What’s your favorite seasonal flavor? Is it caramel apple in September? Pumpkin spice in October? Gingerbread in December? For me, it’s peppermint, hands down. From the minute it becomes seasonally appropriate in late November to its final lingering days in January, I’m all in on all things peppermint chocolate.
A few years ago I shared a recipe for a peppermint mocha latte and, while it was good, I’ve definitely improved my approach to homemade specialty lattes in the years since. I’ve realized a thick homemade syrup is the best way to recreate a coffee shop taste and, for peppermint mocha, a cocoa powder based syrup does the trick.
After trying several recipes, I tweaked mine to land on this iteration. It’s simple. It’s thick. It’s perfectly balanced between chocolate and peppermint. And it’s as good as anything you’ll order in a café this season.
Peppermint Mocha Coffee Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Bring sugar, cocoa powder, and water to a boil, as if you’re making a simple syrup. As soon as it boils, lower the heat to a simmer and whisk together the ingredients. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally whisking yet again. Turn off the heat and let cool. Store in airtight bottle in fridge for up to two weeks.
Note: if you use less water, your syrup will be significantly thicker (which may be what you want!). This is more of a chocolate syrup consistency than a simple syrup. You can use it over ice cream or cake in addition to in a latte.
