Last Updated on April 22, 2025 by Michelle

I used to be a major coffee hater. I admit it.

And most days, I still drink my healthy homemade tea that tastes like coffee rather than a “real” cup of joe. But when I find delicious ways to make healthy mocha lattes at home that also help me get my protein in? Yes, please. The first time I made this high protein peppermint mocha latte, I couldn’t believe how good it tasted. Now it’s a staple holiday drink year after year.

How to make a high protein peppermint mocha latte at home

We all love a good overpriced coffee shop mocha latte. But for those times when you want to make a tasty, healthy, cheaper drink at home, this recipe is my go-to, and will probably become yours too.

You’ll need some kind of espresso maker to make lates at home. I personally use a stainless steel stovetop espresso maker, which works really well and–as a bonus–is under $30. Other than that, you’ll need some milk, peppermint syrup, protein powder, and a really good mug (I’m kind of a mug snob).

Just like that you’re on your way to enjoying 30+ grams of protein in the form of a delicious homemade mocha latte.

How much protein is in a latte?

An average latte made with whole milk will only have about 8-10 grams of protein. If you add a high-quality protein powder, you can add an additional 20-30 grams of protein, making your daily cup of joe a protein-packed powerhouse with over 30 grams of protein total.

Can I add protein powder to a latte?

You can easily add any protein powder to a latte by simple frothing it into your milk. I do find that most protein powders tend to froth more easily into warmed milk for hot lattes, but iced ones can be made as well. This allows you to easily add 20-30 grams of protein to a humble latte. If you’re picky about the ingredients in your protein powder the way I am, this is my favorite protein powder in the world, free of any junk (code “soulyrested”).

How to add protein to my coffee?

One simple way is to add protein powder. Keep in mind that super hot coffee (or milk) might make the protein powder clump a little bit, so just wait a minute until the drink cools off a bit before frothing the protein powder into it. Especially if you’re using a high-quality protein powder like this one, it may contain chia seeds as a protein source, which can gel when they get too hot.

How to make an iced high protein peppermint mocha

This latte can easily be made hot or iced. If you want a hot latte, you’ll need to heat your milk, add protein powder, and froth them together before adding to your espresso. If you’d like an iced latte, simply froth your protein powder into cold milk, pour over ice, and add your espresso. It’s delicious either way!

Is a DIY high protein peppermint mocha latte as good as a coffee shop?

Most coffee shop drinks taste really good. So good, in fact, that it can feel impossible to match their flavor with homemade drinks. But keep in mind that the main reason coffee shop drinks like peppermint mochas taste so good is because they’re loaded with refined sugar. And that’s fine, on occasion. But when it comes do your daily coffee, your make-over-and-over drinks, you’re going to want to make them taste good, yes, but with less sugar.

This recipe tastes amazing, has no refined sugar, and-as a bonus-has over 30 grams of protein. Can you say “healthy daily latte that also tastes incredible?”

Is a stovetop espresso maker worth it?

When I started enjoying coffee, I started looking up ways to make good espresso (for lattes) at home. I googled espresso machines and was shocked at the price tag on most of them. Spending hundreds of dollars on a coffee maker wasn’t what I had in mind, so I researched until I happened upon this stainless steel stovetop espresso maker. Jackpot! It checked all the boxes, and makes espresso quickly and easily. Boom–killer lattes right at home, and all for under $30!

Maybe someday I’ll invest in a super fancy espresso maker, but for now I’d say stovetop espresso makers are totally worth it. (Also, who needs fancy anyways? We’re just trying to make tasty lattes at home!)

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

High protein peppermint mocha latte

Ingredients

1-2 shots espresso* depending on how strong you like your lattes
1 tablespoon peppermint syrup*
1 cup milk
1 scoop mint chocolate protein powder*

Instructions

Brew your espresso & heat your milk.
Add your espresso to your favorite mug along with 1 tbsp homemade peppermint syrup (see notes). Stir.
Into the milk froth one scoop of Just Ingredients mint chocolate protein powder.
Pour the milk over the espresso and enjoy!

Notes

*Although someday I might invest in a FANCY espresso maker, right now this stainless steel stovetop espresso maker works amazingly well for me and is under $30. Win-win.

*I'm very picky about my protein powder, and I only ever use this one. The code "SOULYRESTED" will save you cash. And Mint Chocolate isn't the only flavor I love in lattes either. Other great flavors are vanilla bean, chocolate, snickerdoodle, Neapolitan, salted caramel, and more.

*You can use premade peppermint syrup or easily make your own. My recipe for peppermint syrup can be found here.