Vegan Peppermint Mocha

Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy: This recipe only requires 5 ingredients and it's super easy to make in less than 10 minutes. You can even make a big batch of the peppermint mocha creamer ahead of time for extra quick assembly!
• Balanced flavor profile: This vegan peppermint mocha combines all of our favorite things - coffee, chocolate, and a side of holiday cheer! It's not too minty, not too sweet, but the perfect combination of ingredients for a festive morning drink.
• Holiday treat: Perfect for your next snow day, regular December weekday, or really any morning, this peppermint mocha is the best way to start your day.
• Decadent and delicious: This super rich holiday treat is perfect for getting in the holiday spirit. It's creamy, chocolatey, and oh so delicious, guaranteed to impress anyone you make it for.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this vegan peppermint mocha:

Ingredient Notes

• Cocoa powder: When it comes to cocoa powder, we always opt for unsweetened. You’ll be adding sweetener in the form of maple syrup so extra sugar isn't necessary here! That said, if you decide to use sweetened, it will still work fine. You may just want to adjust the maple syrup to your preferred sweetness level.
• Peppermint extract: for the perfect amount of refreshing peppermint flavor, peppermint extract is your best bet. A little goes a long way with extract - trust us on this. Be sure to measure it to prevent over-adding.
• Espresso: Freshly brewed, hot espresso is an essential ingredient in this vegan peppermint mocha.
  • If you don't have an espresso machine/espresso beans, use the darkest roast you can. You can also simply make double strength regular coffee. Plus, if you're caffeine sensitive, you can absolutely make this with decaffeinated coffee/espresso.
  • Note that 1 shot of espresso is equal to 1 fluid ounce. We use a double shot of espresso in this recipe (2 ounces), so if you are using regular brewed coffee, you should use 2 ounces (¼ cup).
• Maple syrup: This is our sweetener of choice in this recipe, but you can also substitute with agave syrup, another liquid sweetener, or even regular sugar. Note: if using regular (or brown) sugar, make sure to heat and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Nondairy coffee creamer: We typically use an unsweetened oat milk-based coffee creamer. Unsweetened is best as it will allow you to control the amount of sweetness you're adding to this mocha. If using sweetened, you may want to cut back slightly on the maple syrup.
  • Vegan coffee creamer recommendations: We absolutely LOVE Nutpods. They have a great range of unsweetened options, including a seasonally available peppermint mocha flavor, which you can use as a shortcut to this recipe if you'd like! We also enjoy Oatly barista edition and Califia Farms among many other excellent options available at most grocery stores.

Instructions

(1) Brew espresso into a large mug.

(2) Add all ingredients (except the espresso) to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk well, until the cocoa powder is dissolved and the milk is hot (there's no need to boil it).

(3) Use a handheld milk frother to froth the peppermint mocha mixture. 

Pour the peppermint mocha creamer into the brewed espresso. Optional: top with nondairy whipped cream and crushed candy canes.

Tips and FAQs

• Make ahead: If you love this recipe as much as we do, increase the ingredient quantities and make a big batch to have on hand all week! We like to 8x the recipe to have enough for the whole family for a few days. Store the leftover creamer in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 5 days (but be sure to shake/whisk well before enjoying).
• Load up the toppings: It's December, why not treat yourself? We load up our peppermint mochas with all the toppings: vegan whipped cream, crushed candy canes, even our homemade vegan peppermint bark!
  • It's extra delicious paired with some of our favorite holiday treats, like our Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Gingerbread Coffee Cake and/or homemade Vegan Toffee.
  • Instead of whipped cream, serve this up with some mini marshmallows! (Or if that got you in the mood for hot cocoa, check out this post for 5 vegan hot chocolate recipes.)
• Make it iced: This vegan peppermint mocha tastes equally as good iced as it does hot. Simply let the espresso and homemade creamer come to room temperature before serving. Then, just pour the two over ice! No need to froth the milk for an iced version.

More Holiday Drinks to Enjoy

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