I’m digging all the lattes this year, can you tell? Adding protein makes them so nice and creamy – it’s a match made in heaven!  Just be sure to use a protein powder that doesn’t react weirdly to hot liquid!  The brand I used in the recipe is PBF-tested and approved.  Now, usually I’m not a huge fan of sipping eggnog by itself because it’s just soooo thick, but transforming it into a latte is right up my alley. Espresso and eggnog? Oh, heck yeah.  And yes, I drank both of them 🙂

Absolutely! Two of the main ingredients of this drink are traditionally made with an espresso machine – the espresso of course, but also the steamed milk (or eggnog in this case). But don’t worry – they’re super easy to recreate without an espresso machine too! For the espresso, a strong brewed coffee or instant espresso will work just fine. 

Most lattes are made with steamed milk, but I actually warmed up the eggnog on the stovetop for this recipe and skipped the frothy, steamed version. If you do want to steam it, you could just use the steam wand of an espresso machine to both heat the eggnog and build the volume of the milk by creating a microfoam (the one where the milk looks glossy). When you’re in Starbucks, this is the part of the process where you hear that really high pitched gurgling/whistling noise. If you don’t have an espresso machine, all you have to do instead is heat the eggnog over the stovetop to just before boiling, then use a milk frother to add volume. There are also some really great standalone milk steamers on the market for around $30 that will give you that same gorgeous microfoam you’d get from the steam wand of an espresso maker.

If you’re new to steaming milk with an espresso machine, check out this video or this blog post for tips. If you’re frothing the milk with a hand frother, check out this video or this blog post for tips.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Peppermint Mocha Protein Latte at home:

• Espresso – A full-bodied, fresh brewed espresso works great in this recipe, but if you can get your hands on a blonde espresso, go for that instead. It’ll help make sure the eggnog can to shine through. And if you don’t have an espresso maker, a strong brewed coffee will work too!
• Eggnog – I opted for this Organic Valley Reduct Fat Eggnog for a more macro friendly option, but a regular eggnog will give you a creamier drink.
• Protein powder – I recommend a vanilla or cinnamon flavored whey protein here, but a whey/casein blend would work too.
• Spices – A little extra cinnamon and nutmeg to boost those eggnog flavors.

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