This Mocha Latte is the easiest and fastest! Forget high-end coffee shops and make it in your microwave using instant coffee, for a fraction of the price, using only 4 ingredients and in under 2 minutes!
Like the Peppermint Hot Chocolate, mocha latte is the perfect drink to warm you up on a cold chilly day!
What is mocha latte? Also known as a Mocaccino (alternatively spelled as Mochaccino or Mochachino), is a chocolate-flavored hot beverage made by blending chocolate syrup, coffee, and hot milk. Its name is derived from the city of Mocha, Yemen, which was one of the early centers of coffee trade.
Typically, coffee shop versions are laden with excessive sugar, artificial flavorings, and other ingredients that aren't particularly healthy. The price range for a mocha latte at Starbucks is typically between $3.45 to $5.25, depending on the size and location.
The advantage of making a mocha latte at home is that you can not only control the sugar content and use natural ingredients but also make it at a fraction of the cost.
If your mornings can never begin without a freshly brewed cup of coffee, then you will love this easy homemade recipe without a hefty price tag. However, there is something magical about that combo of coffee with chocolate, that makes is irresistible. Have you tried my popular mocha mug cake or in a cake form like the tirimisu tres leches cake.
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Why you'll love this?
- Ready in 2 minutes.
- Costs pennies to make.
- No expresso machine needed.
- Easy microwave recipe.
- Only 4 ingredients.
- Customize to exactly how you like it.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Coffee - Coffee shops like Starbucks usually make their beverage with a shot of espresso as the base. However, some variations might use strong brewed coffee instead of espresso. But, for the ease of this recipe, I used instant coffee granules, such as Nescafe Classico.
- Cocoa powder - Like in my slow cooker hot chocolate recipe, I opt for Dutch process cocoa powder instead of conventional chocolate syrup or melted chocolate. Feel free to adjust the quantity of cocoa to suit individual preferences for sweetness and the intensity of the chocolate flavor.
- Sugar - At Starbucks, a selection of sweeteners such as classic syrup, raw sugar, Stevia, Splenda, honey, or agave is usually on hand for customizing your beverage. You're welcome to choose from these alternatives instead of using white sugar as suggested in the mocha latte recipe.
- Milk - Frothy, steamed whole milk is added to the espresso-chocolate mixture, creating a creamy and smooth texture in the drink.
Variations
- Iced Mocha - Skip the last step of heating your drink after mixing milk. Pour into a glass filled with ice.
- Peppermint - Crush a few candy canes to a fine powder and stir until completely dissolved. I like to break it into pieces and grind into a fine powder using a Nutri bullet or coffee grinder.
- White Chocolate - Opt for white chocolate chips as an alternative to cocoa powder and consider decreasing the sugar quantity, as white chocolate tends to be inherently sweet. Have you tried this white chocolate bark?
- Caramel - Stir in some salted caramel sauce or salted caramel sauce and reduce the sugar. Have more caramel sauce? Try serving with the apple hand pies.
- Dulce de Leche - Use dulce de leche instead of caramel sauce.
- 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 chocolate syrup instead of cocoa powder.
Latte vs Cappuccino vs Machiato vs Mocha
A latte is an espresso-based coffee beverage made with a shot of espresso and milk. It is known for its creamy texture, created by combining espresso's rich, bold flavor with a generous amount of steamed hot-frothed milk, often topped with a thin foam layer.
A cappuccino is similar to a latte but consists of equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. Known for its balance between espresso strength and velvety milk foam, it's characterized by its creamy texture and often topped with a sprinkle of cocoa or cinnamon powder.
A macchiato, AKA caffe macchiato or espresso macchiato, consists of a shot of espresso with a small amount of steamed milk or foam. The word "macchiato" translates to "stained" or "spotted" in Italian, which indicates that the espresso is marked with just a touch of milk, creating a strong and bold coffee flavor with a hint of creaminess.
A mocha is much different from all the above because it includes chocolate, espresso, and steamed milk, typically in the form of chocolate syrup, cocoa powder, or melted chocolate. It creates a deliciously rich and slightly sweet coffee drink with a distinct chocolate flavor.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1 & 2. Add water into a large microwave safe coffee mug and microwave for 40 to 50 seconds, until it gets hot. Stir in sugar, cocoa powder and instant coffee, until it is completely dissolved.
Pro tip: Make it your own! Customize the intensity of chocolate or coffee boldness in your mocha latte recipe by adjusting the amount of coffee or cocoa powder used.
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3. Mix in milk and heat in the microwave for 30 to 50 seconds until it's hot. Give it a stir and serve it hot as it is, froth it with a handheld milk frother, or add a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Tip: Like a smaller drink? Simply halve the recipe to make a smaller drink, reducing the microwave time by a few seconds for both heating intervals.
How to serve?
Once your homemade mocha latte is ready, you can serve it hot as is or froth it, or you can add a dollop of whipped cream on top of the drink for extra richness or dust it with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for decoration, like in black forest mug cake.
This homemade mocha latte is best enjoyed immediately when steaming hot. It's not advisable to prepare it in advance as the taste and the creaminess might change, affecting its flavor.
What's the best way to froth at home?
There are two ways to make your homemade mocha latte frothy like you get from a high-end coffee shop.
- Using a milk frother - Froth using a hand held milk frother for a few seconds, just before serving.
- Using a mason jar - In a large mason jar (or a medium one for smaller quantities), pour 1 cup of milk or ½ cup for a smaller portion and seal the jar. Vigorously shake the milk for 20-30 seconds until it becomes frothy. Remove the jar's lid and microwave the foamy milk, without the lid, for 30 seconds. Finally, pour the hot, frothy milk over the mocha latte.
Helpful tips
- I prefer to use whole milk for a creamy beverage.
- I used Nescafe Classico instant coffee.
- Adjust the quantity of cocoa powder, instant coffee or sugar to make the drink your own.
- Use raw sugar, honey, agave, brown sugar or powdered jaggery instead of white granulated sugar.
Recipe FAQs
A traditional mocha latte is typically served hot with frothed milk. However, if you prefer to enjoy it cold, especially during the hot summer months, skip the final heating step after mixing the milk and pour the prepared drink into a glass filled with ice instead, like in homemade iced coffee.
Starbucks describes it as a rich, full-bodied espresso with bittersweet mocha sauce and steamed milk, then topped with sweetened whipped cream. It is sometimes topped with milk foam and a drizzle of mocha sauce, providing a rich and indulgent taste that combines the boldness of espresso with the sweetness of chocolate.
Generally, a mocha contains slightly less caffeine than a standard latte of the same size because the mocha includes the addition of chocolate. The espresso portion in both drinks could be the same. Still, the presence of chocolate in a mocha may slightly reduce the overall caffeine concentration per ounce compared to a latte that consists solely of espresso and milk.
More holiday treats
Mocha Latte
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water
- 1 to 4 tablespoons sugar use white, raw, brown, honey or agavae.
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee I used Nescafe classico
- 1 cup whole milk
- Whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Add water into a large microwave safe coffee mug and microwave for 40 to 50 seconds, until it gets hot. Stir in sugar, cocoa powder and instant coffee, until it is completely dissolved.Tip: Make it your own! Customize the intensity of chocolate or coffee boldness in your mocha latte recipe by adjusting the amount of coffee or cocoa powder used.
- Mix in milk and heat in the microwave for 30 to 50 seconds until it's hot.
- Give it a stir and serve it hot as it is, froth it with a handheld milk frother, or add a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Notes
- Using a milk frother - Froth using a hand held milk frother for a few seconds, just before serving.
- Using a mason jar - In a large mason jar (or a medium one for smaller quantities), pour 1 cup of milk or ½ cup for a smaller portion and seal the jar. Vigorously shake the milk for 20-30 seconds until it becomes frothy. Remove the jar's lid and microwave the foamy milk, without the lid, for 30 seconds. Finally, pour the hot, frothy milk over the mocha latte.
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.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment, a star rating or review below.
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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