How to Make Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Every winter I look forward to sipping on a rich and creamy Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls, every sip of a Starbucks hot chocolate is a delight.

What makes Starbucks hot chocolate so special is that it’s a combination of chocolatey mocha sauce and steamed milk.

What makes a peppermint hot chocolate so special is that the peppermint flavor makes this drink a holiday classic.

You may be wondering, what’s the difference between a Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate and a Peppermint Mocha? Espresso. That’s the difference.

What the two drinks have in common, however, is a decadent combination of chocolate, peppermint and cream.

Now, I know hot cocoa has a reputation for being a kid’s drink. But I’m here to tell you, hot chocolate from Starbucks is a treat for everyone.

Let’s take a look at exactly how a Starbucks barista whips together this drink.

How Starbucks Makes Peppermint Hot Chocolate

What I love about the Starbucks hot chocolate recipe is that it’s milked-based and made with mocha sauce.

This is why their hot chocolate drinks are all so rich and creamy.

In other words, sipping on a cozy cup of hot chocolate from Starbucks is nothing like hot cocoa made from those instant packets and boiling water.

RELATED RECIPES: Starbucks Hot Chocolate Copycat Recipe and Starbucks Peppermint White Hot Chocolate Copycat Recipe

Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate Ingredients

• Peppermint Syrup
• Mocha Sauce
• Steamed 2% Milk
• Whipped Cream
• Chocolate Curls

Additionally, you should know that Starbucks mocha sauce is bittersweet.

That’s why I recommend using dark chocolate cocoa and not milk chocolate in my copycat recipe below.

Keep in mind, the syrup and sugar will provide just the right amount of sweetness.

Peppermint Syrup

The peppermint flavor in this hot chocolate recipe comes from peppermint syrup.

Did you know, you can get a bottle of Starbucks Peppermint Syrup online?

Additionally, grocery stores often sell flavored syrup brands such as Torani and Monin. Though, the variety of flavors is often limited.

On the other hand, if you have a few minutes, you should try making my homemade peppermint syrup recipe.

It’s incredibly easy to make at home. All you need is peppermint extract, sugar and water. And boy oh boy is it way cheaper.

In fact, here are a few of my other Starbucks copycat syrup recipes.

• Starbucks Vanilla Syrup in 3 Easy Steps
• Quick and Easy Starbucks Classic Syrup Recipe
• Starbucks Caramel Syrup Recipe

How to Make Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate at Home

Unbelievably, hot chocolate dates back 3,000-4,000 years when the cacao plant was first cultivated in southern Mexico.

According to history.com, instead of eating the cacao, it was made into a drink by grinding the cacao and mixing it with water to make a paste.

Then, the chocolate drink was poured from jug-to-jug to achieve a frothy consistency.

While hot chocolate recipes are easy to whip up, then and now, here are a few modern conveniences that make the job easier.

Step 1: Make Mocha Sauce

The first step in making peppermint hot chocolate from scratch is to make mocha sauce.

You can think of mocha sauce as chocolate syrup. In fact, my Starbucks barista daughter tells me that their mocha sauce is about the consistency of cake batter.

In this recipe, we simply combine dark chocolate cocoa powder, sugar and a little hot water in a mug.

Mix it well with a spoon or frother.

Of course, you can make a large batch of mocha sauce by multiplying the recipe.

Step 2: Add Syrup

Once the mocha sauce has been mixed in a mug, simply add the peppermint syrup.

Really there’s no need to stir at this point.

Step 3: Steam Milk

Next, to make your copycat Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate, steam the milk.

Starbucks uses 2% dairy milk and that’s also what I recommend.

Of course, you can switch the type of milk, just be aware that as the milk’s fat content decreases, so does the hot chocolate’s creaminess.

To steam the milk you can heat it up on the stove, in the microwave or using an electric frother.

Obviously, if you have an espresso machine with a steam wand, use that.

Aerating or frothing the milk is an important step since it bumps up the creaminess factor even more.

Therefore, if you heated the milk using a stove or microwave, I highly recommend using a handheld frother. Luckily, they’re super inexpensive.

Step 4: Garnish with Toppings

Lastly, the fun part, add whipped cream and chocolate curls.

While this step is entirely optional, I don’t recommend skipping it. I mean, a little whipped cream, with every sip of peppermint flavored hot chocolate is what makes this drink complete.

To be even more festive during the holidays, you can even sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top, as well.

Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe