Keto Peppermint White Hot Mocha
Published December 15, 2019 • Updated March 3, 2026
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I make this keto peppermint white mocha every winter, and it tastes like the Starbucks cup without the sugar. Sugar free white chocolate melted into strong coffee with just enough peppermint to keep it interesting.
If you’ve ever ordered a peppermint white mocha from Starbucks and then looked up the carb count, you know the pain. Over 50 grams of sugar in a grande. I spent two winters testing my own version, and this is the one that finally nailed it: creamy white chocolate, a whisper of peppermint, and real espresso underneath.
The secret is using ChocZero sugar free white chocolate chips. I’ve tried other brands and they either seize up in the saucepan or leave a waxy coating on your tongue. ChocZero melts smooth with heavy cream, and the flavor is clean enough that the peppermint actually comes through. If you like my keto white mocha, this is the holiday version of that same base.
I use macadamia nut milk specifically, not almond, not coconut. After years of testing keto drinks, I’ve found that macadamia milk has the most neutral flavor so it won’t fight the peppermint. Coconut milk can push through and make the whole thing taste tropical, which is not what you want in a winter coffee. (Save the coconut for my keto frappuccino in summer.)
The peppermint extract amount matters more than you’d think. I use exactly 1/4 teaspoon, and I’ve had readers independently tell me that ratio feels right. Too much and it tastes like toothpaste. Too little and you just get a cup of white chocolate coffee with no holiday character. One of my readers, Elaine, tried using sugar free peppermint syrup instead of extract and got a frothier result with more even flavor distribution. I tested her method and she was right, so if you have peppermint syrup on hand, use about a tablespoon in place of the extract.
For that coffeehouse texture, froth the white chocolate mixture with a milk frother for about 15 seconds before pouring it over your espresso. The saucepan method gives you a rich base, but frothing transforms it into something that looks and feels like you paid six dollars for it. I use a handheld frother and it takes ten seconds.
This low carb peppermint mocha works just as well iced. Brew the espresso, let it cool, pour it over ice, and add the white chocolate mixture cold (skip the saucepan heating step, but still melt the chips into the cream first and refrigerate). I keep a jar of the white chocolate sauce in my fridge during December so I can make this any morning without the full process. If you want another cold coffee option, my keto cold brew is what I reach for when I want something simpler.
For the peppermint lover in your house, pair this with my white hot chocolate with peppermint on movie nights. Same flavor family, no caffeine, and my kids prefer that one.
How to Make This Peppermint Mocha
The whole recipe comes down to one thing: melting the white chocolate chips into the cream without rushing it. I keep my burner on medium, not higher, because ChocZero chips can seize if the heat spikes. Stir constantly, and the moment the chips dissolve, pull the pan off the heat before adding the nut milk and extracts. The residual warmth is enough to bring everything together.
If you want coffeehouse froth, hit the mixture with a handheld milk frother for 10-15 seconds right in the saucepan. Pour it slow over the espresso so the froth sits on top. I use the same base technique for my keto white hot chocolate, just without the coffee.
For a make-ahead shortcut, melt the chips into the cream and store that white chocolate sauce in a mason jar in the fridge. It keeps for about a week. When you want a cup, just warm a few tablespoons, add the peppermint and nut milk, and pour over fresh coffee. I do this every December and it turns a 10-minute recipe into a 2-minute low carb coffee ritual.
Ingredients
3/4 cup ChocZero White Chocolate Chips -
1 cup heavy whipping cream
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1 cup unsweetened macadamia nut milk or other nut milk
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
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1-2 shots of espresso or 1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Melt the white chocolate
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir constantly until chips are melted.
Add nut milk and extracts
Add nut milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Cook until heated through.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use coconut cream instead of heavy whipping cream for a dairy-free version?
I've tested this with coconut cream and it works, but there are two things to watch. First, the ChocZero chips melt into coconut cream a little slower, so keep stirring and stay patient on medium heat. Second, coconut has its own flavor that can compete with the peppermint, especially at only 1/4 teaspoon of extract. My fix is to bump the peppermint to a full 1/2 teaspoon when I use coconut cream. The fat content is close enough to heavy cream that the texture stays rich. If you want a fully dairy-free option from the ground up, my dairy free keto hot chocolate was designed without cream from the start.
How do I make this into an iced version?
I make the iced version all the time once the weather warms up. Melt the chips into the cream on the stove as usual, then let the white chocolate mixture cool to room temperature. Brew your espresso and let that cool too (or pour it over a full glass of ice to flash-chill it). Combine everything cold over ice. The only adjustment I make is using a little less nut milk so the ice doesn't dilute the flavor too much. If you want to go fully frozen, my frozen hot chocolate uses a similar blending method.
Can I use peppermint syrup instead of peppermint extract?
Yes, and one of my readers actually tested this before I did. She swapped in about a tablespoon of sugar free peppermint syrup for the 1/4 teaspoon extract and got a frothier cup with more even peppermint flavor throughout. I tried her method and she was right. The syrup distributes better because it's liquid-based rather than oil-based. Use about 1 tablespoon of sugar free peppermint syrup in place of the extract.
How many net carbs are in this keto peppermint white mocha?
When I make it with ChocZero white chocolate chips and unsweetened macadamia nut milk, my version comes in around 2-3 net carbs per serving. The exact count depends on which nut milk you use and whether you add any sweetener. I usually skip the sweetener entirely because the white chocolate provides enough sweetness on its own.
Can I make this without caffeine using decaf espresso?
I've made this with decaf espresso and the flavor doesn't change at all. The white chocolate and peppermint carry the drink, and the coffee is more of a warm backdrop than the main event. My mom drinks decaf and she can't tell the difference between her cup and mine.
What's the best way to froth this for a coffeehouse texture?
I use a handheld milk frother, the battery-operated kind you can get for ten dollars. After I combine the white chocolate mixture with the nut milk and peppermint, I froth it right in the saucepan for about 10-15 seconds. Pour it slow over the espresso and the foam sits on top just like a coffee shop pour. I've also had good results using a French press: pump the plunger about 15 times and you get a thicker, denser foam. If you like frothed drinks, my keto dalgona coffee takes the whipped texture even further.
How should I store leftovers of this mocha?
I store the white chocolate sauce (just the melted chips and cream, before adding nut milk or peppermint) in a mason jar in my fridge. It keeps about a week. When I want a cup, I warm a couple tablespoons of sauce, stir in the nut milk and peppermint, and pour it over fresh espresso. I don't recommend storing the fully assembled drink because the layers separate and the texture gets thin after reheating.
How can I make this sweeter without adding sugar?
I usually don't add sweetener at all because the ChocZero chips bring enough sweetness for my taste. But when I make this for friends who like their coffee sweeter, I stir in a teaspoon of allulose or a few drops of liquid stevia after everything is combined. Allulose dissolves cleaner than erythritol in hot drinks, which is why I prefer it. Start small and taste as you go.
Peppermint flavor is very popular around the holidays. Many of the big coffeehouses add it to their holiday drinks. But many of the popular coffee shops load tons of sugar in their speciality coffees. Luckily, it’s really easy to recreate your favorite coffee drinks at home, including the peppermint white mocha.
Making a keto peppermint white mocha is as easy as making the very simple white mocha base for the coffee. Then adding a splash of peppermint extract. Now you can enjoy a holiday coffee drink in the mornings while you are out Christmas shopping or on Christmas morning as you watch your kids tear into presents.
To make a low carb white mocha, you need keto-friendly white chocolate. You can make your own but that is a pain. Instead, I use a store bought white chocolate chip. 
In this recipe, I like to use a combination of heavy cream and macadamia nut milk; however, there are many different milk options you can use when making this white mocha mix. This recipe is customizable so you can add all heavy cream or all nut milk. You can even use half and half (although it is higher in carbohydrates). The nut milk I prefer is 
The peppermint extract is stronger than you'd think, especially if yours is a fresh bottle. I back off to a scant 1/4 teaspoon and it hits that sweet spot without overwhelming the white chocolate. If the ChocZero chips look like they're clumping, pull the heat down immediately and keep stirring.
My teenager has been asking me to make 'that white hot chocolate thing' every week since I first made it. I finally told her there was no sugar in it, just ChocZero white chocolate chips and macadamia nut milk, and she shrugged and asked when I was making it again. I've been pulling back on the peppermint slightly because she prefers it milder, but it still has that coffee shop flavor that makes it feel like a treat. It's become a Sunday evening thing for us.
The 'I don't care what's in it, when are you making it again' reaction is the best one to get. She doesn't need to know it's under 3 net carbs.
Tried a few keto white mocha recipes and this is the first one that actually tasted like Starbucks.
The peppermint is tricky. Go over that 1/4 teaspoon and it starts tasting like cough syrup. Took me a few batches to land on it.
Ha, same. I definitely would have overdone the peppermint.
I gave up peppermint white mochas when I started keto and just accepted that was one of the things off the table now. Made this on a Tuesday night in February because I was craving something warm and I had ChocZero chips in the pantry from a baking thing. The peppermint extract (used the full 1/4 teaspoon, wasn't sure if it would be enough) gives it this clean mintiness that doesn't tip into candy cane territory, just familiar. First sip and I kind of just sat there. Most keto swaps I've tried are pretty obviously swaps, but this one tasted like the actual drink I used to order. I'm four months in and I keep thinking there's a list of things I can't have anymore, and this one is off that list now.
Four months in and crossing things off that list is the best part. The ChocZero chips are what make this one work. They melt into something that just tastes like white chocolate, not a swap for it.
My wife and I have been doing keto for almost a year and she's lactose intolerant, so every time I find a creamy drink recipe I get excited and then have to solve the dairy problem. Heavy cream is exactly the issue. I'm pretty sure coconut cream is the swap since the fat content is similar, but not sure if the ChocZero chips will melt as smoothly into it or if anything changes in the saucepan. Also a little worried the coconut flavor might come through and fight the peppermint since 1/4 teaspoon of extract feels like a delicate balance. We had a cold snowy week last week that would have been perfect for this and I'm already planning to try it this weekend. Does coconut cream hold up here or is there another dairy-free base that works better?
Coconut cream works. Chips melt slower into it than cream, so stay on medium and stir the whole time. The coconut flavor is there but doesn't fight the peppermint the way you'd think. That 1/4 teaspoon is bolder than it sounds.
Ok I added a splash of almond milk to make it less thick and used sugar free peppermint syrup instead of extract because that's what I had. It came out frothier and I like it better this way, the peppermint flavor is more even throughout.
Syrup over extract makes sense, the flavor distributes way more evenly. And the almond milk froth is a nice bonus, the macadamia milk I use doesn't froth much. Stealing this.