Sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself to a special beverage to start the day. Here is a great way to up your coffee game with my delicious Caramel Mocha Coffee recipe, and add a little extra sweetness to your morning brew.
You will love the results of spending a little extra time to make your morning cup of Joe more exciting and tasty. Caramel Mocha Coffee comes together in as little as 15 minutes and is completely worth the effort. You will not be disappointed.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Caramel Mocha Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make a Caramel Mocha Coffee
- More Recipes You Will Love
- How to Store our Caramel Mocha Coffee
- How to Serve this Caramel Mocha Recipe
- Top Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions About Our Caramel Mocha Coffee
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Caramel Mocha Coffee Recipe
This coffee is perfect with a light and fluffy stack of our Gluten Free Buttermilk Waffles or Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes!
Why You Will Love This Caramel Mocha Recipe
- Fast: Once you have brewed your favorite blend of coffee, within minutes you will be sipping on a delicious, comforting drink.
- Budget Friendly: Making a caramel mocha coffee at home is a more cost-effective option instead of buying from your local Starbucks. You'll enjoy a café-worthy drink, right at home and not break the bank.
- Customizable: Since you are making your own drink right at home, you can truly tailor the sweetness and caffeine to your liking. And if you are making this beverage just for yourself, you can easily adjust the recipe to serve one!
Ingredients
With just 6 simple ingredients, you probably already have all you need at home to make this amazing drink.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Whole Milk: This makes for a creamy consistency.
- Cream 18%: This will thicken the drink for a creamier finished product.
- Cocoa Powder: A little added flavor of chocolatey goodness.
- Coffee: The best base for any coffee blended beverage will always start with your favorite brew.
- Caramel Syrup: This adds the ideal amount of sweetness to the drink.
- Sea Salt: This will enhance the flavors and bring them all together.
For this recipe, you'll want to have on hand a medium saucepan, measuring cups and spoons and a whisk.
Substitutions and Variations
Love this recipe but want to make it your own? Here are some helpful ideas for you to change make caramel mocha coffee a little differently.
- Salted Caramel: Add a sprinkle of flaky finishing salt. We have used this recipe as a base for a copycat Starbucks salted caramel mocha.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Make a non-dairy version of this caramel mocha coffee by substituting whole milk and cream with your favorite non-dairy milk: oat, almond, coconut (not canned), cashew, soy, etc. Just note that this will affect the flavor and creaminess.
- Iced: This recipe can be turned into an iced caramel mocha by letting the coffee cool before pouring it over ice. Cold brew can also be used for a refreshing twist.
- Flavors: To enhance the depth of flavor, add pure vanilla extract, a pinch of cinnamon, or other flavoured syrups to make this drink customized to your tastes.
- Seasonal: This recipe acts as a great base for seasonal variations. Use peppermint syrup around Christmas to make a Peppermint Mocha, or try a vanilla or hazelnut mochas. We love using the Torani brand for their peppermint syrup, vanilla syrup, and hazelnut syrup.
- White Chocolate: Use white chocolate in place of cocoa to make a white caramel mocha.
How to Make a Caramel Mocha Coffee
It is easier than you think to make this delicious drink. All of your ingredients come together in a pan before you know it!
On medium heat, place a medium pan and whisk together whole milk, cream, and cocoa powder until there are no lumps. Allow it to come to a slow boil, then lower the heat and add coffee, caramel syrup, and sea salt and whisk to combined and warm throughout. Serve with whipped cream and drizzle caramel sauce on top. Add an extra pinch of salt if you love a salted caramel mocha.
Hint: To ensure the best flavor result you should make sure that you brew your coffee on the strong side. Simply add a little extra coffee to your regular brew and the final product will be perfect.
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How to Store our Caramel Mocha Coffee
We recommend drinking your Caramel Mocha right away, coffee lovers know a fresh brewed coffee will offer the best flavor. If you have leftovers or make a double batch, here is what we recommend.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container and use within 24 hours. Do not add any toppings like whipped cream or caramel sauce until you are ready to serve.
- Reheating: Reheat gradually on low heat in the microwave or on the stove top.
How to Serve this Caramel Mocha Recipe
Pair this beverage with our Buttermilk Waffles or Pancakes for a beautiful breakfast. It also goes well with French toast or a flaky croissant.
Top Tip
Have fun with your morning cup of Joe. Play around with the presentation of your drink and drizzle caramel sauce around the insides of your glass before serving. You can top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, caramel drizzle or a combination, for a fancy finish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Caramel Mocha Coffee
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about Caramel Mocha Coffee.
Feel free to use any coffee of your choice. Make sure it is a medium roast or preferably a dark roast to get that nice strong coffee flavor. You can also use instant coffee or if you prefer your drink without the caffeine, feel free to use decaf as well.
Absolutely! Make the recipe as is and let it cool to at least room temperature. Stir to mix any cocoa that may have settled to the bottom and then just add ice.
No, you can use any other milk or milk substitute but be aware that this may change the level of creaminess!
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Check out some more of our recipes you will want to try!
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Caramel Mocha Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup 18% cream
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 4 ½ cups strong coffee hot
- ⅓ cup caramel syrup
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- On medium heat, place a medium pan and whisk together whole milk, cream, and cocoa powder until there are no lumps.
- Allow it to come to a slow boil, then lower the heat and add coffee, caramel syrup, and sea salt and whisk to combined and warm throughout.
- Serve with whipped cream and drizzle caramel sauce on top. Add an extra pinch of salt if you love a salted caramel mocha.
Notes
- Starting with a strong, freshly brewed coffee or espresso will ensure the best base for rich flavor. You can use dark roast coffee for this or substitute espresso shots.
- You can adjust the sweetness to your liking. The amount of caramel syrup can be increased or decreased. If you would like it less sweet, balance it with more coffee.
- If you do not have cocoa powder, you can substitute with melted chocolate chips.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any alterations, let us know how they turned out.
Eva says
This recipe is so great when hosting a dinner and you’re looks for a dessert-like coffee, or to whip up in the morning.
Eva Filer says
Such a delicious drink any time of day, glad you enjoyed it.
Jillian says
Loved the inspiration for this today! I ran into your post on Facebook and I decided to click on it and see if it was doable. I was concerned (as I've experienced with many recipes in the past) that the ingredients required would not be in my not-so-fancy pantry. To my surprise, this was a very realistic, doable recipe, which included ingredients that I mostly had on hand! I did substitute the cream and milk for what I had (2% milk and 10% cream), but the rest was perfect! Thanks again for the inspo ☺️
Eva Filer says
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us Jillian! I think we all feel that way sometimes, but I am glad you were able to make it work and it turned out great!
Charlotte Keighan says
just made a batch and it's fantastic. This is going to be my new fave winter morning drink!!!. recipe was easy to follow and don't disappoint.
Eva Filer says
Oh that is so great to hear Charlotte! So happy you love this as much as we do.
Thanks for sharing.