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Are you drawn to all the holiday drinks that appear on the menu of your favorite coffee shop this time of year? Those festive drinks, pumpkin spice and gingerbread lattes and rich and chocolaty mochas can be hard to resist.
A very popular hot drink at Starbucks every holiday season is the Peppermint Mocha, which combines shots of espresso with steamed milk, sweet mocha sauce and peppermint-flavored syrup. Topped with whipped cream and dark-chocolate curls, it’s a great way to fuel your holiday spirit with creamy caffeinated deliciousness.
The downside is that all that lusciousness can wreak havoc with your weight loss goals and your wallet.
The good news is that you can whip up a homemade hot peppermint mocha with less sugar and far fewer calories in the comfort of your own home. You can drink several of this lighter healthier version of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha for the calories in just one of theirs while saving a ton of money too.
How Many Calories and Weight Watchers Points in this Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha?
According to my calculations, each serving has just 65 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
Compare this to a small Starbucks (aka tall) peppermint mocha made with 2% milk and topped with “whip,” which has 350 calories, 42 grams of sugar and 13 grams of fat (8 saturated) and 11 Weight Watchers Points.
How to Make Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha
Step 1: Gather and prepare you ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (Hershey’s brand Special Dark works best)
- 2 tablespoons no-calorie sweetener (or 3 packets)
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch ( I use a rounded 1/4 teaspoon)
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee (omit for delicious peppermint hot chocolate.)
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup low-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons light whipped cream (from aerosol can)
Step 2: Place cocoa powder, sugar substitute, and cornstarch in a large microwave-safe coffee mug.
Step 3: Whisk in water and instant coffee if desired.
Step 4: Place cup in the microwave and heat on high for one minute (Keep an eye on i to make sure it does not boil over. (Alternatively, you can heat the mixture in a small saucepan).
Step 5: Remove chocolate coffee mixture from heat and stir in peppermint and milk. Return to microwave (affiliate link) for 30 seconds. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- This healthier, lower calorie version of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha uses unsweetened cocoa powder, peppermint extract, non-calorie sweetener, cornstarch, instant coffee and low fat milk.
- To keep this peppermint mocha super easy to make I use instant coffee. You can always substitute fresh brewed hot coffee of your choice or espresso if you prefer. (Strong coffee is key.)
- To turn this simple recipe into a rich and delicious peppermint hot chocolate, just omit the instant coffee.
- I usually use low-fat milk to keep the calories low while providing some richness. Whole milk provides a richer taste, for a few more calories, while nonfat milk can be used for a few calories less. Substitute light vanilla soy milk (or non-dairy milk such as almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk or coconut milk beverage) for a dairy-free version.
- Substitute sugar free chocolate syrup for the unsweetened cocoa powder and non-calorie sweetener if you like.
- I use peppermint extract to make my lighter healthier minty mochas. You could substitute peppermint flavor sugar-free syrup or peppermint flavored stevia for the peppermint extract and sweetener all in one.
If you’ve made this Low Calorie, Low Fat Peppermint Mocha, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Homemade Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
- 2 tablspoons no calorie sweetener (I used 1 tablespoon Truvia (affiliate link))
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch (I used a heaping 1/4 teaspoon)
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup low fat milk (or milk of your choice)
- 2 tablespoon light whipped cream (from aerosol can)
Instructions
- Place cocoa powder, sweetener, and cornstarch in a large microwave (affiliate link)-safe coffee mug. Whisk in water and instant coffee if desired.
- Place cup in the microwave and heat on high for one minute (it’s good to keep an eye on to be sure it does not boil over. (Alternatively, you can heat the mixture in a small pot).
- Remove from heat and stir in peppermint and milk. Return to microwave for 30 seconds.
- Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 2 PointsPlus (Old plan)
- This healthier, lower calorie version of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha uses unsweetened cocoa powder, peppermint extract, non-calorie sweetener, cornstarch, instant coffee and low fat milk.
- To keep this peppermint mocha super easy to make I use instant coffee. You can always substitute fresh brewed hot coffee of your choice or espresso if you prefer. (Strong coffee is key.)
- To turn this simple recipe into a rich and delicious peppermint hot chocolate, just omit the instant coffee.
- I usually use low-fat milk to keep the calories low while providing some richness. Whole milk provides a richer taste, for a few more calories, while nonfat milk can be used for a few calories less. Substitute light vanilla soy milk (or non-dairy milk such as almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk or coconut milk beverage) for a dairy-free version.
- Substitute sugar free chocolate syrup for the unsweetened cocoa powder and non-calorie sweetener if you like.
- I use peppermint extract to make my lighter healthier minty mochas. You could substitute peppermint flavor sugar-free syrup or peppermint flavored stevia for the peppermint extract and sweetener all in one.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe source: Eat What You Love Everyday (affiliate link) my Marlene Koch
