How to make an easy and delicious homemade mocha, no espresso machine or hot chocolate mix needed.
I’ve shared a bunch of easy coffee recipes on the site in the past, my Iced White Chocolate Mocha, Chai Tea Latte, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and Caramel Macchiato, but this homemade mocha might be the easiest of them all.
It’s sweet, chocolatey, and takes hardly more time to make than adding cream and sugar to your morning coffee so it can be the thrown-together treat that gets you through a crazy busy morning or something to sip slowly on a lazy Sunday morning.
Ingredient Notes
- Homemade chocolate syrup: Instead of using store-bought chocolate syrup or hot chocolate mix as many recipes do, you’ll make a quick syrup of cocoa powder, sugar, and water to flavor the mocha base.
- Coffee: True mocha lattes are made with espresso, but we’ll stick to regular coffee for this homemade version since that’s what most people have available. Use whatever coffee you have on hand, decaf works fine.
- Your choice of milk: By default, Starbucks uses 2% milk in their coffee drinks, but you can use any milk you’d like including non-dairy milks. The higher fat your milk, the richer and creamier your drink will be.
- Heavy cream: Cream is optional, but a little splash adds a really delicious richness to the coffee. You can also use half and half if that’s what you keep on hand. For leftover heavy cream, check out my post What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream for storage tips and recipe ideas for the leftovers.
How to Make A Homemade Mocha
- In a small pot or microwave-safe cup, stir together sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Heat on the stove or in your microwave, and stir until sauce is completely smooth.
- Add coffee and milk and continue to heat until steaming. If making on the stove, you can whisk the mixture vigorously until foamy. Pour into a cup, top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
Mason Jar Method
Combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Screw on lid securely and wrap top with a towel (in case your jar leaks). Give a few very good shakes, until everything is well-mixed and milk is foamy. Pour into a mug and microwave for 30 seconds or until steaming.
Mocha Variations
- Peppermint Mocha: Crush a full-size candy cane in a plastic bag and add it to the sugar/cocoa powder/water mixture and stir until completely dissolved.
- Caramel Mocha: Add a heaping tablespoon of caramel or salted caramel when you add the coffee and milk. You can also use dulce de leche for a dulce de leche mocha.
- White Chocolate Mocha: Use chopped white chocolate instead of the homemade chocolate syrup. For full measurements, find the recipe here.
FAQ
Can I make this an iced mocha?
It’s really easy to make an iced mocha at home, but for best results, the method you’ll want to use is slightly different than this recipe. Go check out my Iced Mocha Recipe if you’re craving your mocha cold today. (That recipe will also walk you through making your mocha a frappuccino if that’s more your jam.)
Is there caffeine in a mocha?
Yes. This particular recipe has about 95 mg of caffeine. But if you’d like to skip the caffeine, you can use decaf coffee.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. This recipe scales up with no preparation changes needed. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
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Easy Homemade Mocha
Equipment
- Mason jar with lid, optional
- Kitchen towel, optional
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (12g to 25g) granulated sugar to taste
- 1 tablespoon (5g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon water omit if making using the mason jar method
- 1 cup hot coffee
- ¼ cup milk any percentage
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
- Whipped cream for topping, optional
Instructions
Stovetop or Microwave
- In a small pot or microwave-safe cup, stir together sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Heat on the stove (or in your microwave for about 15 seconds), and stir until sugar and cocoa powder dissolve and sauce is completely smooth.
- Stir in coffee and milk and continue to heat until steaming (about 30 seconds in the microwave). If making on the stove, you can whisk the mixture vigorously until foamy. Pour into a cup, top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
Mason Jar Method
- Combine all ingredients except the water and optional whipped cream in a mason jar. Screw the lid on securely and wrap top with a towel (in case your jar leaks). Give a few very good shakes, until everything is well-mixed and mixture is foamy.
- Pour into a mug and microwave for 30 seconds or until steaming. Top with whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
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