It is that time of the year every girl looks forward to, when Starbucks finally releases its Christmas drink menu. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year when you take your first sip of these festive drinks.
However, if you are anything like me, your broke college girl budget can’t handle an $8 grande peppermint mocha latte every day. Don’t worry, here is how to make a few Starbucks holiday classics at home. Ā
Peppermint mocha
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- Ā½ cup brewed coffee or 1-2 shots of espresso Ā
- 1 Ā½ tablespoons cocoa powder or hot cocoa mix Ā Ā
- 1 tablespoon sugar Ā
- Ā¼ teaspoon peppermint extract Ā
- Whipped cream and mini chocolate chips for topping Ā
Instructions: In a small pot, stir together your milk, cocoa powder and sugar on medium heat until warm. Pour that mixture into a festive mug and add your coffee and peppermint extract. TopĀ with whipped cream and chocolate chips and enjoy. Ā
Healthier option: To make a healthier version of the peppermint mocha, substitute unsweetened cocoa powder for the traditional cocoa powder, and instead of sugar, use 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, honey or stevia. Ā
Caramel BrulƩe Latte
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of your choice Ā
- Ā½ cup brewed coffee or espresso Ā
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauceĀ
- 1 teaspoon brown sugarĀ Ā
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Ā
- Whipped cream and caramel sauce for topping Ā
Instructions: Warm the milk, brown sugar and caramel sauce together in a small pot. Pour this mixture into your Santa mug and then stir in the vanilla and coffee.
Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of brown sugar to give your drink that creme brĆ»lĆ©e sugar topping. Ā
Healthier option: For a healthier version, you can substitute the caramel sauce for a sugar-free caramel sauce. You can also use Ā¼ teaspoon brown sugar for a lighter sugar option that gives the same creme brĆ»lĆ©e feel. Ā
Iced Sugar Cookie Latte
Ingredients
- Ā½ cup brewed coffee or 2 shots of espresso Ā
- Ā¾ cup almond milk Ā
- Ā¼ teaspoon vanilla extract Ā
- Ā¼ teaspoon almond extract Ā
- 1 tablespoon sugarĀ
- Ice
Instructions: In a small pot, lightly heat the almond milk and sugar together until the sugar is completely melted. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature. Then mix in the vanilla and almond extract.
Fill a glass with ice and pour the milk mixture over the ice. Then add the espresso or coffee and stir well. Ā
Healthier option: To make this drink healthier, substitute the sugar for stevia or another low-sugar sweetener of your choice. Ā
iced gingerbread chai latte
Ingredients
Gingerbread syrup
- Ā½ cup water Ā
- Ā¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses Ā
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger Ā
- Ā½ teaspoon cinnamon Ā
- Ā¼ teaspoon nutmeg Ā
- Ā½ teaspoon vanilla extract Ā
Latte
- Ā½ cup brewed chai tea concentrateĀ
- Ā¾ cup milk of choice (oat milk works best)Ā
- 2-3 tablespoons of gingerbread syrup (ingredients above)Ā
- Ice
Instructions: First, you need to make gingerbread syrup. In a small saucepan, combine water, brown sugar, molasses and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and lightly stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
Let the syrup cool, and then add the vanilla extract. This syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To make the latte, fill a glass with ice, add your brewed chai concentrate and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of your homemade syrup, depending on how sweet you like your drinks. Then add in your milk and stir well. Ā
Healthier Option
For a healthier option, use half the molasses and swap the brown sugar forĀ stevia, honey or another low-sugar substitute. Ā Ā
All in all, donāt spend all your Christmas money on overpriced drinks. With just a few ingredients, you can turn your kitchen into your own Starbucks Cafe. Ā