January 12, 2023
by Abigail Porch
A Homemade Peppermint Mocha Latte is the ideal cozy drink once the winter chill hits. However, this masterful combination of peppermint, chocolate, and coffee is enjoyable any time of year.
Warm up your bellies this winter season by brewing a cup of espresso using Lardera’s
Whole Bean Coffee and combining it with the comforting flavors of chocolate and peppermint to make a healthy, super creamy, peppermint mocha latte.
I love the fun holiday drink flavors at a certain chain coffee shop, but I always find them a little bit too sweet for my taste. And the best part about making your own latte at home is that you can customize it according to your tastes. I like adding the smallest amount of peppermint extract to my latte to add the perfect peppermint flavor for a healthier drink. I also use Fairlife 2% ultra-filtered milk for the exact amount of creaminess and high protein content. You can add froth on top for a proper latte or you can just throw some whipped cream on top of it instead. And instead of using tons of sugar to sweeten, I simply use maple syrup. You can always use granulated sugar or another sugar substitute instead such as stevia or monk fruit.
This Peppermint Mocha Latte is Nourishing!
It’s lower in sugar than coffee shop peppermint mochas. What’s great about making your own latte at home is that you can sweeten it to your liking. Personally, I find a tablespoon of maple syrup is plenty, but you can add more or less depending on your taste preference.
Depending on the milk you choose, it can also be high in protein. I like to use Fairlife’s 2% ultra-filtered milk for my lattes, because the protein content (13 grams per cup) and small amount of fat help to fill me up and keep me full. If you prefer non-dairy milk, soy milk would also offer a similar amount of protein.
The best part? It’s made with only 5 simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
The Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Fairlife 2% ultra-filtered milk or other milk of choice
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ tsp peppermint extract
1-2 shots of espresso OR ½ strong
brewed coffee
1 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of your choice to taste
Preparing Coffee Grounds
Start by grinding the raw coffee beans to a medium-fine grind using an electric grinder or a manual one, such as Lardera’s
Chestnut Grinder.
OR Preparing the Expresso
Once your coffee grinds are ready, it’s time to prepare the espresso. Using Lardera’s
French Press, or your preferred brewing method, brew your espresso and add ½ cup directly into the bottom of your mug.
French Press Method
1. Grind the coffee: Grind ½ cup dark roast coffee beans to a medium fine grind.
2. Heat the water: Heat ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons water to hot but not boiling (200 to 205°F).
3. Add coffee and wait 4 minutes: Add the medium fine ground espresso coffee to the French press. Top with the hot water and stir. Set a timer and wait 4 minutes.
4. Plunge: Place the lid on the French press and slowly press on the plunger all the way down.
Creating the Latte
1. Heat up ¼ cup milk and cocoa powder together in a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave for 30 seconds, until cocoa powder dissolves when stirred.
2. Remove from heat and stir in espresso, ¼ tsp peppermint extract, and sweetener.
3. Pour into a large mug or divide into two small mugs.
4. Pour the steamed/frothed milk over top. (See notes below for how to froth your milk).
5. Garnish (optional) and enjoy!
How to Steam/Froth the Milk
You can froth or steam the milk for your healthy peppermint mocha a few different ways.
The easiest way would be to use a milk frother that steams and froths the milk for you.
Another option would be to heat the milk on the stove (or in the microwave) until almost boiling and then froth the milk by hand. You can do this using a whisk or a handheld frother, or by pouring the milk into a mason jar and shaking the jar to froth the milk.
