It’s easy to make festive seasonal beverages with this 3-ingredient Peppermint Syrup recipe. Customizable to your personal tastes, add it to your favorite warm or iced drinks for taste of the coffeehouse in the comfort of your home. Great in cocktails, too!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) from qualifying purchases made by clicking these links. As always, all recommendations and opinions expressed are my own.
Peppermint Syrup For Easy Coffeehouse-Inspired Drinks at Home
I’ll be honest: I’m not someone who goes to the coffeehouse on a daily basis throughout the year. But, when the holiday season rolls around, I’m there for the festive menu.
There’s something about seasonal beverages that gets me right into the holiday spirit. I always order something warm and spiced or minty when I’m at the mall doing my shopping (yes, this 90’s teenager still goes to the mall on the regular!).
I love to have fun recreating some of those coffeehouse favorites at home with this easy-to-make peppermint syrup. It’s a great way to set a festive mood while gift wrapping, tree trimming, or opening presents on Christmas morning.
What You’ll Need to Make Peppermint Simple Syrup
To make peppermint syrup at home, you’ll need only 3 ingredients: water, granulated sugar, and peppermint extract.
Simple syrup is made with a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, while rich simple syrup uses a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water. I find that the syrup used in popular coffee houses (such as Starbucks), tend to taste a bit sweeter than simple syrup but not as sweet as rich syrup. To replicate the flavor at home, we like using 1-1/4 cups sugar to 1 cup of water.
For the best flavor and appearance, choose purified/filtered or spring water to make this syrup, rather than water straight out of the tap.
It’s important to use a good quality, pure peppermint extract (not peppermint oil or “flavor”) to make this syrup. I find that peppermint recipes can quickly turn from delightfully “minty” to hints of mouthwash, depending on the peppermint source used and how heavily it’s added.
My favorite brand is Nielsen-Massey Pure Peppermint Extract. The amount of extract you use to make this peppermint syrup will depend on the brand you buy, and your personal preferences. Some peppermint extracts are stronger than others.
We’ve found that 1 teaspoon of extract makes the perfect peppermint syrup for our favorite beverages. The first time you make this recipe, I recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon of extract and increasing, to taste, for the particular brand you’re using.
How to Make Peppermint Syrup
Like classic simple syrup, peppermint syrup is a cinch to make. Simply combine water and sugar in a pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat on the stove. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved. Don’t let it come to a full rolling boil, so that the water doesn’t evaporate. (Photos 1 and 2)
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the extract (Photo 3). Continuing to cook the syrup after the extract is added can reduce the strength of the flavor.
Let the syrup cool to room temperature before bottling. I like to use small bottles with swing tops, such as these Easy Cap Glass Bottles. A Regular Mouth Mason Jar with a food-grade Dispenser Pump Lid is also a great choice for an at-home coffee bar.
Peppermint syrup will keep fresh, refrigerated in an airtight container, for 1-2 weeks. A bottle of this syrup also makes a great homemade gift for the home barista on your shopping list.
Have a coffee lover on your gift list? Don’t miss our 30 Gifts for the Coffee Lover shopping guide!
Ways to Use Your Homemade Syrup
Peppermint syrup is delicious stirred into home-brewed coffee, latte, and tea. I typically add about a tablespoon to an 8-10 ounce cup of coffee, but this will vary by your personal preferences.
I always recommend starting conservatively and adding syrup to taste. It’s easier to add more syrup to a drink than to balance it out if it’s too sweet or minty.
Making your own coffeehouse beverages at home? Check out this Starbucks Cup Sizes guide from The Cozy Coffee to learn about the number of espresso shots and pumps of syrup typically used in each of their standard cups.
You can also use peppermint syrup in your favorite cocktails. Try adding it to a White Russian for a holiday twist!
More Coffeehouse Inspired Recipes
CRAVING MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and join me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for the latest recipes and news.
Coffeehouse-Style Peppermint Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water , filtered/purified or spring
- 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (or additional, to taste)*
Instructions
- Combine water and granulated sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Don't bring the mixture to a rolling boil so the water doesn't evaporate.
- Remove from heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Let cool to room temperature.
- Add the syrup, to taste, to your favorite coffeehouse inspired beverages and teas, or cocktails. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
Leave a Reply