Perfected Sugar-Free Peppermint Mocha

Taking a break from big, heavy topics to bring you a little cup of sugar-free heaven. I’m addicted to Starbucks’ peppermint mocha, and I’ve tried off and on for quite a while to make a suitable sugar-free substitute at home. I’m convinced the last piece of the puzzle was creating a lovely peppermint syrup made with Stevia in the Raw — I got off Splenda a few months ago, when I started to notice that foods sweetened with actual sugar had started tasting not-sweet-enough, so I’m thinking the Splenda altered my taste perceptions a bit.

Anyway, this morning, I think I hit on the perfect recipe for a nice, big cup of minty mocha in a mug. I think you’ll like it too!

Perfect Peppermint Mocha – Sugar-Free!

12 oz. hot coffee
1 packet of sugar-free hot cocoa mix (or use the Bonus Round recipe below)
1 oz. sugar-free peppermint syrup (recipe below)
heavy cream or half-and-half to taste

Blend cocoa mix into hot coffee. Add remaining ingredients.

SF Peppermint Syrup

12 oz. hot water
1.5 cups sweetener (I prefer Stevia in the Raw)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Mix sweetener and water, then either heat on the stove or in the
microwave. (I heat it in the microwave for two minutes.) Add
extracts and stir again.

Bonus Round: SF Hot Cocoa Mix!

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup sweetener (Stevia in the Raw)

Sift together and use about half the mixture per beverage. Or double/triple/quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight container. Use about a 1/4 cup of the mix per beverage.