Easy Iced Mocha Recipe with DIY Mocha Syrup

A perfectly frosty iced mocha on a hot summer’s day is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The first sip of the chocolatey, coffee goodness is enough to make your eyes roll back in your head from happiness!

We’re going to teach you today how to bring that moment of joy into your life every day with our no-fail homemade iced mocha recipe. You’ll be blown away by just how easy it is to make it at home (and how much cash you’ll save over hitting the coffee shop). We’re also going to show you just how easy it is to choose Fairtrade coffee so you can make sure your shopping dollars are supporting people and our planet! Let’s get brewing.

First, let’s talk about the elephant in the room—is drinking coffee even ethical?

Coffee is a staple of most people’s mornings, but have you ever thought about what goes into getting that coffee into your cup?

The cold, hard truth is that purchasing a typical bag of coffee isn’t fair to farmers, producers, or our planet. Here are some facts that just might blow your mind:

• The coffee industry generates more than $200 billion (with a B!) per year, but the average coffee farmer’s income has stayed flat or even declined over the past 20 years.
• Nearly 61 percent of coffee producers are forced to sell their coffee at prices below the cost of production.
• Coffee requires a very specific range of temperature and humidity to thrive. Because of climate change, it is estimated that by 2050, the amount of land that can sustain coffee will have fallen by 50%.
• Because the price of coffee continues to be low, many farmers don’t have the resources to farm sustainably, let alone adapt to the climate change crisis. The reality is that unless there is a collective global shift to better support coffee farmers through Fairtrade, we will all be left with empty cups.

So how do you make an ethical cup of joe?

The simple answer is to buy Fairtrade Certified coffee. When you choose Fairtrade you are choosing the planet and people over profits.

Coffee that is Fairtrade Certified helps fight for the health of our planet—and the people on it—thanks to rigorous standards that protect our environment. We try to purchase exclusively Fairtrade coffee in the Wholefully kitchen, and we see it as an investment in the health of our planet.

Thankfully, our dear friends at Fairtrade America have made it so easy to choose coffee that is better for our planet. Just look for the Fairtrade Mark on coffee (and other products!) in your local grocery store, and you can be sure that you are purchasing a product that was produced using methods that protect our planet and make a difference in the lives of millions of Fairtrade farmers and workers across the globe.
Fairtrade coffee is available at most major supermarkets, health food stores, and online. Check out Fairtrade America’s Product Finder to source Fairtrade coffee near you.

But wait, isn’t Fairtrade coffee super expensive?

By the nature of prioritizing people and the planet, Fairtrade products typically cost more than conventional products. Here are two ways to reframe your shopping brain to see the value instead of sticker shock:

• Think of it as an investment—by spending $8 on a bag of coffee instead of $5, you are investing in the planet, plus the health, happiness, and economic security of another human being.
• When shopping, instead of asking “why is this so expensive?” ask “what makes that other product so cheap?”—you might find pollution, unfair wages, and child labor lurking right under the surface.

Alright, I’m sold on Fairtrade! Now talk to me about this drink. What is an iced mocha?

Coffee drinks can be confusing, but no need to have a barista translate for you on this one. A mocha is a latte (which is espresso or strongly brewed coffee and milk) with chocolate added. An iced mocha is a mocha served over ice!

What’s the difference between a mocha and a latte?

In its simplest form, a latte is just espresso with steamed milk added. A mocha is a type of latte where sweetened chocolate syrup is added to the espresso in addition to the milk—giving you a dose of chocolatey goodness along with your caffeine!

How do you make an iced mocha at home?

Making an iced mocha in your own kitchen is WAY easier and faster than hitting up the drive-through at your local coffee shop. It’s just three steps!

1. Make your own DIY mocha syrup—or buy some premade chocolate syrup from the store.
2. Combine the syrup with cooled coffee, espresso, or cold brew.
3. Add in some milk, stir or shake, and enjoy over ice!
4. BONUS EPIC STEP: Top with a pile of whipped cream and more chocolate sauce for a super treat!

What’s the best milk to use for an iced mocha latte?

Most coffee shops default to 2% cow’s milk for all of their mocha lattes, but quite literally any kind of milk will do the trick. Skim or 1% milk will give you a slightly less creamy experience. Whole milk or half and half will be rich and decadent. Our favorite—and what we recommend—is whole milk.

Can you make a vegan iced mocha?

Absolutely! Experiment with different plant-based milks to figure out what works best for you. We tested this with lots of different non-dairy milks, and both full-fat coconut milk from the can and oat milk were our favorites. The coconut milk made this iced coffee taste like an Almond Joy!

Can I make this iced mocha decaf?

Yes! It’s easy to make this a decaf mocha—all you need to do is brew decaf coffee, cold brew, or espresso for the recipe.

What’s the best coffee to use for a mocha?

For an authentic mocha latte, you’ll want to use espresso shots. If you have an espresso machine, great! A small espresso pot is also a great addition to any coffee lover’s kitchen if you aren’t ready to invest in a full machine.

No worries though, it doesn’t have to be espresso. Any strongly brewed cold coffee from a regular pot of coffee will work. Also, cold brew concentrate works very well! Make your own cold brew coffee or buy it from the store for quick and easy mochas.

To stand up to the flavor of the chocolate, you really want a dark roast coffee. Espresso roast coffees are a great choice—even if you don’t have an espresso maker kicking around. The dark, rich flavor still comes through when brewed.

Do I have to make my own mocha syrup?

You don’t have to—although we recommend it since it’s just so simple to do and it can save you some serious cash!

But if you want to use store-bought chocolate syrup for your mocha, you absolutely can. Just make sure you grab a Fairtrade certified product—chocolate producers face similar challenges to coffee producers, and you can vote with your dollars to support people and the planet! Wildly Organic makes a great vegan chocolate syrup that is Fairtrade Certified.

How do you make mocha syrup for coffee at home?

This mocha syrup recipe is so easy, you’ll never hit up your local coffee shop again! Here’s how you make it:

1. Combine unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder, sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan.
2. Heat over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is glossy and smooth.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Voilà, done!

The syrup stores well in the refrigerator for a month or even longer—but you’ll probably go through it faster than that since it’s so tasty!

Can I use sweeteners other than sugar in the mocha syrup recipe?

Sure can! This syrup works well with both honey and maple syrup (although both will obviously give a hint of their natural flavor to the syrup). If swapping in honey or maple syrup, use 3/4 of a cup in place of the sugar listed in the recipe.

What’s the best way to chill coffee without watering it down?

The very best way to chill your coffee is time and a fridge, but you can also hack it by thinking ahead and making coffee ice cubes from your last batch of brew. Just pour the coffee into an ice cube tray, and then pop in the freezer. Keep the cubes on hand for when you need to cool down freshly brewed coffee in a jiffy!