Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Name: Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 11 min
Ingredients: 400 ml Skimmed milk; 100 ml Light coconut milk; 2 tbsp Honey; 2 tbsp Cocoa powder; 1 tsp Peppermint extract; Whipped cream and candy canes to serve (optional)

Jump to Recipe

Diet: Gluten Free / Low Fat / Vegetarian

A warming drink, chocolate and candy canes - could this be any more festive? This lightened up Peppermint Hot Chocolate has less sugar than most and that hint of peppermint is sure to get you in the festive mood. Kids will love to decorate this hot chocolate with peppermint too.

Two glasses of hot chocolate with cream, candy canes and a nutcracker figure.

Whilst we love relaxing at the end of the day with a nice glass of wine, there is just something about a warm mug of hot chocolate that fills us with joy and takes us back to being a kid again. Settle down on the sofa on a cold winter night with a mug of something that whole family will love.

Peppermint is such a classic Christmas flavour and once those candy canes hit the store, you know the festive season it here. Mint and chocolate go so well together, this peppermint hot chocolate will have you in the festive mood.

Love mint? Why not try our Raspberry and Mint Water, Mint Chocolate Dessert or Tabbouleh?

Jump to:

Why you will love it
Ingredients needed
How to make peppermint hot chocolate -Step by step
Adding alcohol
Hot chocolate toppings
What to serve with peppermint hot chocolate
Frequently asked questions
Extra tips
More Christmas drinks
Recipe
Feedback

Why you will love it

The best way to start the festive season - This mint hot chocolate is the kind of drink you should make when you are putting up all the Christmas decorations.
Lower in sugar than most hot chocolates - We have used honey to sweeten this peppermint hot chocolate recipe a little, without it being overly sugary.
Under 200 calories a serving - Hot chocolate can be loaded with sugar, but this one if fairly light on calories compared to a Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate.
Great to serve up at a Christmas party - Having a kids Christmas party? Serve these Christmas hot chocolates up in little cups and they will be a hit.
Kids love them - What kid doesn't like hot chocolate? They will love decorating these too.

Ingredients needed

Skimmed milk - This keeps the peppermint hot chocolate a little lighter, but you could use full fat milk to make it even creamier. You could swap it for almond milk for a vegan version.
Coconut milk - This adds so much creaminess, and it isn't too over powering with the coconut flavour. We used light coconut milk to keep it lower in calories, but you could use full fat which would be creamier.
Honey - Just a little honey adds some sweetness to it. You could use maple syrup instead and feel free to adjust it if you want it sweeter.
Cocoa powder - Where all the chocolatey flavour comes from! We used unsweetened cocoa powder and a really good quality one will make a difference.
Peppermint extract - Make sure you use extract rather than essence, as it will have a more natural flavour. You can use peppermint oil too, but it is a much stronger flavour.
Whipped cream and candy canes - These are optional, but we find that they really finish off the peppermint hot chocolates and add to the Christmas vibe.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

How to make peppermint hot chocolate -Step by step

One: Put the skimmed milk and coconut milk in to a pan and bring to the boil.

A saucepan with milk, cocoa powder and vanilla.

Two: Stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mixed hot chocolate in a saucepan with a whisk.

Three: Pour in to mugs and top with cream and crumbled candy canes.

Adding alcohol

If you are hosting a Christmas party and want to have something festive and non-alcoholic to serve up, then these peppermint hot chocolates would be perfect. Equally, a little glug of Baileys or something similar would go really well in this.

Hot chocolate toppings

Want to take this peppermint hot chocolate to the next level? Load it up! Toppings are a must if you are making a serve yourself hot chocolate bar. Here are some of our favourite topping options:

Whipped cream
Marshmallows
Chocolate shavings
Sprinkles
Chocolate chips
Caramel syrup
Chocolate syrup
Orange zest

Peanut butter
Cinnamon
Coconut shavings
Candied ginger
Your favourite chocolate bars, chopped
Candy cane stirrers
Chopped up fudge

Crushed candy canes sprinkled over whipped cream on top of a glass of hot chocolate.

What to serve with peppermint hot chocolate

This is the ultimate Christmas hot drink, so why not serve it up some one of our festive sweet treats:

Frequently asked questions

Can you make a dairy free peppermint hot chocolate?

Yes, you certainly can. You can swap the whole milk for almond, cashew or oat milk. You can either leave the whipped cream out or swap it for a vegan version.

Can I add alcohol to peppermint hot chocolate?

Yes, you can make an amazing boozy version for adults, which a few different options. We love rum, baileys or bourbon. Just add a splash before serving. Don't cook it with all the other ingredients, as the alcohol will cook off.

Can I reheat leftovers?

Yes, if you have any leftovers, then it can be kept in the fridge until the next day. It is delicious cold, like a milkshake, or you can heat it up on the hob.

Is peppermint hot chocolate healthy?

Whilst hot chocolate is usually a bit of an indulgent treat, in the winter we like to have it quite a lot, especially around Christmas time. So it's good to find ways to lighten it up a little.
We use a mixture of skimmed milk (you could still use semi-skimmed, whole or even nut) and coconut milk so you get all of the creamy flavour without a lot of calories. Plus, we like the little hint of coconut flavour in there.
We used just a little bit of honey to sweeten this hot chocolate, but it isn't overly sweet. It's nice to let the peppermint flavour shine through.

Extra tips

• Use whipped cream and candy canes to make this hot chocolate a little more indulgent, or you can just leave them out.
• We used a mixture of skimmed milk and coconut milk, but you could use just skimmed milk to make this lower in calories.
• Want to keep this vegan? Use almond milk and swap the honey for maple syrup.
• To make this even more indulgent, then you can melt some dark chocolate in to it rather than just using cocoa powder.

More Christmas drinks

If you’ve tried this mint hot chocolate recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe