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Coffee Drink

Peppermint Mocha: Hot and Iced Recipe with Real Cocoa

A peppermint mocha combines espresso, cocoa, milk and sweetened peppermint syrup. Keep the chocolate prominent and the mint in the finish for a coffee-led drink, or use the measured iced variation when you want it cold.

By Mara EllisonReviewed by Online Coffee Guide editorial teamPublished 6 min read
Chocolate-brown coffee with leaf-shaped milk foam in an ivory cup beside mint leaves and a bowl of cocoa.
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Drink Snapshot

Caffeine
90 mg referenceGeneric espresso and unsweetened cocoa recordsEspresso and cocoa both contribute caffeine; the home recipe is unmeasured.
Calories
Estimated 145 kcalOne hot recipe, without toppingsWhole milk, unsweetened cocoa and the named regular US syrup label.
Serving, sugar and sources
Serving
36 g prepared espresso + 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk + 5 g cocoa + 10 ml (2 US tsp) Monin US regular Peppermint Syrup
Made with
Espresso + cocoa + whole milk + peppermint syrup
Sugar
Estimated 16.2 g total. Includes naturally occurring milk sugar and the added sugar in the syrup.
Preparation
About 7 minutes; espresso equipment ready

USDA SR28 composition records and Monin US regular Peppermint label, checked 26 September 2026. See the full calculation or label comparison.

Key Takeaways
  • Let chocolate lead and use peppermint as an accent if you want the coffee to remain noticeable.
  • Unsweetened cocoa lets you adjust chocolate separately from the sweetened mint syrup.
  • Use beverage syrup for this formula; peppermint extract needs a different measured recipe.
On This Page9 Sections

Peppermint Mocha Recipe

A 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) heatproof cup leaves room to mix and pour; its capacity is not the finished drink volume.

Recipe

Peppermint mocha

Makes:
1 serving
Time:
About 7 minutes, with the espresso machine ready

Ingredients

  • 18 g coffee, ground for espresso, to produce 36 g espresso
  • 160 g (⅔ US cup) cold whole milk
  • 5 g unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 10 ml (2 US tsp) Monin US regular Peppermint Syrup

Equipment

  • Espresso machine with a double basket suited to 18 g
  • Espresso grinder and tamper
  • Digital scale
  • Small heatproof pouring cup
  • Small milliliter measure or measuring teaspoons
  • Milk pitcher suited to 160 g milk, or small saucepan and handheld frother
  • Thermometer
  • Spoon
  • 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) heatproof cup
  • Hob, if using a saucepan

Method

  1. Put 5 g cocoa and 10 ml (2 US tsp) peppermint syrup in a warmed 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) heatproof cup.
  2. Brew 18 g ground coffee to 36 g prepared espresso in a separate heatproof pouring cup.
  3. Stir a little hot espresso into the cocoa and syrup to make a smooth paste, then stir in the remaining espresso.
  4. Steam 160 g (⅔ US cup) cold whole milk to 60–65°C (140–149°F) with fine, pourable foam. Turn off the steam before removing the wand, then wipe and purge it. Alternatively, heat the measured milk gently in a small pan and froth briefly off the heat.
  5. Swirl and pour all the milk and fine foam into the chocolate-coffee mixture, stir gently and serve promptly.

Estimated nutrition: 145 kcal · 16.2 g total sugar. Per hot mocha, using whole milk and Monin US regular Peppermint Syrup.

Recipe notes

Contains milk.

The named US syrup fixes the sugar calculation. Another peppermint beverage syrup needs its own strength and label check. Peppermint extract, essential oil, chocolate sauce and sweetened hot-chocolate powder are different ingredients, not equal-quantity substitutes.

Cocoa and peppermint syrup smoothed with espresso, then combined with finely textured milk.
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Smooth the cocoa with hot espresso before adding finely textured milk.

Equipment and Preparation

Have an espresso machine, grinder, scale that can measure 5 g, small ml measure, milk pitcher, spoon and cup ready. In the espresso preparation, 18 g means dry grounds going in; 36 g means brewed espresso collected, not 36 ml. The seven-minute time starts with a warmed-up machine. Use a pitcher suited to the measured milk portion.

Break up dry cocoa lumps before adding all the liquid. The paste step helps disperse the powder; some fine cocoa sediment is still possible. If your pitcher requires more milk, count only the milk you actually pour into the drink. The mocha guide explains the underlying espresso, chocolate and milk combination.

How to Make an Iced Peppermint Mocha

Keep the 36 g espresso, 5 g cocoa and 10 ml (2 US tsp) syrup; use 120 g (½ US cup) cold whole milk and 120 g (4.2 oz) ice. Make the cocoa paste with the hot espresso as above, then let the mixture cool briefly. Put the ice in a 350 ml (11.8 US fl oz) heatproof glass, add the cold milk, pour in the chocolate-coffee mixture and stir thoroughly. Do not steam the milk.

This smaller milk portion leaves space for the ice. It has an estimated 120 kcal and 14.1 g total sugar, with the same reference caffeine as the hot version. Melting ice changes concentration, not the amount of caffeine or sugar already added. For a different chocolate ingredient, follow the corresponding iced mocha recipe rather than swapping sauce for cocoa by weight.

What Does a Peppermint Mocha Taste Like?

Peppermint brings a cool aromatic lift to a warm, chocolatey latte. The cocoa tastes bittersweet rather than like a melted candy bar, with creamy milk softening its edge and espresso adding a lingering roast note. The mint is clearest in the finish.

Chocolate leads in my peppermint mocha, with mint as a cool finish. Too much mint makes the cocoa's depth and the espresso's bitterness harder for me to pick out, so I keep the peppermint below the point where it dominates every sip.

Adjust the Mint Without Losing the Chocolate

Start with 10 ml (2 US tsp) syrup for this recipe, or 5 ml (1 US tsp) if you prefer gentler mint. More syrup increases sweetness as well as mint flavor. Weighing out the cocoa separately lets you adjust those two parts independently.

Peppermint mocha adjustments
Peppermint mocha adjustments
What you noticeWhat to change
Mint overwhelms the coffeeUse 5 ml (1 US tsp) syrup next time, keeping coffee, cocoa and milk fixed
Dry cocoa clumpsMake the paste with a little hot espresso before adding the remaining liquid
Sweetness collects at the bottomStir the syrup into the warm cocoa-coffee base, then stir the finished drink
Bitter even before adding cocoaCheck the espresso on its own; adding mint does not correct an extraction problem
Already sweet enough, but too little chocolate flavorAdjust the cocoa separately in the next cup; extra cocoa also changes caffeine and nutrition

With the named label, halving the syrup removes an estimated 17 kcal and 4 g sugar. It leaves the coffee and cocoa caffeine unchanged.

Syrup, Extract and Chocolate Sauce

Peppermint beverage syrup is diluted and sweetened for drinks. An extract is much more concentrated and comes with different directions; this recipe does not provide an extract dose. Use a recipe written for your extract instead of exchanging it milliliter for milliliter.

If using a sweetened chocolate sauce, replace the cocoa-based formula with a sauce recipe and recalculate both sweeteners. A white mocha uses a different chocolate ingredient again; a peppermint white mocha should not inherit the cocoa caffeine figure below.

For a dairy-free variation, start with 160 g (5.6 oz) plant drink for the hot recipe or 120 g (4.2 oz) for the iced version. Keep the cocoa and syrup portions the same, check their labels too, and follow the carton’s heating guidance. Use its label for nutrition, measuring volume separately if the label is in milliliters.

Without an espresso machine, brew with the moka-pot guide, then measure 36 g (1.3 oz) prepared coffee and use it to make the cocoa paste with the same syrup and milk portions. Brew the pot normally before measuring the serving. Count the chosen coffee and the cocoa when estimating caffeine.

Peppermint Mocha Calories, Sugar and Caffeine

One hot mocha with 36 g espresso, 160 g (⅔ US cup) whole milk, 5 g unsweetened cocoa and 10 ml (2 US tsp) Monin US regular Peppermint Syrup has an estimated 145 kcal and 16.2 g total sugar, with 90 mg reference caffeine. It contains milk and includes no whipped cream, candy or chocolate drizzle. Cocoa contributes about 11.5 mg of that caffeine reference, so decaf espresso alone does not make this mocha caffeine-free.

Serving calculation and source assumptions

USDA whole milk supplies 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar per 100 g: 160 g contributes 97.6 kcal and 8.08 g sugar. Prepared espresso supplies 9 kcal and 212 mg caffeine per 100 g: 36 g contributes 3.24 kcal and 76.32 mg caffeine. Unsweetened cocoa supplies 228 kcal, 1.75 g sugar and 230 mg caffeine per 100 g: 5 g contributes 11.4 kcal, 0.0875 g sugar and 11.5 mg caffeine.

Monin US regular Peppermint Syrup lists 100 kcal and 24 g total and added sugar per 30 ml. The 10 ml portion adds 33.33 kcal and 8 g sugar. The hot total is 145.57 kcal, 16.17 g sugar and 87.82 mg caffeine, rounded above to 145 kcal, 16.2 g and 90 mg.

The iced version uses 120 g milk instead of 160 g: 121.17 kcal and 14.15 g sugar, displayed as 120 kcal and 14.1 g. The 5 ml syrup hot variation calculates to 128.91 kcal and 12.17 g sugar, or 130 kcal and 12.2 g. Calories are rounded to the nearest 5 kcal. These public-record calculations are not measurements of a home extraction; beans, cocoa and ingredient formulations vary.

Is This the Same as Starbucks Peppermint Mocha?

No. Starbucks’ 2025 account of its Peppermint Mocha describes espresso, mocha sauce, peppermint syrup, steamed milk and whipped cream. This home recipe uses weighed unsweetened cocoa and leaves off the topping; it is not a copy of that café formula. For a purchased drink, use its current local menu and your selected size and customizations for ingredients and nutrition.

Starbucks introduced its Peppermint Mocha for the 2002 holiday season. The company says its development team drew on holiday candy flavors, settling on a peppermint version of the familiar caffè mocha.

For another mint coffee, Caffè Pedrocchi pairs espresso with a cool mint-cream topping and cocoa. It is sipped unstirred, so its texture and proportions differ from this mixed, milk-based mocha.

Common Questions

Does peppermint mocha contain coffee?
Yes, this recipe contains espresso. Peppermint hot chocolate leaves out the coffee, although cocoa still contributes some caffeine.
Can I make it decaf?
Use decaf espresso, but replace the regular espresso estimate. Decaf coffee can retain some caffeine, and the cocoa in this recipe contributes a separate caffeine amount.
Can I make it without whipped cream?
Yes. This recipe is already untopped, and its calorie and sugar estimates exclude whipped cream, candy and drizzle.
Can I use peppermint extract instead of syrup?
Not in the same quantity. Use a recipe that specifies your culinary extract and its dose; this formula measures a sweetened beverage syrup.
Does sugar-free syrup make the drink sugar-free?
No. Whole milk still contributes naturally occurring sugar.

Editor's Take

Sources and Further Reading

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