Coffee add-ins boasting caramel, vanilla, or chocolate flavors often steal the show. But right now, all eyes are on peppermint. Cue the excited cheer from the mint lovers.
Roasty Coffee is specifically honing in on the peppermint drinks at Starbucks, plus offering you a variety of them to choose from the next time you make a coffee run.
Does Starbucks Have Peppermint Drinks All Year?
Some people limit their hunt for the perfect peppermint drink to the winter holiday season. But other folks say a few months of minty goodness aren’t enough.
Fortunately, Starbucks locations keep peppermint flavor in stock all year long. So, even if your craving for a hint of peppermint strikes in the middle of July, you can satisfy it by adding a few pumps of flavored syrup to your order.
Roasty Roundup: 12 Must-Try Peppermint Drinks at Starbucks
This isn’t an exhaustive list of the Starbucks peppermint drinks — if we included all of the secret menu drinks with peppermint syrup, you’d be reading forever — but there are 12 of them here, and that’s enough to give keep you occupied for your next few Starbies runs.
Peppermint Mocha
The Starbucks peppermint mocha first appeared as a seasonal menu two decades ago. The popular latte — made by combining espresso with peppermint syrup, milk, and mocha sauce — remains on the coffeehouse’s winter holiday menu. But what you might not know is that you can order it year-round by asking for a regular mocha latte with a few pumps of peppermint syrup added to it.
Ordering the drink outside of the holiday season means there won’t be any chocolate curls on top, and the barista won’t pour it into a festive bright red cup. But you’ll get the minty, chocolatey coffee your heart desires. And that’s what matters most.
The Starbucks blonde peppermint mocha is also an option. This version of the iconic holiday peppermint drink uses blonde roast espresso, which is lighter than the franchise’s signature roast and gives the mocha a less intense flavor.
FYI…
For your home-brewing pleasure, Starbucks offers limited-edition coffee grounds infused with decadent peppermint mocha flavors during the wintertime. If you’re a fan of peppermint mochas and flavored coffee beans, you might consider picking up a bag of this joe.
Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
When the regular peppermint mocha returns in the wintertime, so does the peppermint white chocolate mocha. It’s similar to the peppermint mocha, except the recipe calls for a few pumps of white chocolate mocha sauce instead of regular mocha sauce.
Like its non-white counterpart, the peppermint white chocolate mocha is available year-round. Order a white chocolate mocha — a combination of Starbucks signature espresso, steamed milk, and white mocha sauce — and ask the barista to add a dose of peppermint syrup.
Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino
Starbucks doesn’t keep Frappuccino fans from having a delicious peppermint treat, thanks to the seasonal peppermint mocha Frappuccino!
Baristas make the creamy peppermint drink by mixing Frappuccino roast coffee with sweet mocha sauce, peppermint-flavored syrup, milk (or milk alternative), and ice cubes in a blender. Then, they add a dollop of whipped cream and mocha drizzle, resulting in a sweet and refreshing chocolate and peppermint milkshake with a nice caffeine kick. Yum!
Remember, Starbucks always has peppermint syrup, so you don’t have to wait for the winter season to have this treat. That’s good news since the frozen Frappuccino might not be the ideal choice during winter unless you’re among those who can drink cold drinks in cold weather! Ask for a regular mocha Frappuccino with a few pumps of peppermint syrup.
Peppermint Bark Frappuccino
Meet the peppermint bark Frappuccino, the first secret menu peppermint beverage on this list. Peppermint bark is a classic candy for the holiday season, and you can bring its flavors to your coffee cup by asking for a peppermint mocha Frappuccino with half mocha sauce and half white chocolate sauce. Since regular and white mocha sauces and peppermint syrup are available all year, you can sip this delicious drink anytime.
Maybe Frappuccinos aren’t your favorite drinks. That’s OK! You can order peppermint bark lattes and hot chocolates with the same customization.
Iced Mint Chiffon Latte With Cold Foam
You might already be familiar with the mint chiffon latte; it used to hold a spot on the Starbucks official menu. Unfortunately, you won’t see it there anymore, but since the drink’s ingredients are daily items, your local Starbies always has them in stock. So, you can have this Starbucks peppermint drink whenever the craving strikes.
Starbucks combines nonfat milk, rich espresso, and vanilla syrup to make this delicious beverage. The mint shows up in the cold foam. A mixture of vanilla and peppermint syrups goes into the cold foam topping, creating a subtly minty delight perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.
Peppermint Latte
You’d think the peppermint latte would be on the Starbucks menu or at least part of the winter seasonal lineup — it’s an underrated gem. But the peppermint latte is a secret menu item made by pumping peppermint-flavored syrup into a plain latte (that’s espresso and milk). Despite being no-frills, it’s a super-popular drink, especially during the year’s most festive season.
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Frappuccino
The peppermint chocolate chip Frappuccino is another secret menu item and a perfect choice for anyone who prefers their doses of peppermint to come with a side of chocolate.
The recipe calls for a vanilla bean Frappuccino, peppermint syrup, and a few scoops of java chips. Since the vanilla bean Frap has a creme base, this is a caffeine-free peppermint drink. So, you can sip it any time of the day without worrying about the caffeine jitters.
Candy Cane Frappuccino
The candy cane Frappuccino is creme-based (sans coffee), just like a minty milkshake. Sip it during the winter as you carry out your holiday festivities or any other time of the year when you want something that tastes like the iconic Christmas candy.
The candy cane Frappuccino is a secret menu drink, so asking for it by name probably won’t get you anything more than a strange look from your barista. Avoid confusion by asking for a vanilla bean Frappuccino with a few pumps of peppermint-flavored syrup.
Santa Claus Frappuccino
It’s hard to imagine a more festive drink than one inspired by everyone’s favorite jolly, bearded gift giver. The Santa Claus Frappuccino is a customer favorite made from a vanilla bean Frappuccino, strawberry puree, and peppermint syrup.
If you order the secret menu drink during the winter holiday season, ask for red and green sprinkles on top — they make a fun finishing touch!
Thin Mint Frappuccino
It’s a shame Girl Scout cookie season only comes once a year. We crave Thin Mints at the most inopportune times. But that’s what the Thin Mint Frappuccino is for, to hold you over until the green-vested scouts come knocking at your door again.
Start by ordering a matcha creme Frappuccino — a blend of matcha green tea powder, milk, ice, classic syrup, and creme Frappuccino base. Then, add java chips, peppermint syrup, and mocha sauce. Top it off with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of mocha syrup, and you’ve got something that tastes a lot like your favorite cookie.
Christmas in a Cup Latte
People often talk about drinks that taste like Christmas in a cup. Peppermint mochas and caramel brulee lattes often fall into this category, but plenty of other drinks also fit the bill. We think the Christmas in a Cup latte is another example. And not just because that’s its name.
With its cinnamon dolce latte base and pumps of white mocha sauce and peppermint syrup, the drink gives us all the Noel vibes. It’s sweet and cheery, just like the most wonderful time of the year!
Peppermint Chai Latte
Even though the international franchise is famous for its coffee, Starbucks also boasts a wide variety of tea-based beverages, including the always-delicious chai latte.
The spiced black tea and steamed milk (or cold milk, if you like iced drinks) combo is well-loved, and it isn’t uncommon to find chai latte drinkers adding flavored syrups to the mix. Vanilla and brown sugar are common contenders for chai add-ins, but peppermint is a worthy choice, too. You might be surprised how well it meshes with spicy chai.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Order Peppermint Cream Cold Foam From Starbucks?
Adding a minty taste to Starbucks cold foam isn’t hard to do. Ask the barista to mix a few pumps of peppermint syrup into vanilla sweet cream cold foam, and there you have it — peppermint cold foam to top any iced Starbucks beverage.
How Many Pumps of Peppermint Syrup go in a Venti Latte?
The Starbucks standard is five pumps of syrup in a hot venti latte and six in a cold one. However, the international coffeehouse franchise’s drinks are customizable, so you can opt for more or less depending on how big a fan of peppermint you are.
What Peppermint Syrup Does Starbucks Use?
Starbucks uses its own branded flavored syrup for all its drinks, including peppermint. Occasionally, you can purchase Starbucks syrups through retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. But if they’re out of stock, don’t fret; peppermint is a common flavor, so another brand’s offering (Roasty recommends Monin or Torani, BTW) won’t taste too different.
Are Mint and Peppermint the Same?
All peppermint is mint, but mint is not peppermint. The term “mint” refers to a family of more than a dozen plants, spearmint and peppermint being two of the most popular.
Spearmint has lower amounts of menthol than peppermint, making it the mellower of the two. The somewhat intense peppermint pairs better with sweet or heavy flavors.
Does Starbucks Have Sugar-free Peppermint Syrup?
Bad news for anyone hoping to order a skinny peppermint mocha: Starbucks discontinued its sugar-free peppermint-flavored syrup years ago. But you can get a healthier version of the drink by asking for nonfat milk, no whipped topping or chocolate curls, and smaller-than-usual amounts of mocha sauce and peppermint syrup.
Try a Starbucks Peppermint Drink at Starbucks
Though typically reserved for the winter season, drinks made by blending tea or coffee with peppermint syrup make downright delightful treats no matter the time of year. Starbucks knows that, so the international franchise’s locations keep peppermint-flavored syrup handy all the time.
So, don’t limit yourself. Don’t wait for the winter holidays to play around with peppermint drink options at Starbucks; treat yourself to one right now. Go on — you deserve it.
Happy Caffeinating!
