Brew the coffee. You may desire more coffee, so make a little extra if desired. Set the coffee aside.
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, warm the milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and peppermint extract. Whisk the ingredients until the milk begins to bubble on the sides. Turn off the heat.
Use an immersion blender (like this) to create the milk froth. Place the immersion blender in the warm milk mixture, and pulse until the milk is frothy. This is the secret to creating a homemade latte without an expensive machine. This little gadget is also perfect for pureeing homemade soups in the winter. If you don't have a immersion blender, vigorously whisk the milk in the saucepan as the bubbles begin to form (while heating the milk).
Pour the frothy milk into a large coffee mug. Carefully pour the coffee over the frothy milk.
Top the latte with homemade whipped cream and crushed peppermint candies, if desired.
Notes
*The amount of sweetener used will depend on your taste. I've found that 2 tablespoons of maple syrup fits my taste. If you're using coconut sugar (or sucanat), you may need to decrease the sweetener to 1 tablespoon. The same applies to honey. Feel free to increase or decrease the sweetener to your desired taste.