Barley Free Peppermint Cocoa Lemonade

Total time40 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time10 min

5.0

(12)

This drink sounds like it shouldn't work — chocolate, peppermint, and lemon in the same glass — but somehow it absolutely does. The homemade peppermint cocoa syrup is the secret weapon here, built from maple syrup, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a touch of peppermint extract whisked together into something silky and intensely aromatic. Strained smooth and chilled before serving, it layers beautifully over fresh lemon juice and sparkling water for a drink that's bright, cooling, and just a little indulgent all at once. Every ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of grain-based additives, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved — just straightforward, clean components. The lightly streaked pour is part of the charm, giving each sip a slightly different balance of tart citrus and rich chocolate. Garnished with a mint sprig and a lemon wheel, it's genuinely stunning in a tall glass and impressive enough to serve at a gathering without any extra effort.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the peppermint cocoa syrup

½ cup water
½ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp peppermint extract
1 pinch fine salt

For the lemonade

½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
3 cups sparkling water, chilled
2 cups ice

For serving

4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
4 lemon slices (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the water, maple syrup, and cocoa powder in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the cocoa is fully dissolved and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 3–4 minutes.
2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the peppermint extract and salt. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof container to remove any undissolved cocoa solids.

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