DIY: Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha

This DIY version of a peppermint white chocolate mocha is simple to make, sweet, and incredibly cozy. With creamy white chocolate and cool, frosty peppermint, this warm coffee beverage is the ultimate winter treat!

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My love for peppermint and chocolate runs deep, but my love for peppermint and white chocolate is - in at least some contexts - even stronger. Hear me out: white chocolate on its own is one-dimensional and overly sweet. BUT, its creamy sweetness makes it the perfect base for the intensely frosty flavor of peppermint - take my favorite white chocolate peppermint cookies as proof.

And white chocolate in coffee? *Dreamy* Like I said: it's sweet, it's creamy, it's made for coffee. Add those three flavors together and you have the ultimate winter drink: a peppermint white chocolate mocha.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to make a peppermint white mocha
• How to froth milk for a mocha
• Making this mocha iced
• Storage and shelf life for peppermint white chocolate syrup
• Recipe FAQ
• Baked goods to serve with this mocha
• More coffee beverages
• Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments and Reviews

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this peppermint white chocolate mocha recipe:

• heavy cream
• granulated sugar
• white chocolate - Be sure to use a high-quality chocolate bar, and not white chocolate chips. The bars contain a higher percentage of cocoa butter, which will ensure that they melt more smoothly and evenly.
• peppermint extract
• whole milk - This is my preference for any sort of coffee or tea beverage since it has the creamiest and most neutral flavor. If you typically prefer a different type of milk or dairy-free milk alternative in your coffee, you can use that instead.
• espresso or strongly brewed coffee - If you have an espresso machine, I'd recommend using 2 shots of espresso in this drink. Otherwise, you can use 6 ounces of strongly-brewed coffee to achieve a similar flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of espresso/coffee used to taste. Use decaf coffee to make this a decaf mocha.
• whipped cream - Technically optional, but highly recommended! And if you want a true coffee shop-style mocha, whipped cream is a must. You can use store-bought whipped cream, or (preferably) make your own. Instructions for that are in the recipe notes!

How to make a peppermint white mocha

Best thing about this recipe: it takes less time to make than it would take to go to your nearest coffee shop and buy a mocha. Here are the basic steps:

Make the peppermint white chocolate syrup:

First, you'll need to make the syrup that's used to flavor this mocha. This takes about 10 minutes, and once done, you'll have enough to make (approximately) 12 mochas.

To do it, start by heating cream and sugar on the stove over medium heat. Once the mixture is *just* starting to boil, pour it over a bowl filled with your chopped white chocolate, and let it sit for 5 minutes. (This is essentially the same process that's used to make chocolate ganache, but in this case, we're using a higher volume of cream for a more fluid finished product.) After 5 minutes, whisk the mixture until smooth. Your syrup is now ready to use!

Make a peppermint white chocolate mocha:

Once the syrup is made, combine one serving's worth (I like to use two tablespoons) with your milk of choice. Heat and froth the mixture like you would for a latte - I'll go over options for frothing in the next section. Pour your coffee/espresso in a mug, top with frothed milk, and finish with whipped cream and crushed candy cane pieces.

Now picture yourself at home, cozied up in your comfiest sweats and slippers, drinking a mocha that looks like it was just handed to you by a barista. That can be you (in just 15 minutes) with this recipe!

How to froth milk for a mocha

The easiest (and most effective) way to froth milk for lattes, mochas, and other coffee or tea beverages is to use a milk frother. Some can froth both hot and cold milk, which is the best case scenario. If you don't own one, you can achieve a similar effect using the mason jar method:

Pour the milk and white chocolate syrup into a large mason jar - you'll want to have enough room for the mixture to increase in volume. Shake vigorously, and then transfer to the microwave and heat for 30-60 seconds. This will heat the milk and create a frothy layer of foam for your drink.

Making this mocha iced

Although I lean towards warm beverages in the winter - and this peppermint white mocha is very winter-appropriate - you can also make this recipe as an iced mocha. Just swap the coffee for chilled coffee or cold brew, and skip heating up the milk. You can either use the cold froth setting on your milk frother to combine the milk and syrup (best option) or shake them up in a mason jar. Pour the mixture over ice for an extra-frosty drink!

Storage and shelf life for peppermint white chocolate syrup

Once made, the syrup for this mocha can be stored in an airtight jar or other container and refrigerated; it will keep for at least a couple of weeks. It may thicken slightly when chilled, so shake well before using.

Recipe FAQ

Baked goods to serve with this mocha

Serving your coffee with a baked good isn't required of course, but if you're really aiming to feel like you're at your favorite coffee shop while drinking this mocha, it'll complete the vibe! Here are a few great options to pair with this recipe:

• Peppermint Brownies {gluten-free}
• Boozy Chocolate-Peppermint Layer Cake with Peppermint White Chocolate Frosting {gluten-free}
• Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Peppermint Mocha Ganache
• Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Marshmallows - You could swap the whipped cream in this mocha for homemade peppermint marshmallows!
• Double Chocolate Muffins {gluten-free option included} - Talk about a chocolatey breakfast combo!
• Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes {gluten-free and dairy-free options}

More coffee beverages

While your on a roll saving money and making all your favorite coffee shop drinks at home, here are a few other recipes to try!

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Quick Note: This is an updated version of a post that originally appeared on Bright-Eyed Baker in 2014. Updates include new text and photos, as well as some very minor tweaks to the recipe.