any milk Starbucks offers, including oatmilk and almondmilk.

Ingredient Notes

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Copycat ingredients.
  • Espresso: All mochas are made with espresso. Get Starbucks espresso to make it taste more like theirs or use your favorite espresso.
  • Chocolate syrup: Use store-bought or homemade chocolate syrup.
  • Peppermint syrup: Use homemade or store-bought syrup. I recommend making your own since it’s only 3 simple ingredients and takes 5 minutes.
  • Milk: Like all mochas at Starbucks, Peppermint Mocha is made with 2% milk but you can use any milk you like.
  • Heavy cream: This is to make the vanilla whipped cream.
  • Vanilla syrup: At Starbucks, the whipped cream is sweetened and flavored with vanilla syrup. Use store-bought or homemade.
  • Chocolate curls: Use a bar of dark chocolate and create curls or shavings using a vegetable peeler.

For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.

My Chocolate Sauce Pick
The best store-bought chocolate sauce. Simple and high quality ingredients make it taste better.
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Step-by-Step Instructions

Whipped cream in a measuring cup.

Step 1: Whisk heavy cream and vanilla syrup to make whipped cream. Set aside.


Use a handheld milk frother to make whipped cream in seconds. Whip until soft peaks form.

Pouring espresso, peppermint syrup, and chocolate syrup in a cup.

Step 2: Put espresso, peppermint syrup, and chocolate syrup into a cup. Use 2 Nespresso espresso pods or pull 2 shots from an espresso machine.

Peppermind mocha in a cup.

Step 3: Add frothed milk. Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother or with the steam wand from an espresso machine. Another method is to simmer milk on the stovetop, pour it into a French press, then pump the plunger a few times to create froth.

Spooning whipped cream on top of peppermint mocha.

Step 4: Top drink with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate curls.

Nespresso Notes

The easiest way to make espresso at home is with a Nespresso machine.

My Nespresso Pick
This Nespresso model makes espresso and brewed coffee and costs around $200. Tip: Skip the Aeroccino and get a bigger milk frother.
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1 shot of espresso = 1 Nespresso espresso capsule

This recipe makes a 16 ounce (grande) drink so you’ll need 2 Nespresso espresso or ristretto capsules. You can also use 1 Vertuo double espresso capsule.

Make sure the Nespresso capsule you use is not a coffee/mug pod, which makes 7.77 ounces.

Use any espresso capsule from Nespresso to make this drink, but to get the drink to taste the closest to Starbucks, get their Nespresso capsules.

Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast
Nespresso Vertuo capsules
Nespresso Original capsules

Note: More popular than the Starbucks Espresso Roast capsules.

Starbucks Espresso Roast
Nespresso Vertuo capsules
Nespresso Original capsules
When you order the Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks, they use dark roast espresso, like this one.

My Nespresso Starbucks Pod Pick
To recreate Starbucks drinks at home, go for this popular blonde espresso.
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Expert Tips

  • Instead of chocolate curls, make it festive by garnishing the drink with chocolate syrup drizzle and crushed candy cane.
  • The chocolate syrup will sink down to the bottom of the cup, so make sure to stir well before drinking.
  • Instant coffee can be used if you don’t have espresso. Combine 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and 1/4 cup hot water to replace the 2 shots of espresso in the recipe.
  • Starbucks vanilla syrup can be purchased at Starbucks locations if they have extra in stock. Just ask a barista if they have any they can sell. It’s about $14 for the bottle.

Questions You May Have

What’s in Starbucks Peppermint Mocha?

A grande sized drink is made with 2 shots of espresso, 4 pumps of peppermint syrup, 4 pumps of mocha sauce, 2% milk, and it’s topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls topping.

What’s the difference between a Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha?

The difference is in the chocolate sauce. A Peppermint Mocha has mocha sauce, a bittersweet chocolate sauce, and the Peppermint White Chocolate is made with Starbucks’ white chocolate mocha sauce, which contains no caffeine.

What is Starbucks mocha sauce?

Mocha sauce at Starbucks is a chocolate sauce. Even though there isn’t any espresso or coffee in their chocolate sauce, that’s what they call it.

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Copycat in a clear mug with whipped cream and chocolate curls on top.

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Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Copycat

Author: Jee Choe
Peppermint, chocolate, and espresso are combined to create this delicious drink.
4.7 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Yield1 serving (16 ounces)

INGREDIENTS
 

Peppermint Mocha

Vanilla Whipped Cream

  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
  • 1 teaspoon shaved or curled dark chocolate for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Whisk heavy cream and vanilla syrup to make whipped cream. Set aside.
    Use a handheld milk frother to make whipped cream in seconds. Whip until soft peaks form.
  • Put espresso, peppermint syrup, and chocolate syrup into a cup.
    Use 2 Nespresso espresso pods or pull 2 shots from an espresso machine.
  • Add frothed milk.
    Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother or with the steam wand from an espresso machine. Another method is to simmer milk on the stovetop, pour it into a French press, then pump the plunger a few times to create froth.
  • Top drink with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate curls.
    Use a spoon to add the whipped cream on top of the drink.

NOTES

  • 1 shot of espresso = 1 Nespresso espresso capsule
  • To make a 16 ounce (grande) Starbucks drink, you’ll need 2 Nespresso espresso or ristretto capsules. You can also use 1 Vertuo double espresso.
  • Only use Nespresso espresso capsules and not the coffee capsules that make 7.77 ounces.
  • Use store-bought or homemade chocolate sauce or syrup.
  • Use store-bought or homemade peppermint syrup. I recommend making your own since it’s only 3 simple ingredients and takes 5 minutes.
  • Starbucks Peppermint Mocha is made with 2% milk but you can use any milk you like.
  • Starbucks vanilla syrup can be purchased at Starbucks locations if they have extra in stock. Just ask a barista if they have any they can sell. It’s about $14 for the bottle.
  • Use a bar of dark chocolate and create curls using a vegetable peeler.
  • Instead of chocolate curls, make it festive by garnishing the drink with chocolate syrup drizzle and crushed candy cane.
  • The chocolate syrup will sink down to the bottom of the cup, so make sure to stir well before drinking.
  • Instant coffee can be used if you don’t have espresso. Combine 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and 1/4 cup hot water to replace the 2 shots of espresso in the recipe.

NUTRITION

Calories: 737 | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 1470IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 4mg

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