What’s in Peppermint Hot Chocolate?
If you get one of these drinks from Starbucks, there are all sorts of ingredients, including their peppermint syrup and mocha sauce. This recipe is much simpler, using a handful of ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Here’s what’s inside:
Milk (I use almond milk) Cacao powder Maple syrup Peppermint extract Vanilla extract (optional)
Depending on which brand you buy, the bottle might say “peppermint flavor” instead of extract. In my experience, the product is very similar, but it’s not to be confused with peppermint essential oil, which could be much stronger in flavor.
How to Make It
Just like my famous Healthy Hot Chocolate recipe, all you need to do is combine the ingredients in a saucepan, and whisk them together until warm. It literally takes less than 5 minutes! If you’re not a huge fan of peppermint flavor, I recommend starting really small with out much you add. I own an 1/8 teaspoon measuring spoon, and that amount was plenty for two servings of this hot chocolate in my family. We like a “hint” of peppermint, without it knocking you over.
If you have a measuring spoon that small, you might even want to start off with only HALF the amount (so, 1/16th of a teaspoon) just to make sure you don’t over-do it on the peppermint. You can always add more peppermint to your taste, but it’s definitely harder to remove it once you’ve added it! So, again, start small with the peppermint addition. If for some reason the peppermint flavor is too strong for you, you can always add more milk, cacao powder, and maple syrup to dilute the peppermint even more. If you make too much, store the extra in the fridge, and heat it up for another hot chocolate the next day!
Which Milk Works Best?
I prefer homemade almond milk for hot chocolate, but you can use practically any milk you regularly drink. The only one you might want to avoid is homemade oat milk, which can develop a “slimy” texture when heated. For a drink with more plant-based protein, try hemp milk!
How to Serve It
Serve with coconut whipped cream on top, and a few crushed candy cane pieces for an extra-festive look. It’s really delicious when the small candy cane pieces melt into the hot chocolate. (I used YumEarth brand candy canes here, which have no artificial dyes and are allergy-friendly.)
More Warm Drinks You’ll Love
If you love this, you’ll also love these other fan favorites:
Easy Chai Latte Matcha Latte Golden Milk Instant Vegan Latte London Fog (my favorite!)
If you try this Peppermint Hot Chocolate, please leave a comment below and let me know how you like it! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience. – Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite warm drink?
