Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha (Taste, Ingredients Caffeine, Calories, Copycat Recipe & More Information)
Instead of waiting for the holidays to drink the popular Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha, learn how to make it in the comfort of your own home at any time of the year. Take a look at some tips on how to customize this delicious drink.
Christmas being one of my favorite holidays, I thought it couldn’t get any better than the snow, Christmas trees, presents, lights, and carols. This was before I had a taste of the Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha which is one of their most popular holiday beverages. If you are a chocolate lover like me, this drink will most likely be ranked in your top three favorite Starbucks drinks. The addition of peppermint to it makes it even better.
The beauty of it is that you can drink it in various ways based on your interests. You can make it sweeter, reduce the sugar, change the toppings or remove them altogether, but the drink will still maintain its deliciousness. In addition to that, the customization boosts your creativity and it also makes it fun. After the holiday season, I couldn’t rest until I figured out how to make the drink myself and after much research, I finally found the recipe and some interesting facts about the Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha.
Table of Contents
Brief History of the Drink
You know that amazing feeling when you first take a bite (in my case sip) of something new and you instantly love it? It was a Wednesday afternoon when I made my way to Starbucks and decided to order the Iced Peppermint Mocha for the first time. I loved it so much that it prompted me to dig deep and find out a little about its history.
One might assume that since it is the most popular holiday beverage, it is bound to be the first that was created. However, this is not the case. The Peppermint Mocha was introduced for the 2002 holiday season. The R & D team worked tirelessly to come up with another perfect drink after the launch of the Gingerbread Latte that would resonate with customers and provide a touch of the festivities. Their first idea was a white chocolate cranberry beverage but after further assessment, they added a peppermint-flavored twist to the Caffè Mocha and refined the recipe to come up with the Peppermint Mocha. The Iced Peppermint Mocha is Starbucks’ customization of the Peppermint Mocha.
Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha Overview
What’s in a Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha – (Ingredients)
One can’t help but wonder about the components of this amazing beverage. The main ingredients are milk (or non-dairy alternative), ice, four pumps of mocha sauce, brewed espresso, four pumps of peppermint-flavored syrup, whipped cream, and dark chocolate curls. The peppermint mocha contains two shots of the Starbucks signature espresso. The beverage also contains 2% milk which is the standard amount unless specified otherwise.
Starbucks states that there are no allergens in the drink. However, this is not guaranteed since the company uses shared equipment in the storage, preparation, and serving. Therefore, it is advisable for customers with allergies to take a look at the ingredient information on the label of the packaged product before drinking.
Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha: Sizes, Nutrition, Caffeine, and Calories
What Sizes are available
When ordering the peppermint mocha, there are three sizes available. You can either have the tall size (12 fl oz), Grande (16 fl oz), or Venti (24 fl oz). You can decide on which size to order depending on several factors such as your pocket or how much of a sweet tooth you are.
Nutritional facts
With Starbucks’ reputation for preparing beverages with a high-calorie intake which mainly comes from carbs and sugar, it is expected that this seasonal beverage will follow this trend. A Grande size of this beverage contains 11 grams of saturated fat, and 54 grams of sugar making the calorie intake quite high. Therefore, it is best to have the peppermint mocha once in a while and not every day.
Below are some of the nutrition facts for the Iced Peppermint Mocha:
Serving size for the 16 fl oz (Grande)
| Calories | 420 |
| Nutrient Content | % of the daily value |
| Total Fat 17g
Saturated Fat 11g Trans Fat 0.5g | 22%
55% |
| Cholesterol 50mg | 17% |
| Sodium 90mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrates 57g
Dietary Fiber 4g Sugars 49g | 14% |
| Protein 9g | – |
However, if you want to minimize your calorie intake the next time you order this drink, there are a few tips you can use during your order. You can order a tall instead of a Grande thus saving 90 calories. If you order the Grande, you can opt for almond milk instead of 2% milk to save 80 calories. You can also order the Grande with non-fat or coconut milk to save 50 and 40 calories respectfully. Skipping the whipped cream is also guaranteed to save 70 calories.
Caffeine Information
The Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha contains the most caffeine of the Starbucks Iced Espresso drinks therefore it would not be advisable if you’re avoiding a lot of caffeine. However, an adult can still take it without adverse issues. The tall peppermint mocha size contains 95mg, the Grande is 17mg in strength while the Venti is 265 mg in strength.
So, what does the Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha taste like?
I believe that a person’s perception of food or drinks begins by how it’s represented and for the Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha, the representation is a 10 out of 10 with its inviting brown color of the peppermint mocha ice, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings at the top. It looks very sweet.
Now getting to the taste, when you first sip the drink you’re welcomed with a peppermint taste, and with a few more sips the chocolate taste kicks in and becomes more prominent. Therefore, if you’re a fan of dark chocolate, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. To give you a clearer picture, the drink essentially tastes like the Caffè Mocha with a hint of peppermint flavor.
Ways to customize a Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks
Regardless of how delicious a drink is, one might drink it so many times until it gets redundant but luckily, Starbucks gives the option to customize your favorite drinks so you can have them in so many different ways therefore it is quite difficult to get bored with a particular drink. With a few tweaks and tricks, Starbucks has found ways to give the Peppermint Mocha a different yet still delicious taste.
Firstly, you can opt for the hot Peppermint Mocha instead of the Iced one, especially since it’s the winter season. You can also order the Peppermint Mocha as a Frappuccino if you are not a sweet tooth. If you’d rather, have it as a Frappuccino, you can stir in some java chips for an extra chocolate flavor. For those who want some extra sweetness, you can add some vanilla or caramel. Changing the milk option will also give the beverage a different taste.
How to make Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha at home – Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- Espresso machine
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Stirring Spoon
Ingredients
- Peppermint extract
- 2 shots of espresso
- 1 cup of ice-cold milk
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of powdered baking cocoa
- 1 cup of ice cubes
- Whipped cream
- Mini chocolate shavings
- Water
Instructions
- Start by making the peppermint syrup by mixing 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of filtered water and mix. Put it on the stove to boil until it becomes thick and the sugar dissolves.
- Add one teaspoon of peppermint extract to the mixture and stir. Leave it to cool.
- Prepare the 2 shots of espresso.
- Combine the powdered baking cocoa, espresso, milk, and 3 teaspoons of peppermint syrup and blend well.
- Pour the mixture over ice cubes in the serving glass and top it off with whipped cream.
- Sprinkle chocolate shavings to garnish.
Notes
- If you want to make the drink sweeter, you can add a pump of vanilla or caramel.
- To reduce the sweetness of the drink, you can reduce the amount of sugar used.
- You can decide to make the peppermint syrup at home or buy it from the store.
- If you want to reduce the number of calories in the drink, you can exclude the whipped cream and use non-fat milk instead.
- For a vegan option, you can use plant-based milk such as almond milk.
Informative Section
Is Starbucks Peppermint Mocha better hot or cold?
The Peppermint Mocha tastes as good iced as it does hot.
Is Starbucks Peppermint Mocha seasonal?
The Starbucks Peppermint Mocha is available all year round.
How much caffeine is in Peppermint Mocha?
The tall peppermint mocha size contains 95mg, the Grande is 17mg in strength while the Venti is 265 mg in strength.
How do I order a low-calorie Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks?
You can request non-fat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk. Ordering half the pumps of Mocha sauce and Peppermint syrup will reduce the calories. You can also exclude the whipped cream.
Where can I find the Starbucks peppermint syrup for my homemade peppermint mocha?
You can find it in a Starbucks store, Walmart, Target, or Amazon.
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