With just 3 simple steps and 5 minutes, we'll show you how to make an easy Iced Mocha with cocoa powder that tastes just like your favorite coffee shop! With tips on how to make espresso without a machine and choosing the right milk for coffee shop quality, you'll finally learn to make the perfect Iced Mocha at home.
What is an iced mocha?
An Iced Mocha is a frozen espresso drink that combines espresso, chocolate, and cream or milk served over ice for a cold caffeinated treat. This style of mocha originates in the United States, with inspiration from Italian espresso culture and coffee from Yemen that often has natural chocolate undertones.
It's a super popular Summer espresso drink and a favorite from Starbucks. And just like our Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso recipe and Healthy Mango Popsicles, we find the homemade version tastes better because it doesn't have harmful or off-tasting additives!
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How to make an Iced Mocha at home
If you have these 4 pantry staples and just 5 minutes, you can make this easy Iced Mocha recipe!
No espresso machine? No problem! Try our French Press Espresso or AeroPress Espresso recipes!
Ingredients Notes
This recipe is way simpler than most people think, and no chocolate syrup is needed! Just 4 basic pantry staples for a really incredible Iced Mocha!
- Cocoa Powder - Because this recipe is so simple, the taste and quality of your cocoa powder matters! My favorite is Viva Naturals Cacao Powder.
- Sugar - Any granulated sugar will do. I use traditional white sugar for a Starbucks copycat vibe. If using coconut sugar for refined-sugar-free, you may need an extra couple teaspoons since it is naturally less sweet.
- Milk - Starbucks makes their espresso drinks with either whole milk or barista oat milk. These milks have 7-8 grams of fat per cup. If you want a true Starbucks copycat and an extra rich mocha, use whole milk, barista oat milk, or a combination of another plant-based milk plus plant-based creamer for the same creaminess. I like to use almond milk plus Nutpods creamer for dairy-free and oat-free.
- Espresso - Starbucks has very concentrated espresso, with 0.75 ounces per shot. Most espresso shots are 1 - 1.5 ounces. To make a Starbucks copycat, use strong espresso. Check out our French Press Espresso and AeroPress Espresso recipes if you don't have an espresso machine.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.
Equipment
The only equipment needed for this recipe is whichever device you use to make espresso. If you use instant espresso powder, you don't need any equipment at all!
However, we found that making espresso with a French Press or Aeropress was preferable to instant espresso if you don't have an espresso machine.
Instructions
There are only three easy steps to make an Iced Mocha, and you can even make a Mocha Mix ahead of time if you like!
- Make Mocha Mix: In a mug or jar, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder.
- Make Mocha Concentrate: Add the hot espresso and continue whisking until the sugar and cocoa powder are fully dissolved.
- Put it all together: Add the milk, swirl together, then pour over ice. Enjoy!
Hint: To make a dry Mocha Mix, mix equal amounts of sugar and cocoa powder. Then use 2 tablespoons of mix per mocha, and dissolve in the hot espresso the same way as the instructions say above.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips & Troubleshooting
Here are some common problems and how to fix them:
- The mocha mix won't dissolve. If there is still mocha mix residue in your espresso, either your espresso is not hot enough or there is not enough liquid for it to dissolve into. First, try microwaving your espresso in 20 second increments, stirring in between, or heat on the stove while stirring until the mocha mix dissolves. If it still does not dissolve, add 1-2 tablespoons of hot water and continue mixing.
- Your mocha tastes watery. You probably need a milk with a higher fat content. Check our Ingredients notes above to learn more about the milk Starbucks uses. You want a milk with a fat content of 7-8 grams per cup for a thick and creamy iced mocha.
- It's note quite like Starbucks. Starbucks uses concentrated espresso and a milk that has a high fat content. Check our Ingredients notes to choose ingredients that most closely resemble Starbucks. You also may want to consider adding a little extra sweetener, since Starbucks usually serves Iced Mochas extra sweet!
Recipe FAQs
Frequently asked questions about Iced Mocha recipes:
An iced mocha is made of cocoa powder or chocolate syrup, sugar, milk, and espresso poured over ice.
An iced latte can be any flavor, while an iced mocha is always chocolate or cocoa flavored.
Coffee Shop Inspired Treats
These are my favorite treats to enjoy with our Iced Mocha recipe:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card or comment section below. Thank you!
Iced Mocha
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 shots espresso (¼ cup, 60 ml)
- ⅓ cup creamy milk of choice (80 ml, check the notes for our suggestions)
- 1 cup crushed ice plus more if you like
Instructions
- Make Mocha Mix: In a mug or jar, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder.
- Make Mocha Concentrate: Add the hot espresso to the mocha mix and continue whisking until the sugar and cocoa powder are fully dissolved.
- Put it all together: Add the milk, swirl together, then pour over ice. Enjoy!
Cindy
Just YUM! This Iced Mocha recipe rivals Starbucks but is less sweet which I think is a good thing. It was definitely sweet enough. It’s better than any other random coffee shop iced mocha I’ve had. I want to get an Aeropress now so I can make it when I’m traveling! No bad coffee for this girl.
Jamie
Sounds delicious! Thank you for the review Cindy!