Starbucks Peppermint Syrup

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This Starbucks peppermint syrup is an easy copycat recipe you can make at home. Made with 3 ingredients in under 15 minutes. Use it to make all your favorite holiday flavored drinks, such as peppermint hot chocolate or peppermint mocha lattes.

Homemade flavored coffee syrups, such as this pumpkin spice syrup or this pistachio syrup, are an easy way to recreate copycat versions of all your favorite drinks.

For other copycat Starbucks holiday drink recipes, try this starbucks chai tea latte, this starbucks pistachio latte, or this starbucks salted caramel mocha.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ways to Use Starbucks Peppermint Syrup
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment
• Step By Step Instructions
• Storage
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This Starbucks peppermint syrup recipe is so easy to make with only 3 ingredients in under 15 minutes.
• It is a lot cheaper to make this syrup at home than to buy Starbucks drinks or to buy a storebought peppermint syrup.
• It tastes like pure peppermint, without any hint of chemical, or artificial flavoring.
• It can be used as a coffee syrup to create peppermint lattes, or as a cocktail simple syrup to make peppermint-flavored holiday cocktails.

Ways to Use Starbucks Peppermint Syrup

This syrup can be used in any type of drink. Experiment by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons to coffee or other holiday drinks or cocktails. Here are some ideas:

• Peppermint Mocha: Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of peppermint syrup with a couple shots of espresso and ¾ cup hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream.
• Peppermint Baileys Hot Chocolate: Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of peppermint syrup into this Baileys hot chocolate for a festive peppermint Baileys hot chocolate.
• Peppermint Latte: Mix 1 tablespoon of peppermint syrup into a couple shots of espresso. Top with frothed milk.

• Peppermint Cold Brew: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of syrup to a cup of cold brew coffee. Add in a couple tablespoons of this chocolate simple syrup for a peppermint mocha cold brew. Top with sweet cream cold foam.
• Peppermint Eggnog: Mix in a couple tablespoons of peppermint syrup into your favorite eggnog.
• Peppermint Espresso Martini: To make a peppermint espresso martini, combine 1 ½ oz Kahlua, 1 oz peppermint syrup, ½ oz espresso, ½ oz vodka and ½ oz heavy cream in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, strain and serve.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Candy Canes: All of the peppermint flavoring comes from candy canes. Use classic, peppermint-flavored candy canes. The color of the candy canes will affect what color the syrup is, but the taste will be the same regardless of the candy cane color. Green, white and red candy canes will create a light purple color (as seen in the photos). For a reddish-pink syrup, use red and white colored candy canes.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a bit of extra sweetness to the syrup. Granulated sugar, as opposed to brown sugar, works best for this recipe.
• Water: Water gives the syrup the proper consistency. Use filtered water to avoid any odd flavors being added into the syrup.

Equipment

You will need the following equipment to make this peppermint syrup:

• A small saucepan to make the syrup in.
• A spatula or whisk to stir the syrup as it is cooking.
• A glass mason jar to store the syrup in.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Add the crushed candy canes, sugar and water to a saucepan. Heat over medium to high heat, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Bring the mixture to a very gentle simmer. If it begins to boil, reduce the heat. Continue to stir until the candy canes have completely melted, about 7 minutes. Remove the syrup from the stove and let it cool before storing or using it in drinks.

Storage

This recipe makes about ⅓ cups of syrup. For convenience, it is easiest to make a large batch in advance and store it to use later.

• Fridge: Store leftover syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks. Use a glass jar, as opposed to a plastic one, to prevent any other flavors from seeping into the syrup.
• Freezer: Use a freezer safe container to freeze the syrup for up to 2 to 3 months. Make sure to leave a bit of extra space in the container to allow the liquid to expand as it freezes. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, and shake well before using.

Expert Tips

• Don’t let the syrup boil. Boiling the syrup can result in too much water evaporating, causing the syrup to be thick.
• Be patient. This syrup takes a few minutes longer than other syrups to make because the candy canes can be slow to melt. Just keep stirring, until they fully dissolve.
• Pay attention to your candy cane color. The color of the candy canes you use will not affect the taste of the syrup, but they will affect the color. If you care about the color of your syrup, choose candy canes that will blend into a pretty color. Candy canes that are a combination of colors can create a murkier/ brownish color.

Recipe FAQs

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📖 Recipe