This Salted Caramel Mocha is a rich, creamy coffeehouse-style drink you can make right at home; no espresso machine needed. Strong brewed coffee is combined with chocolate, caramel, and creamy half-and-half for an easy 10-minute treat.
Ingredients
- Coffee: Use a coffee that you enjoy the flavor of and brew it stronger than normal.
- Half and half: Whole milk could be used as an alternative, but it won’t be as thick and creamy.
- Caramel: My homemade caramel sauce is perfect in this recipe, but store-bought caramel would work too.
- Cocoa powder: Gives the coffee its chocolatey flavor, which mocha is known for, without needing the heaviness of chocolate syrup.
- Salt: Complements the sweetness of the other ingredients and is key to the salted caramel flavor combination.
- Whipped cream: A delicious topping to the salted caramel coffee. I have a homemade whipped cream that would be great for this!
How to Make a Salted Caramel Mocha
- Brew the coffee. That is the base of this drink, so pick a brew you love.
- Heat the half-and-half, then add the caramel sauce, salt, sugar, and cocoa powder, and whisk to combine. You want it to just be a light simmer.
- Froth the half-and-half mixture using an immersion blender or a milk frother. You are just looking to add some bubbles.
- Add the coffee and the half-and-half mixture to the mugs you plan to serve the coffee in. Top with whipped cream and more caramel sauce if desired. Enjoy!
What Coffee Is Best For a Salted Caramel Mocha?
You can make this with very strongly brewed coffee or instant coffee that is more concentrated. That being said, this is also very delicious with regularly brewed coffee. If you do have an espresso machine, you can use espresso. Decaf will also work.
How to Froth Milk Without a Frother
One of the things that makes this recipe so lovely is the frothing of the cream mixture after simmering it. It is important when you froth it to give it a light foam on top. If you froth it too much, you will end up making salted caramel whipped cream.
FAQ
A salted caramel mocha is a coffee drink made with strongly brewed coffee or espresso, chocolate, milk or cream, caramel, and a touch of salt.
Yes, this recipe was intended to be made with strongly brewed coffee so that you could make it without an espresso machine. If you have one and want to use espresso, it will give this drink an even stronger coffeehouse flavor.
It is inspired by the flavor combination of the Starbucks version but is easier and less expensive to make at home. While the Starbucks version uses flavored syrups, this at-home version keeps things simple with caramel sauce, cocoa powder, and strongly brewed coffee.
Absolutely! Just use strongly brewed decaf coffee or espresso.
A blender, immersion blender, or whisk.
Yes, just know it won’t be as creamy.
If you make this salted caramel coffee or any of my other recipes, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below and tell me what you think!
Recipe Video
Salted Caramel Mocha
Ingredients
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce plus more for topping
- 1 cup strongly brewed coffee
- whipped cream
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat the half-and-half, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and the caramel sauce until it comes to a light simmer, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat.1 cup half and half, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup caramel sauce
- Using a frother (immersion blender, or by transferring the mixture to a stand blender), froth the milk mixture until the surface is covered in small bubbles.
- Add the coffee to two mugs. Add the milk mixture and stir to combine. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with more caramel syrup.1 cup strongly brewed coffee, whipped cream
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Salted Caramel Mocha
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