Name: Espresso Peppermint Mocktini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 Drinks
Ingredients: For the Martini; .5 ounces chocolate sauce or syrup; .5 ounce maple syrup; 2 ounces Seedlip Spice 94; 2 shots of espresso; 4 ounces of whole milk or nut or oat-based beverage; 1 drop of peppermint extract (be careful! The extract is very potent so no more than a drop. You can always add more but you can’t remove it once it’s in the drink.); A dash of cinnamon; Crushed peppermint canes or candies and melted white chocolate to rim the glass; Whipped cream; Chocolate curls

Drinks

Espresso Peppermint Mocktini

Author: Mary DiSomma

Cook the spaghetti squash. When the squash is done, scrape the “noodles” out of the shell with a fork. Make sure the squash has cooled a bit before starting this process, so you don’t burn yourself. Place the squash noodles in a mixing bowl.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the garlic and turn the heat to low. Sauté, stirring constantly, until it’s fragrant but not browned, (about 1 minute).
Add the coconut milk and increase the heat to medium high. Bring the coconut milk to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Add the spaghetti squash and stir well to coat. Now add the spinach. Simmer, covered, and let the spinach cook until wilted (about 2 minutes).
Remove the lid and add the sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, parsley, basil, red pepper flakes, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Continue to cook on medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Divide into 4 serving bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Yum!

Ingredient Tips

Mocktails are getting more and more popular—and for good reason. There are so many interesting new mixers hitting the shelves, which means there are many new flavors to experiment with! In this peppermint espresso mocktini recipe, I use one of my all-time favorite mocktail mixers: Seedlip Spice 94. This luxurious mocktail mixer has a warm, deep flavor that comes from allspice, cardamom, and fresh citrus. This flavor profile is very similar to my allspice cookies. If you like this one, make sure you check out my Allspice Cookies for Santa recipe, too!

Chocolate Chip Allspice Cookies for Santa➝

Seedlip offers six different mixers, and they’re all made with natural botanical distillates and extracts. Another great thing about Seedlip mixers is that they’re all sugar-free and calorie-free. As a serious foodie, I appreciate the way they craft the amazing flavor profiles in their mixers. I prefer to use the best artisanal extracts for my baking recipes, so of course I will do the same for my drink recipes. Seedlip’s non-alcoholic spirits fit the bill!

By the way, if you’re looking for a good vanilla extract for your holiday baking this year, I highly recommend checking out my cognac barrel-aged Madagascar vanilla extract. Yum!

Preparation + Preservation Tips

Fun drinks should be served in fun glasses, and holidays are definitely the time to go the extra mile. Because it’s the holiday season, anything seasonal suits this drink. You can garnish the top with some whipped cream and chocolate curls, for example. Use dark chocolate for high contrast or white chocolate for a snowy look. Pop a little candy cane on top if you like!

Or, use the candy cane another way—for a white chocolate peppermint rim. All you need to do is melt some white chocolate in your microwave and dip the rim of your glass into it. Next, dip the glass rim into a plate of crushed candy canes and voila! Your mocktail just got so much cuter. Another great way to use this technique is my Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini recipe, by the way!

How to Make Chocolate Curls➝

Extra Tips

Here are some more cocktail and mocktail recipes for you to try with your friends and family this holiday! I hope you all have a fun time making these!

Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini or Mocktini➝

Dairy-free Vegan White Chocolate Matcha with Coconut Milk➝

Mexican Spicy Hot Chocolate➝

Pumpkin Pie Martini➝