Do you like your coffee or hot chocolate strong and sweet? This Espresso Peppermint Hot Chocolate brings the best of both worlds to the table! You can enjoy your hot chocolate and also the sweetness of the peppermint.
Anything peppermint is super popular around the holidays. You can expect that this Espresso Peppermint Hot Chocolate is just as popular. Sometimes you need to switch up your drink choices and this is the perfect treat this holiday season!
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate is believed to have been invented as early as 500 BC and originated in Mexico by the Mayans. The Mayans made a drink with ground up cocoa seeds that were mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers.
The Mayan version was completely different than what we drink today, however, that was the first recorded instance of a hot chocolate-like drink.
I am so glad that they invented this comforting drink even if what we drink is different. I love a warm cup of hot cocoa on a cold day, and I love it even more with peppermint in it.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Warm and comforting – Hot Cocoa with Espresso is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day. I love warming up from the inside out.
Flavorful and creamy – This Peppermint Hot Chocolate recipe is full of creamy peppermint flavor and will make your tastebuds sing.
Easy to make – This fancy hot chocolate recipe is so easy to make and is perfect to celebrate the holiday season.
Tastes gourmet – There is no need to spend $5 or more on a cup of Espresso Hot Chocolate at a coffee shop when you can make this at home for half the price and it tastes just as good.
Ingredients
Use a clear shot of the ingredients for this recipe, prepped, and labeled if necessary. Insert the ingredients into the list below, omitting quantities.
- Espresso – already made
- peppermint syrup
- water
- hot chocolate mix or keurig hot chocolate cup
- milk; frothed
- whipped topping
- crushed peppermint candies; for topping
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Espresso Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Brew two shots of espresso. Add one pump of peppermint syrup to the cup. Add in two shots of espresso and brewed hot chocolate.
Froth milk and top off the drink with the frothed milk. Top with whipped topping and crushed peppermint candies.
Substitutions
Looking for substitution because you don’t have something on hand?
- Candy canes – Don’t have peppermint on hand? Crush up a candy cane and add it on top!
- Regular coffee – If you don’t have any espresso on hand, you can always use regular coffee!
- Homemade whipped cream – When you don’t have any store-bought whipped cream on hand, you can make your own!
It’s easy to sub things out when you don’t have something you need on hand. Hopefully, you can use some of these ideas!
Variations
Did you know you can take a basic recipe and switch it up? You can add variations to the recipe to make it your own!
- Chocolate – Add a little touch of chocolate on top of this drink! Shaved chocolate pieces on this drink can make it feel like heaven.
- Leave the whipped cream off – This recipe is just as yummy without whipped cream. If you don’t like the creaminess, leave it out!
- Kid-friendly – You can even make this recipe into hot chocolate! Leave the espresso out. Leaving out the espresso will make this recipe kid-friendly.
Do you like candy cane recipes? Give this Candy Cane Pie a try!
Equipment
You only need a few helpful kitchen tools to make this Espresso hot chocolate recipe.
- Coffee maker
- frother
- mug
Storage
You can make this Espresso Peppermint Hot Chocolate ahead of time. Just make sure you heat it up before serving. Only make ahead 24-48 hours!
Tips
If you are serving this hot chocolate to little ones, try and leave the espresso out! Another tip for serving kids is to make it not as hot!
If you want to cool this drink down quickly to make it kid-friendly you can add milk or ice cubes to your hot chocolate.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
It’s actually called cafe mocha.
The answer is yes, you can! You can order a regular hot chocolate with espresso added. Don’t forget to ask for whipped cream on top.
If you have peppermint leaves on hand, you can crush them to make the flavor. Mint is not the same as peppermint, but will work in a pinch if you don’t have peppermint on hand!
More Holiday Recipes
Do you enjoy other holiday goodies? Try these delicious recipes:
Espresso Peppermint Hot Chocolate
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Espresso Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Equipment
- Coffee Maker
- Frother
- Mug
Ingredients
- 2 shots Espresso
- 1 teaspoon peppermint syrup
- ¾ cup water
- hot chocolate mix or keurig hot chocolate cup
- ⅓ cup milk; frothed
- whipped topping
- crushed peppermint candies; for topping
Instructions
- Brew two shots of espresso. Add one pump peppermint syrup to the cup. Add in two shots of espresso and brewwed hot chocolate.
- Froth milk and top off drink with the frothed milk. Top with whipped topping and crushed peppermint candies.
