Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte (Ingredients, Taste, Variations, Sizes, Copycat Recipe, Caffeine, Calories, Dairy content & more information)
This Christmas, save money by making your favorite Starbucks Peppermint Mocha at home. Read on to see my simple copycat recipe that closely replicates the latte; you will not know the difference.
Nothing gets me more excited than seeing the Christmas lights going up. Around the same time, my favorite holiday drink, Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte, is added to the Starbucks menu. I cannot resist its unique mocha and peppermint flavor; it is just unworldly.
At times it is hard to wait all year before Starbucks rolls out its holiday drinks menu. So, I researched until I found a copycat recipe that closely replicates the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte. Before I share the recipe with you, let’s go through some important and fun facts about the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte. Read on to learn more about the latte’s ingredients, taste, variations, sizes, copycat recipe, caffeine, calories, and dairy content!
Table of Contents
Brief History of the drink
They say curiosity killed the cat, but I agree that knowledge is power. I like to know the origin of my favorite drinks. The Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte has been my favorite Starbucks drink for the last 10 years. Over this duration, I have done a lot of research on the drink, and I found some interesting facts.
You may already know that the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte was first released in 2002. It quickly became a fan favorite. It tops the list of the fan-favorite holiday drinks at Starbucks. But did you know that traditional holiday candies’ flavors inspire this fan favorite?
The drink was created by adding peppermint to the classic caffè mocha. The Starbucks research team then refined the recipe to produce a perfect blend of the ingredients of the peppermint mocha latte.
Is Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte still available at Starbucks?
The Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte is available at Starbucks during the holiday season. Although this drink is only available for a limited period, the wait is worthwhile. Its name is available on the Starbucks menu throughout the year, but as I have mentioned, you can only order it during the holiday season. Make sure to try out this unworldly drink before the holiday season is over.
Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte (Ingredients, Taste, Variations, Sizes, Caffeine, Calories, Dairy Content)
What’s in a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte – (ingredients)
Ingredients
Now that you know the fascinating story behind the creation of this fantastic drink let’s proceed to what makes it so good. What are the ingredients in the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte? Minus the toppings, the beverage has only four ingredients. According to its website, Starbucks lists the ingredients in the Peppermint Mocha Latte as milk, mocha sauce, brewed espresso, peppermint syrup, whipped cream, and dark chocolate curls. Let’s talk about each one:
- Milk: Starbucks uses 2 percent steamed hot milk and foam when preparing the Peppermint Mocha Latte.
- Brewed Espresso: Starbucks uses its brewed espresso to prepare this latte. When brewing the espresso, hot water is passed through it under high pressure. The espresso has a crema and a caramelly sweetness.
- Mocha sauce: The mocha sauce Starbucks uses for this drink is made of water and cocoa processed with alkali, sugar, and natural flavor.
- Peppermint Syrup: This is what gives the drink its peppermint flavor. The peppermint syrup comprises sugar, natural flavor, water, citric acid, and sodium benzoate.
- Whipped cream: The whipped cream is prepared using cream and vanilla syrup. Starbucks prepares the dark chocolate curls it adds to this drink using sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate mass, vanilla extract, soy lecithin, and milk.
Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte: Sizes, nutrition, Caffeine, Dairy Content & Calories
What sizes are available?
You can choose from the four size options when ordering the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte. You can order a venti (20 fl oz.), a grande (16 fl oz.), a tall (12 fl oz.), or a short (8 fl oz.).
Not everyone likes the peppermint flavor. Therefore, if you are trying the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte for the first time, start with the short serving. If you are impressed by its taste, you can order a bigger serving next time.
Nutritional facts
People, especially dieticians, complain a lot about how unhealthy Starbucks beverages are. However, not all Starbucks drinks are unhealthy. But as much as I like the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte, it is not one of the healthiest drinks, especially if you have an underlying issue or are on a strict diet.
Despite being an unhealthy drink, the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte is only available during the holiday season and should be taken in moderation. I will share important nutritional facts about the drink and let you judge. The facts are based on the standard serving of the drink.
The Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte is one of the high-calorie drinks at Starbucks. A grande serving of this fan-favorite drink contains 440 calories. A significant number of the calories come from the drink’s high carbs content. This drink’s 63 grams of carbs make up 23 percent of your daily carbohydrate requirement. Particularly, its sugar content is too high; it exceeds the daily sugar intake requirement by a large margin.
140 calories that you add to your body after drinking this beverage come from its fat content. The 16 grams of fat make up 21 percent of your daily fat intake requirement. Out of the 16 grams of fat in a standard Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte serving, 10 grams are saturated fats. The 10 grams comprise approximately 50 percent of your daily saturated fat requirement.
The drink contains 45 milligrams of cholesterol, making up 13 percent of your daily cholesterol intake requirement. The grande serving of the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte adds 140 milligrams of sodium to your body. This is 6 percent of your daily sodium intake requirement. Lastly, a grande serving of the drink contains 13 grams of proteins.
The Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte might not be the best drink to order if you have an underlying issue or are on a strict low-carb diet. It would be best if you drank this latte sparingly. Order the short serving if you want to take it regularly when it is available during the holiday season.
Below is a table that summarizes all the facts I’ve discussed above:
| Calorie count | 440 |
| Nutrient Content (per standard serving) | Percentage of Daily Value |
| Total fat (16g)
Trans Fat (0 g) Saturated fat (10g) | 21%
50% |
| Total carbohydrates (63g)
Sugar (54g) Dietary Fiber (4 g) | 23%
14% |
| Proteins (13g) | – |
| Sodium (140mg) | 6% |
| Cholesterol (45mg) | 15% |
Caffeine information
While the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte’s sugar content is high, its caffeine content is moderate. A grande serving of the drink only contains 175 milligrams of caffeine which is common in most lattes. This latte will give you the energy you need to carry out your routine job.
Dairy content
Starbucks uses 2 percent steamed hot milk and foam when preparing this holiday favorite. If you want a vegan version of the latte, you can use coconut, almond, oat, or soy milk instead of the 2 percent milk. You can also replace the milk with non-fat milk if you want to lower the amount of fat in your latte. The milk foam can either be light, moderate, or extra.
So, what does Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte taste like?
Delicious! That is the phrase I would use to describe the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha in one word. This drink has chocolaty and peppermint flavors thanks to the mocha sauce and peppermint syrup.
It has a full-bodied espresso taste mingled with chocolate, peppermint, and whipped cream flavors. A sip of this one-of-a-kind drink will keep you coming back for more.
Ways to Customize a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte at Starbucks – Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte Variations
What I like most about Starbucks is that they give you the freedom to customize your beverage. When ordering the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte, you can swap the flavors, toppings, sweeteners, milk, and tea with other options available on the customizations tab.
For instance, as I mentioned, you can switch the 2 percent milk with oat, coconut, soy, non-fat, almond, or whole milk.
How to make Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte at home- Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte Copycat Recipe
Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- Heat source
- Coffee mugs
- A whisk
Ingredients
- Starbucks espresso roast
- One tablespoon Starbucks Peppermint Syrup
- Two tablespoons of mocha syrup
- Half a cup of 2% milk
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate for shaving
Instructions
- Brew one shot of the Starbucks espresso roast
- Combine the brewed espresso with the mocha syrup and the Starbucks peppermint syrup in a coffee mug and stir
- Heat the milk in a microwave or stove.
- Whisk the warm milk for about 30 seconds to make foam
- Add the milk to the coffee mug containing the base blend
- Top the drink with whipped cream
- Garnish with chocolate shavings
- Serve and enjoy
Notes
- If you are a strong coffee lover, fill two-thirds of the coffee mug with the base blend and top it up with milk.
- For a vegan version of the latte, use plant-based milk (coconut, soy, oat, or almond).
Informative Section
How do you order a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte?
To order a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte, go to the Starbucks website. Customize the latte and click on the “add to order” tab. Please pay and wait for the latte to be ready.
You can also order a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte through the Starbucks app. Open your Starbucks app, enable the location services, and click on the “order” icon. Add the drink to the shopping cart/bag. Choose the Starbucks location where you want to pick your latte. The app will estimate the time it takes for the beverage to be ready for pickup.
How much is the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte
A grande serving of the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha will cost you between $5.75 and $6.65.
Is Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte Good?
Yes, the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte is good. However, you should take it sparingly because of its high calories and sugar content.
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