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Indulge in the perfect blend of rich chocolate, velvety caramel and a hint of sea salt with this delicious Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Coffee recipe.
Perfect for chilly mornings or a cozy evening treat, this homemade bev is a comforting and flavorful twist on your regular hot coffee.
‘Tis the season for festive drinks! Really the only time you’ll find me drinking anything other than black coffee is from the holidays until Valentine’s Day.
There’s something about these cold winter months that makes treating myself a little more forgivable. Sometimes it’s really nice to just take an hour and sit at my local coffee shop and enjoy a big mug of deliciousness – no special occasion required.
Starbucks trademarks like their peppermint mocha, pumpkin spice latte and gingerbread latte are the best coffee drinks to enjoy during this festive season!
But I’m a sucker for a mocha hot coffee – it’s my favourite Starbucks menu item. And we’re taking this mocha over the top by adding salted caramel.
The flavors are so indulgent and they’ll make your regular cup of coffee just a little more special.
Ingredients for this Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Coffee
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy coffee delight:
- Hot brewed coffee. The easiest way to do this is to brew your favorite pot of coffee. If you have a Keurig or Nespresso machine, you could brew a single cup of coffee. And if all else fails, instant coffee granules mixed with hot water will do the trick.
- Milk. Any kind of milk you like, from whole milk to nonfat milk, will work in this recipe. I used 2% milk for the photos you see here.
- Chocolate syrup. Anything goes here, from plain old Hershey’s syrup to specialty chocolate syrup or even mocha syrup.
- Caramel sauce. Same as for chocolate sauce, there are many options. I use regular caramel sundae sauce. Another great idea is caramel sauce made just for beverages.
- Whipped cream
- Sea salt. Don’t skip the flaky sea salt! Otherwise, it’s just plain old caramel.
How to make Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Coffee
Brew the coffee
Make a cup of strong coffee. Do whatever you’d normally do with your favorite hot coffee recipes. Regular drip coffee, French press coffee and instant coffee are all great options.
Use ground coffee or grind your own coffee beans. Anything goes!
Make the chocolate milk
This hot coffee recipe’s fancy name is cafe au lait, which simply means coffee with milk. And we’re making the milk chocolatey.
So combine the milk and chocolate sauce and froth them together. The best way to do this is with a handheld milk frother.
If you don’t have a frother, just place the milk and chocolate sauce into an airtight container or mason jar and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds.
Combine the coffee and milk
Now, pour the frothed chocolate milk into the cup of coffee. Stir to combine, or you could even froth it again for a few seconds.
Add the toppings
Layer your coffee toppings, starting with the whipped cream. Then, drizzle the caramel sauce and sprinkle the sea salt.
All that’s left to do now is enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Iced Salted Caramel Mocha: Turn this hot bev into a refreshing iced coffee! Allow the coffee to cool, then pour over ice. Add the frothed chocolate milk mixture. Garnish with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
- Salted Caramel Mocha Latte: Increase the amount of milk in this recipe and froth it vigorously to create a creamier, latte-type consistency.
- Salted Caramel Mocha Cafe Latte: Substitute espresso for regular coffee to create a traditional cafe latte situation.
- Salted White Chocolate Mocha: Swap the regular chocolate sauce for white chocolate sauce for a sweeter variation of this recipe.
- Salted Caramel Mocha Affogato: Pour the entire mocha coffee mixture over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a rich and decadent dessert!
- Dairy-Free Option: Substitute dairy milk with almond milk, soy milk, oat milk or coconut milk for a delicious dairy-free version.
- Low-Sugar Option: This recipe doesn’t call for simple syrup or other kinds of added sugar, but the chocolate sauce does add some sugar. The best ways I’ve found to reduce sugar in coffee orders at coffee shops is to ask for “half the pumps” of whatever syrup they’re using and to raise the fat content of the dairy. Nonfat milk naturally has the most sugar, and cream has the least. So, I’ll order half the pumps of syrup and ask them to use whole milk or cream. For our purposes here, you could use less chocolate syrup and add a few drops of stevia to add sweetness without calories.
Can you make a larger batch of this Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Coffee?
You sure can! I love to serve big batch coffee at our annual cookie decorating parties, right along side of the hot chocolate mix for the kids.
Just calculate how many cups you want to serve based on the measurements in the recipe card below. For example, if you want to make 10 salted caramel mochas, you’d use these measurements:
- 80 oz. brewed coffee
- 20 oz. milk
- 2/3 cup chocolate sauce
Pour the hot coffee into a crockpot or slow cooker set to the lowest setting. Froth the milk and chocolate syrup together in a bowl, and then add the mixture to the crock pot.
Keep everything warm in your slow cooker for hours! Set up the whipped cream, caramel sauce and flaky sea salt on the side so that your guests can help themselves.
When you make this Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Coffee recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more favorite coffee drinks, try these:
For more coffee house specialty drinks, try these:
- White Hot Chocolate (Starbucks Copycat)
- Chai Tea Latte (Dunkin’ Copycat)
- Matcha Latte Recipe (Iced and Hot Versions)
Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Coffee (Homemade Recipe)
Ingredients
- 8 oz. brewed hot coffee
- 2 oz. milk
- 1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
- whipped cream
- caramel sauce
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Pour milk and chocolate syrup into a tall glass. Use a handheld milk frother to create froth and volume. (Alternatively, place the mixture into a blender for 15-20 seconds).
- Pour hot coffee into your mug of choice. Pour in the frothed chocolate milk.
- Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
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