With millions of views since its publication in 2014 and an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars, this recipe for homemade peppermint mocha creamer will be your new favorite way to drink your holiday coffee. With only 5 major ingredients (+ water!) and 5 minutes of your time, you can skip the store-bought and make this holiday favorite year round! Bonus: make it dairy free using your favorite non-dairy milk!
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water and heat until sugar is just dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (120mL) water, 1 and ½ Tablespoons (8g) unsweetened cocoa powder1, ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Add half-and-half (if desired) to a ratio of your liking. I prefer a 1:1 ratio. You may also leave the syrup as a standalone flavoring. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks, shaking very well before using.
¾ cup (90mL) half-and-half, milk, or cream2
Notes
Cocoa powder: you can use regular, dark, or Dutch processed. I prefer the latter, but have used all 3 kinds in my years of making this recipe dozens of times.
Dairy: you can keep this vegan/dairy-free by using your favorite non-dairy milk. Be sure you're using an unsweetened variety.
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.