Ever wish you could make the decadent Starbucks mocha you love so much at home? You’re in luck because today we’ll show you how to make a Starbucks mocha from the comfort of your kitchen.
With just a few simple ingredients you’ll enjoy this tantalizing blend of chocolate and coffee in minutes.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What is a Starbucks mocha?
- Ingredients for a Starbucks mocha
- How does Starbucks make a mocha?
- Recipe for making a Starbucks mocha copycat
- How much milk is in a mocha?
- Can I make my mocha vegan?
- Our favorite mocha latte recipes
Let’s get started!
What is a Starbucks mocha?
A Starbucks mocha is a blend of espresso, bittersweet mocha sauce, and steamed milk topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Coffee and chocolate is an unbeatable combination that we can trace back to the 18th century. Back then, Italians in the city of Turin used to serve a combination of espresso, hot milk, and hot cocoa in a small glass.
They named it “bicerin” or “bavareisa,” which means “small glass” in the local dialect of Piedmontese.
The very first time mocha appeared in the U.S. was in a Betty Crocker recipe in 1892 and consisted of milk, hot cocoa mix, and instant espresso powder.
Ingredients for a mocha
More than a century later, Starbucks crafted its own version of the mocha, inspired by American cuisine and the classic Italian mocha recipe. Today, the mocha is also known as a mocha latte and there are many variations.
The main ingredients in every mocha are:
Coffee
Espresso or strongly brewed coffee to get the best possible flavor.
Milk
Dairy or plant-based milk for a creamy texture and mouthfeel.
Chocolate
Cocoa powder mix, chocolate syrup, or melted chocolate chips or chunks for richness and sweetness.
How does Starbucks make a mocha?
As an innovator of many coffee drinks, Starbucks has its own mocha sauce recipe.
If you order a mocha from their menu, you’ll get a cup with 1 or 2 shots of espresso, 4 pumps of their signature mocha sauce, and steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
The number of espresso shots is up to you and you can ask for more or fewer pumps of mocha sauce as well.
If you’re someone that wants the coffee flavor to be more dominant go for the Short or Tall size. If you’re all about the milk flavor, then we suggest you try the Grande or the Venti!
Starbucks mocha copycat recipe
Equipment
- Espresso maker
- Steam wand
- Burr grinder
- Coffee mug
Ingredients
- 2 shots espresso
- 4 oz milk
- 2 pumps mocha sauce
- 3 tbsp whipped cream
- 1 tsp chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Finely grind your fresh coffee beans.
- Brew the coffee using a Moka pot, espresso machine, or your favorite appliance.Â
- Add the mocha sauce to the hot coffee and mix well with a spoon.
- Steam the milk in your pitcher until hot to the touch. Make sure to let some air in while you steam so you can create a frothy top layer.
- Pour the steamed milk slowly on your espresso-mocha mixture.Â
- Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or some chocolate syrup.
Notes
Pro tips
We recommend using Starbucks Pike Place Roast, a medium roast coffee with hints of cocoa and toasted nuts. You might also want to try the Starbucks Mocha Flavoured ground coffee for that extra chocolate kick!ÂHow much milk is in a mocha?
Many coffee shops around the world serve their mocha lattes in 12 oz cups (355 ml) and use one part espresso to two parts milk. So, one part coffee to two parts milk is a good rule of thumb since a mocha has more milk than coffee
However, you have the final say here!
A mocha can have as much milk as you want it to.
Take the Starbucks sizes for example Short (8 oz or 235 ml), Tall (12 oz or 255 ml), Grande (16 oz or 475 ml), and Venti (20 oz or 600ml).
You can choose whichever one of these sizes you want for your Starbucks mocha, which means the quantity of milk will be different from size to size. Feel free to adjust this according to your taste.
Can I make my mocha vegan?
Yes! It’s easy to make your mocha vegan. Just replace dairy milk with your favorite plant-based alternative.
We recommend using neutral-flavored oat milk or soy milk, so you don’t mask the delicious mocha flavors.
What’s more, soy and oat milk are also creamier and foam better than other plant-based milk like almond milk or coconut milk. Try the Soy Barista Series by Pacific or the Oat Milk Barista Edition by Oatly to experience it for yourself. (Don’t forget to add vegan whipped cream to take your mocha up a notch!)
Our favorite mocha latte recipes
One of the amazing things about a mocha latte is that the variations are endless! Why not up your mocha game by making one of these delicious alternatives?
Cinnamon spice mocha
Top your mocha with cinnamon or a warming spice mix that also includes nutmeg and cloves and add a dash of robust dark or honey-like amber maple syrup
Peppermint mocha
Add one drop of peppermint extract in the coffee chocolate mixture and top with crushed candy canes or peppermints.
Salted caramel mocha latte
Replace the mocha with caramel sauce, add a big pinch of sea salt, and top with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Iced chocolate chip mocha frappe
Add ice, chocolate chips, vanilla yogurt, chocolate syrup, and strong coffee to a blender, blend until smooth, and top with chocolate chip cookie crumbles.
Iced white chocolate mocha latte
Pour white chocolate sauce, ice, a drop of vanilla extract, coffee, and milk into the blender and blend until smooth. Top your white mocha with a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup.
Takeaways on how to make a Starbucks mocha
The mocha latte is one of the most fun coffee drinks to experiment with! Whether you want to make a Starbuck mocha copycat recipe or play around with the ingredients and come up with your own signature drink, the possibilities are endless!
All you need is a few ingredients, some amazing coffee beans, and a pinch of imagination.