Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha Recipe

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. 

Homemade Lighter Healthier Peppermint Mocha Garnished with Candy Canes and Mini Marshmallows

How Many Calories and Weight Watchers Points in this Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha?

According to my calculations, each serving has 65 calories. To see your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

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 do you make a Skinny 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)
¼ teaspoon cornstarch ( I use a rounded ¼ teaspoon)
⅔ cup warm water
½ teaspoon instant coffee (omit for delicious peppermint hot chocolate.)
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
¼ 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 for 30 seconds. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

What’s in a skinny peppermint mocha?

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 & 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. 

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Homemade Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha

All the classic peppermint mocha taste in an easy lighter healthier homemade version. While the recipe calls for low fat milk, feel free to substitute whatever milk you prefer. Skim milk, regular milk, or any of the non-dairy milks will all work.
Course Beverage
Cuisine American
Keyword low fat peppermint mocha
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 65kcal
Author Martha | Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)2 tablspoons no calorie sweetener (I used 1 tablespoon Truvia)¼ teaspoon cornstarch (I used a heaping ¼ teaspoon) cup warm water½ teaspoon instant coffee teaspoon peppermint extract¼ 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-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

Serving Size: Entire Recipe

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 & 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. 

To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

Old Personal Points Value: 2

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1.5g

Recipe source: Eat What You Love Everyday my Marlene Koch

*PersonalPoints® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan’s ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

If you like this Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha Recipe, you might also like…

The Best Sugar Free Hot Cocoa Mix
Weight Watchers Low Calorie Hot Chocolate Recipe
Skinny Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.

A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.

She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she’s not experimenting in the kitchen, you’re likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.

More about Martha McKinnon

This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!

The post Low Calorie Peppermint Mocha Recipe appeared first on Simple Nourished Living.

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