Salted Caramel Mocha
When I heard that Starbucks wasn’t bringing its salted caramel mocha back in 2021, I decided to whip up one of these seasonal mochas from scratch for myself. It is sweet, but not too sweet, a little bit salty, and perfectly rich and decadent. And now I’m going to share my coffeeshop copycat recipe magic with you, so that you can replicate it at home yourself!
What’s the difference between a mocha and a latte?
A latte is just espresso with steamed milk added—there may also be flavored syrups stirred in, giving you drinks like a vanilla latte or hazelnut latte. A mocha is a type of latte that has chocolate added to the espresso and the milk. In this case, we add both salted caramel sauce and chocolate to make a salted caramel mocha.
What’s the best coffee to use for a mocha?
For the most authentic mocha, you’ll want to use espresso shots. This small espresso pot is incredibly affordable and doesn’t take up a ton of space.
But if you don’t have an espresso maker and don’t want to buy one, you can use drip coffee or French press. Just be sure to pick a dark roast (or even an espresso roast), or the coffee flavor will get lost among the caramel and chocolate.
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What’s the best milk to use for a salted caramel mocha?
Most coffee shops use 2% cow’s milk as their standard milk, but truly, any kind of milk will work. We recommend whole milk for a richer, creamier flavor. But you can also use skim or 1% milk, which will make a less creamy mocha, or half and half for an even richer flavor. Or, use any plant-based milk!
Can you make a vegan mocha?
Sure can! We’ve made coffee drinks like this one with lots of different plant-based milks, and enjoyed the ones made with oat milk or full-fat coconut milk from the can the most—they give the creamiest mocha experience! Experiment with different plant-based milks to find your favorite.
Can I make this salted caramel mocha recipe decaf?
Absolutely! It’s easy to take the caffeine out of this mocha—just use decaf coffee or espresso instead of full-speed.
Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Recipe
Ingredients
For the drink:
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 cup hot strong coffee or 2 shots of espresso (I did 4 tablespoons of coffee to 1 cup water in a French press)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce my favorite recipe
For the topping:
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- Whipped cream
- Caramel sauce
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat milk over low heat until very hot. Remove from heat and froth milk with a frother, whisk or immersion blender. Or, pour into a mason jar, screw on lid and shake until very frothy.
- While the milk is heating, whisk together the coffee, cocoa, sugar and caramel sauce. Split the coffee mixture between two mugs.
- Pour the hot milk and foam into the coffee, dividing evenly between the two mugs.
- For the topping, mix together salt and sugar. Top each mug with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a hefty sprinkling of the salt and sugar mixture.
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