Delicious Mocha Latte is made in microwave with instant coffee, cocoa powder and without an espresso machine. Forget high end coffee shops and make this drink easily at home in a fraction of the price and under 2 minutes. A must try DIY recipe!
Homemade Mocha Latte
This easy microwave recipe is made with only 4 ingredients, no espresso machine, using cocoa powder, with instant coffee and without chocolate syrup.
It's the perfect drink to warm you up on cold chilly day, because it is ready in under 2 minutes like this Peppermint Hot Chocolate.
I love Coffee!!! Have you wondered how to make iced coffee at home? Mornings can never begin without a freshly brewed cup of coffee with hot steamed milk. When we add chocolate to the equation, it makes for an indulgent beverage. There is something about that combo, that is so delicious! Try our popular mug cake version or this Tirimisu Tres Leches Cake.
We enjoy drinks from Starbucks every weekend, but we do not love the hefty price for something that can be easily made at home.
Is it just hot chocolate? Technically it is hot chocolate with the addition of coffee. However, a good hot beverage is more like a cappuccino made with hot espresso, frothed milk, chocolate syrup with a sweetener.
What is Mocha Latte?
Cafe mocha AKA mocaccino (also mochaccino or mochachino) is a chocolate flavored hot beverage made by mixing chocolate syrup, coffee and hot milk. The name is derived from the city of Mocha, Yemen which was one of the centres of early coffee trade.
Mocha vs Latte
A latte is an espresso based beverage with milk and mocha is the same drink with chocolate (in the form of chocolate sauce, chocolate syrup or other artificial chocolate flavors added to it).
Mocha vs Cappucino
A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink that is traditionally prepared with equal parts double espresso, steamed milk, and foam on top. It does not contain any form of chocolate.
Mocha Vs Machiato
Macchiato AKA Caffe Macchiato or Espresso Macchiato, has a bolder flavor than many other coffee drinks. It is made of a lot of espresso with a small amount of steamed milk.
What is mocha latte made of?
Starbucks mocha is made of hot espresso, milk and chocolate syrup.
What does it taste like?
The taste is simply described as "chocolatey coffee" with a sweet, luxurious drink with deep flavors.
How to make it Frothy?
There are two ways to make your homemade mocha latte frothy just like you get from a high end coffee shop.
- With a milk frother - Froth using a hand held milk frother for a few seconds, just before serving.
- Using a mason jar - Place the 1 cup milk in a large mason jar (use a medium size jar for ½ cup milk). Vigorously shake milk for 20-30 seconds until frothy. Microwave frothy milk in the glass jar (remove lid) for 30 seconds. Pour hot, frothy milk on top of espresso-chocolate mixture.
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes! Look for a plant-based milk that heats well (coconut, almond and soy milk are good options), as well as vegan whipped cream.
Is it healthy?
Coffee shop versions are usually loaded with sugar, artificial flavorings, and other ingredients that are not very good for you. The advantage of making at home is you can control the amount of sugar and it is made with real ingredients.
Does it have caffeine?
Yes, this recipes uses instant coffee, so it does have caffeine.
Ingredients
(Starbuck's is usually made by mixing strong brewed coffee, chocolate syrup and milk)
- Instant Coffee - We used Nescafe Classico
- Cocoa powder - Use dutch process cocoa powder
- Sugar - Regular white granulated sugar
- Milk - Whole milk preferably
- Whipped cream is optional but highly recommended!!!
Pro Tips for Success
- Use whole milk, if possible.
- We used Nescafe Classico instant coffee.
Variations
- Iced Mocha - Skip the last step of heating your drink after mixing milk. Pour into a glass filled with ice.
- Peppermint - Crush some candy cane to a fine powder (I like to break it into pieces and grind into a fine powder using a Nutri bullet or coffee grinder) and add along with sugar-instant coffee-cocoa powder and stir until completely dissolved.
- White Chocolate - Use white chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder and reduce sugar.
- Caramel - Stir in some caramel sauce or salted caramel sauce along with sugar-instant coffee-cocoa powder and reduce sugar.
- Dulce de Leche - Stir in canned dulce de leche instead of caramel.
- Turtle - Use caramel sauce and top with crushed toasted pecans.
- Cinnamon - Top your drink with a dash of cinnamon.
- Vanilla - Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Chocolate syrup - Use instead of cocoa powder.
How to make?
This is simply made using a microwave without any machine or syrup.
- Dissolve instant coffee granules, cocoa powder and sugar in some warm water, until completely dissolved.
- Mix in milk and microwave until heated through.
- Serve frothed using a milk frother or top with sweetened whipped cream.
Can I make it ahead?
This cafe mocha drink is perfect to be had right away. I do not recommend making it ahead.
How to serve?
- Delicious as is!
- Froth it up - Make foamy top using a hand held milk frother to give a professional finishing touch to your coffee mocha.
- Top with sweetened whipped cream and/or a dust of cocoa powder.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually served hot with a layer with frothed milk. Some places will add hot chocolate to the drink, others will add a chocolate syrup.
Absolutely! Skip the last step of heating your drink after mixing milk and pour into a glass filled with ice.
Starbucks describes it as "rich, full-bodied espresso combined with bittersweet mocha sauce and steamed milk, then topped with sweetened whipped cream."
More chocolate treats for Holidays to try -
- Chocolate Truffles
- No Bake Brownie Bites
- Layered Peppermint Bark
- Avocado Truffles
- Almond Butter Cups
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Homemade Mocha Latte with Instant Coffee
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 1 cup milk
- Whipped cream for serving, optional
Additional Equipment (optional)
Instructions
- Add water into a large microwave safe coffee mug and microwave for 40 to 50 seconds, until it gets hot.
- Remove mug from microwave and stir in sugar, cocoa powder and instant coffee, until it is completely dissolved.
- Stir in milk and microwave for 30 to 50 seconds, until hot.
- Remove mug from microwave, stir once and serve hot as is / froth using a hand held milk frother / top with a dollop of whipped cream.
(Halve the recipe to make a smaller drink (reduce the cooking time by a few seconds both times))
Notes
How to make it Frothy?
There are two ways to make your homemade mocha latte frothy just like you get from a high end coffee shop.- With a milk frother – Froth using a hand held milk frother for a few seconds, just before serving.
- Using a mason jar – Place the 1 cup milk in a large mason jar (use a medium size jar for ½ cup milk). Vigorously shake milk for 20-30 seconds until frothy. Microwave frothy milk in the glass jar (remove lid) for 30 seconds. Pour hot, frothy milk on top of espresso-chocolate mixture.
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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NCR
I'm generally very picky about coffee and have NEVER been able to make coffee at home that didn't make me sick, /and/ tasted good, and believe me it wasn't for a lack of trying. Saw this recipe this morning and for whatever reason, decided to make it. I had all the stuff on hand, so why not? To my total surprise, I love it! And it doesn't make me sick at all! Plus, I'm notoriously bad with recipes, but even with that I made this in about 5 minutes, and I'll only get faster from here!
Just be warned, the cocoa powder comes on strong, so if that isn't your thing, you might wanna leave a little out.
Can't wait to try it's variations!
Maria Doss
Hi, Glad you love the mocha, Maria:)
Tianna
This recipe had the right idea but I think if I ever remake this, I’ll have to do a lot of variations 😅 So I halved the recipe and I found it wayyy too sweet for my tastes. And I only used a tablespoon of cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s) and found that that was enough for me. Also, maybe it was intentional, but it was also a bit too thick for me and I’d use more water next time. But thank you for the recipe, I’ve been looking for one that would at least give me an idea on how to make a nice mocha without a fancy espresso machine or melting chocolate 🙂
Maria Doss
Hi Tianna, Thanks for sharing your feedback and glad you were able to customize the recipe to your taste. Have a great week, Maria
Kelli
Hi! I am SO ready to try this! I was wondering if you've every mixed all the dry ingredients in a big batch and then just scooped out a certain amount when you are ready to add the milk? I do that with a cocoa mix so whenever we want some, we have the dey mix already. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Maria Doss
Hi Kelli, I love that idea! All you have to do is mix equal measure sugar and instant coffee granules and store in the pantry. When ready to make the iced coffee, mix together 2 tablespoons of the prepared mix to 1/2 cup warm water and then stir in cold milk and ice (of course, adjust the sweetness as per your taste) - Have a wonderful day hun, Maria
Debbie
I'm a avid cook, and lover of coffee.. I found your recipe and I thought I'd try a serving of it. I compared it to a high end pre-mix that I also love.. Well, to my delight, this is a perfect mocha latte.. So perfect, I now, make it in quantity, powder form, so I can scoop about, 1/8 cup into my hot milk, at will..Top it with whip, and bask in it. I also, pulverize the mix.. And use, a dark roast instant coffee. I will be adding this to my gifts during the holidays.. Thank you, for sharing..
Maria Doss
Happy to hear. Have a wonderful day hun - Maria
Tellme
Cool but what are the ingredient amounts
Maria Doss
¼ cup water
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 cup milk