It’s back. THE famous Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte. Truly a classic. I could drink one every day.

Buuuuttttt, then I would be broke. I love a Peppermint Mocha but I can’t justify going every single day and spending that much money.

So I came up with a solution – make my own Peppermint Mocha Sauce at home so I can drink one every day. I save money AND I never have to leave my house (unashamed homebody over here).

This sauce is delicious and really tastes like a Peppermint Mocha Latte from Starbucks! The typical latte at Starbucks is made with two syrups – Mocha Sauce and Peppermint Syrup. But I wanted the ease of ONE syrup/sauce to add to my espresso so I came up with this recipe that combines the two. Any way that I can simplify little things in my life is a huge help. I’m a mom of two babies – one is 1.5 years and the other is 4 months. Which means I need coffee and I need it fast haha.

This Peppermint Mocha Sauce uses cocoa powder and peppermint oil, NOT extract.

You might ask –

What’s the difference between peppermint extract and peppermint oil?

“Peppermint oil and peppermint extract are two very different ingredients. Peppermint oil is the pure essential oil derived from peppermint leaves. Peppermint extract is a mixture of peppermint essential oils and alcohol. Peppermint oil is quite strong, so you need to dilute it for most uses. The oil is about four times as strong as the extract.” (SimplyRecipes.com)

Where can I buy peppermint oil?

You may be able to find it at your local grocery store. Or if you have a specialty candy shop or cake supply type store, you will find it there. You can also order it on Amazon – this is the kind we have used for years for baking.

You’ll definitely want to make a batch (or a double batch!) of this Peppermint Mocha Sauce for the holiday season. It also makes a great host/hostess gift for all those Christmas parties 😉 Just make sure your gift receiver knows to keep it refrigerated.

Peppermint Mocha Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil

Instructions

Add water, sugar, and cocoa powder to a pot.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil for a few minutes, making sure everything is dissolved and combined.
Remove from heat.
Add in peppermint oil and whisk until combined.
Let cool and store in a container in the fridge (a jar works great!)

Notes

Please note that this recipe calls for peppermint oil NOT extract. If using peppermint extract, you will need more than 1/4 teaspoon to taste the peppermint.