Transform Leftover Candy Canes Into A Sweet, Flavorful Latte

Many of us are left with an abundance of candy canes at the end of each holiday season. Whether they're mini, big, soft, or hard, those timeless peppermint sticks always seem to linger in our homes longer than our Christmas trees do. Some folks just throw them into the trash, while others utilize leftover candy canes in cooking and baking to keep the holiday spirit alive for a few more weeks. If you couldn't tell, we're part of the latter group, and we think candy canes have some great potential — especially when coffee is involved. Melt a few candy canes into your milk, and add them to your next latte for a totally festive flavor boost.

Melting candy canes into milk is a super easy way to craft your very own peppermint latte without any syrup required. Homemade peppermint syrup isn't necessarily difficult to make, but if you're looking to go light on the sugar, you're better off making a batch of peppermint milk. Start by crushing up a few candy canes; the easiest way to do this is by adding them to a Ziploc bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Alternatively, you can crush them with a mortar and pestle, like this one on Amazon. Once they're crushed into small pieces and peppermint powder, add them to a saucepan along with a cup of milk (or more, depending on how many lattes you're going to make). Let the mixture simmer, stirring continuously, until all the candy cane chunks are fully melted and incorporated into the milk. The candy cane-infused milk will turn a light pink color, making it a delicious and visually appealing beverage.

You can enjoy this latte hot or iced, depending on your preference. If you're looking for a cozier vibe, go with a hot candy cane latte. Before you begin, you should put your peppermint milk into the fridge until it's totally cooled down. Cold milk is essential when frothing or steaming milk for lattes, or else you'll end up with poor structure. Once it's nice and cool, put a shot or two of espresso into your favorite mug. Steam the peppermint milk if you've got a steamer; if not, a handheld frother works well, too. Pour the milk over the espresso, and garnish the drink with a dusting of cocoa powder for good measure.

A traditional latte uses espresso, but if you don't have an espresso machine at home, you can certainly use peppermint milk for a simple iced coffee. However, if you do have one and you decide to go with an iced latte, remember to pour your milk first. This will ensure that the espresso doesn't go through too much shock; if it does, it might make your drink taste bitter. Add your milk to a glass to let its gorgeous pink color stand out, and then pour your espresso overtop. Garnish it with a good helping of whipped cream and, if you've got any left, another candy cane to let the star ingredient shine.