Vegan Oat Milk Peppermint Mocha Latte

As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I am in full-blown Christmas mode.

To be quite honest with you, I’m in full-blown Christmas mode now. I’m just so incredibly excited for all the happy, warm, cozy vibes that the holiday season brings each year.

And there’s nothing more Christmas-y in my mind than the peppermint mocha.

I’m typically a coffee purist: coffee with unsweetened almond milk is my go-to. But when we see our first flurry and Bing Crosby starts croonin’ those holiday tunes, I start craving my rich, sweet, caffeine-filled holly jolly vice: a peppermint mocha latte.

If you think about it, it shouldn’t work; peppermint and coffee… sounds so very wrong. But with the addition of chocolate? Per. Fect. Ion.

My vegan version is super easy to make at home, and (in my opinion) it hits the coffee/chocolate/peppermint balance in just the right way. Not toothpaste-y, not too rich… just thick, creamy, roll-your-eyes-into-the-back-of-your-head goodness.

Our cast of characters include:

• Vegan Chocolate Chips
• Peppermint Extract
• Coffee
• Steamed and Frothed Oat Milk
• Vegan Whipped Cream
• Crushed Candy Canes

And to ensure complete and total peppermint mocha success, here are some tips for ya:

The Chocolate

I loved using chocolate chips here (mine were of the semi-sweet variety) instead of cocoa powder since they have cocoa butter and/or fats added. More luscious and creamy that way, and we’re all about that this time of year, yeah?

And! Since chocolate chips have sugar added, we don’t need to add any extra. Huzzah for a short ingredient list!

The Peppermint

Use peppermint extract and not peppermint oil, which would be much too strong and toothpaste-y than what we’re after here. I used this guy, but I’ve also used this in the past!

The Coffee

You can use your fave here. I just used leftover coffee from the morning because I had it on hand. I’d suggest making it a wee bit stronger than usual if you can so that the flavor really comes through and balances the sweetness in this drink!

The Oat Milk

I love frothing milk, and there are a few different ways you can do it at home:

1. I have this handy milk frother, and I love it. Froths and heats the milk all in one go!
2. Add milk to a jar and microwave until steaming. Add a lid, cover the lid with a towel to protect your hands, and carefully shake until frothed.
3. Heat milk on the stove and either whisk vigorously (doesn’t work great, but it’s fine in a pinch) or add it to a french press. You can quickly move the press up and down to froth the milk.

The Topping

As for the vegan whipped cream and crushed candy canes for topping… of course they’re optional. But are they really? That’s up to you, but I know what my answer is: they’re definitely not optional.

And that’s a wrap! It’s a super simple recipe, especially if you have some of this morning’s coffee left over and in need of a glow-up.

This, my friend, is the reason for the season.

Print