Have you ever wondered how to make a homemade mocha? It’s so easy, and it can save you a lot of money and time compared to going to coffee shops for it.
You probably already know a mocha is just coffee with chocolate and some sort of creamer. It’s not exactly a complicated recipe.
The trick with this drink is to have the right ingredients. You might already know this if you’ve ever used, oh, let’s say powdered non-dairy creamer with a melted Hershey kiss.
True story – when you’re desperate for a mocha and stuck in the office, you do what you can.
This is why people pay several dollars to get a mocha from a coffee house. They tend to carry the gourmet syrups or powders. Some chains even have their own lines of flavorings.
But you don’t have to get fancy or expensive to make a great homemade mocha. Everything you need is at the grocery store, if not already in your kitchen.
The Ingredients
So what are these ingredients we keep rattling on about? You will find people saying you should make your own chocolate syrup from high quality chocolate.
If you have the time and patience for that, bless you. But it’s not really necessary, since there are some very tasty syrups out there just waiting to be squeezed into your mocha.
What we used:
- Torani Dark Chocolate Sauce. We love the rich dark chocolate flavor and texture of this one and it seems like a lot of online reviewers are in agreement.
- Whole Evaporated Milk. It has a rich, sweet, creamy flavor that no low-fat substitution can ever match. It’s thicker and sweeter than regular creamer.
- Dunkin’ Donuts Regular. You can pick the coffee brand you like best here, but we think Dunkin’ Donuts is great in a mocha. If you want decaf, you also can’t go wrong with Dunkin’ Donuts decaf.
Can’t I substitute?
Do you have to use these exact ingredients? No, of course not. These are our recommendations for a really great tasting homemade mocha.
If you want a chocolate sauce from the grocery store, we would suggest Nesquik. It has more chocolate flavor than some of the other major brands.
What about that thick chocolate fudge you have for putting over ice cream? You can try it, but you’ll be stirring for a long time. And I find they don’t always have the best flavor.
What about a non-fat alternative to evaporated milk? Sorry, but the fat is most of the flavor. And it’s only 1 gram for one tablespoon, which is the most I’ve ever wanted in my mochas.
So you’re probably talking at most 2 grams of fat. It’s well worth it for the flavor it adds.
What about another coffee brand or instant coffee? I’ve never found instant coffee that tasted nearly as good in a mocha as fresh brewed. But you don’t have to use a specific brand of coffee. Use whatever tastes good to you.
You can make these for enjoying at home. Or you can put them in a travel mug and skip line at the drive-through at your favorite coffee chain.
You don’t need to make these fancy. They can simply be poured into a mug or thermos and enjoyed without any decoration.
But if you want – and it will certainly make it feel more coffeehouse – you can dress them up with whipped cream topped with more chocolate syrup, or caramel syrup, or cinnamon sticks, even chocolate sprinkles.
Make a cheap mocha at home
This homemade mocha is easy to make and tastes wonderful. Put it in a travel mug and save yourself the time and money of stopping at a coffee shop!
Ingredients
- Torani Dark Chocolate Syrup
- Whole evaporated milk (I use Carnation)
- Fresh brewed coffee
- Whipped cream is optional.
- Ice is optional, too.
Instructions
- Brew the coffee strong. If you prefer the chocolate flavor, you might tend to think you should brew it weak, but that just doesn't taste as good.
- Pour the chocolate syrup into an empty mug. Generally, covering the bottom is a good start - you can always add more later.
- Pour the coffee in over the chocolate and stir it up.
- Pour the whole evaporated milk in last. Start with a little, stir, then taste. Add more until you get it the way you like it. Add more chocolate, too, if you want.
- Add whipped cream if you want.
