Mocha: Overview, Steps to Make It, and How to Order It at Starbucks

Add chocolate to a latte and it’s a mocha! See what’s involved in making this caffeinated drink at home and how to order it at coffee shops including Starbucks.

What is Mocha?

• Mocha, shortened from caffè mocha, is a drink made with milk, espresso, and chocolate. It’s essentially a latte with sweetened chocolate.
• The chocolate part of a mocha can be made with ganache, cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, or even pieces of chocolate melted down by the espresso. The amount of chocolate in a mocha varies depending on the coffee shop.
• A popular drink, mochas can be found in almost all coffee shop menus like lattes and cappuccinos.  

See the most popular coffee drinks and how they’re different.

Difference Between Mocha and Latte

Espresso
Both mochas and lattes are made with 1-2 shots of espresso. The flavor of the espresso might not be as prominent in a mocha because of the chocolate. 

Milk
Mochas and lattes are made with roughly the same amount of milk but there will be slightly less milk in a mocha since chocolate is added to the drink. If you add an ounce of chocolate, for example, you use one less ounce of milk in the final drink. 

Drink size
Mochas and lattes usually come in the same drink sizes. A standard size drink is usually between 10-12 ounces, but it can be bigger.

Difference Between Mocha and Cappuccino

Espresso
Both mochas and cappuccinos are made with 1-2 espresso shots. The flavor of espresso comes through much more in a cappuccino because there’s less milk and no chocolate flavors in the drink.

Milk
The milk for a mocha is steamed similarly to a latte, whereas the milk for a cappuccino is foamier and lighter. 

Drink size
Mochas are usually larger than cappuccinos. Cappuccinos are traditionally 5-6 ounces while mochas are usually 10-12 ounces but can be bigger. 

Mocha at Starbucks

Mochas are a standard at all Starbucks locations and mocha drinks like Peppermint Mocha and White Chocolate Mocha are some of the most popular. You can order a mocha hot, iced, or as a Frappuccino. 

Like lattes, mochas come in four sizes at Starbucks: short (8 ounces), tall (12 ounces), grande (16 ounces), and venti (20 ounces). These sizes vary slightly when you order an iced mocha. 

Mochas at Starbucks are highly customizable. A grande size has 4 pumps of chocolate sauce, so you can specify how many pumps you want, or sub in a mix of different sauces. (A popular option is to sub half the pumps for white chocolate to make a Black & White Mocha.)

RELATED: Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

Tool and Ingredient Notes

• Espresso machine: To make a mocha exactly like the one at coffee shops, make espresso from an espresso machine. Nespresso would be the next best if you don’t have an espresso machine since it makes espresso-style coffee.
• Coffee grinder: Only if your espresso machine doesn’t come with one.
• Whole beans: A darker roasted coffee would be best for this drink since the chocolate is such a prominent flavor.
• Milk: Whole or 2% milk is commonly used but you can use any kind of milk you like.
• Chocolate: Most coffee shops use chocolate syrup since it’s easy to incorporate into the drink. (Make it with my homemade chocolate syrup recipe.)

For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Put chocolate syrup into a cup.
2. Pull 1-2 shots of espresso on top of the chocolate.
   Grind coffee and use an espresso machine to extract 1-2 shots of espresso, depending on how strong you want the mocha. The chocolate at the bottom of the cup will melt into the espresso.
3. Steam milk.
   Steam milk the way you would for a latte, with a little bit of foam.
4. Stir espresso and chocolate in the cup then add steamed milk.

Expert Tips

• The amount of milk used depends on the size of your drink. If you’re making a 12 ounce mocha, you’ll need 7-9 ounces of milk. You’re accounting for the espresso in the drink, the amount of chocolate, and the froth of the milk once you steam it.
• The amount of chocolate in the drink is completely up to you. Add as little or as much as you want. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more if you want a stronger chocolate flavor.
• Popular add-ons to mochas are whipped cream, powdered cocoa, and marshmallows.
• Mochas can vary in style from coffee shop to coffee shop — some places might not offer whipped cream, for example, so it’s always good to ask how a shop makes their mochas.
• Any customizations you make for a latte (extra shot, flavorings, skim milk, etc…) can also be made for mochas. Customizations can also be made to the chocolate like using white chocolate.

Questions You May Have

Related

• Cappuccino
• Americano
• Cortado
• Flat White
• Macchiato
• Breville Barista Express Setup & Review