Nightshade Free Peppermint Cocoa Agua Fresca
Cool, minty, and deeply chocolatey, this agua fresca is the kind of drink that feels like a treat without any of the fuss. Fresh peppermint leaves are steeped directly into a warm cocoa base made with unsweetened cocoa powder and maple syrup, pulling out every bit of that bright, herbal flavor before the mixture is strained and chilled. The result is a refreshing, lightly sweet beverage that's completely free of tomatoes, peppers, and other nightshade ingredients that can sneak into flavored drinks and syrups. Because you're building everything from scratch in a single saucepan, you stay in full control of what goes in — no label-reading required. Served over ice with a sprig of fresh mint, it looks elegant enough for a dinner party but comes together with almost no effort. It's the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a store-bought drink in the first place.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cups cold water, divided
- 8 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ cup fresh peppermint leaves, loosely packed
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- ice cubes, for serving
- 4 fresh peppermint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine 1 cup of the cold water with the cocoa powder and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the cocoa is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth and just beginning to steam, about 3–4 minutes — do not let it boil.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the peppermint leaves and fine sea salt, stir once to submerge the leaves, and let steep for 10 minutes.
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