Shellfish Free Peppermint Cocoa Agua Fresca
Cool, minty, and deeply chocolatey, this drink lands somewhere between a refreshing summer sipper and a dessert in a glass. Fresh peppermint leaves are steeped directly into a warm cocoa base made with just unsweetened cocoa powder, maple syrup, and a pinch of sea salt — no extracts, no syrups from a bottle, nothing mysterious. The steeping step is where the magic happens, pulling bright herbal flavor from the leaves before they're strained out entirely, leaving you with a silky, clean liquid that tastes far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests. Diluted with cold water and poured over ice, it's light enough to drink on a hot afternoon but satisfying enough to double as an after-dinner treat. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from shellfish and ocean-derived additives, so there's no label-reading required — just straightforward, plant-based refreshment. Garnish with a fresh peppermint sprig and it looks genuinely stunning in the glass, which makes it an easy crowd-pleaser for guests with all kinds of dietary needs.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!