Mocha and hot chocolate are both excellent ways to warm up on a cool day and to satisfy your sweet tooth. Only mocha gives you an added caffeine boost, though.
Hot chocolate is delicious at any time and even kids can drink it. Mocha is definitely for grown-ups and can be the ideal date drink or even a treat at home.
The Difference Between Mocha and Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate has been around for thousands of years. In the days of the Aztecs, it was a savory drink enjoyed by kings. When the drink made its way to Europe in the early 1500s, it caused a sensation. Over the years, fans of hot chocolate began adding sugar and even spices to the drink.
Today, you can enjoy hot chocolate plain or with flavorings like caramel or mint. Hot chocolate can be topped with marshmallows, syrup, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, and just about anything else. At its heart, though, it’s a hot beverage made of powdered or melted chocolate and milk.
Mocha, on the other hand, is a hot chocolate with added coffee. Although it looks like hot chocolate, it definitely adds a jolt of caffeine to your day.
What Is the Best Chocolate for Mochas?
The secret to a good mocha comes down to excellent ingredients, including quality chocolate and coffee. A bitter blend of coffee can overpower the chocolate and leave an aftertaste.
If you want to make your own mocha at home, start with 100% Arabica beans. They don’t have the bitterness of Robusta beans or a Robusta-Arabica blend.
Look for quality chocolate, too. You can purchase squares of chocolate or even bars and melt them in a double-broiler. Unsweetened cocoa powder or a quality hot chocolate mix will also work well. Many people prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate for this drink, as the coffee already adds a hint of bitterness and complexity. If you like a very sweet drink, you can even try white chocolate.
Our Favorite Mocha Recipe
We keep our mocha simple at Real Good Coffee Co. We start by brewing a cup of our Donut Shop Medium Roast Coffee. When it's ready, we add a heaping teaspoon and a half of sugar. Feel free to add more or less or even swap out the sugar with your favorite substitute.
Next, we add in a few spoonfuls of hot chocolate mix or unsweetened cocoa powder. We stir vigorously until everything is blended, and then we top up our cup with fresh half-and-half. Finally, if we’re feeling indulgent, we top off our cup with a few spoons of fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings or a swirl of chocolate sauce. Around the holidays, we’ve even been known to pop a candy cane into the mug.
The result? A gorgeous, mouthwatering cup of mocha.
Are You Making Your Own Mocha at Home?
At Real Good Coffee Co, we use fresh 100% Arabica beans to make our coffee. Choose from whole beans or coffee pods in a variety of blends to make the perfect mocha in your own kitchen.
FAQs
Hot chocolate can be topped with marshmallows, syrup, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, and just about anything else. At its heart, though, it's a hot beverage made of powdered or melted chocolate and milk. Mocha, on the other hand, is a hot chocolate with added coffee.
What's the difference between hot chocolate and mocha? ›
A mocha is a blend of a cappuccino and a hot chocolate. Like a cappuccino it contains espresso, warm milk and a frothy top but it also contains a sweet chocolatey twist using either chocolate powder, chocolate syrup or melted chocolate.
Is mocha real coffee? ›
Although a mocha is often interpreted differently across the world, the basis is that a shot of espresso is combined with a chocolate powder or syrup, followed by milk or cream. It is a variant of a latte, in the sense that it is often 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk.
Does Mocha hot chocolate have coffee in it? ›
Ingredients you'll need for Mocha Hot Chocolate:
Chocolate: For this recipe, I used bittersweet dark chocolate chips. You may use semi-sweet if you prefer sweeter hot chocolate. Espresso Powder: I used this espresso powder, however you may always use instant coffee. Vanilla Extract: Always use pure vanilla extract.
What is the most popular brand of hot chocolate? ›
Our Top Hot Chocolate Mix Picks
- Best Overall: Starbucks Classic Hot Chocolate.
- Best Budget Pick: Swiss Miss Dark.
- Best Milk Chocolate: Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate Classic.
- Best Dark Chocolate: Godiva Dark.
- Best White Chocolate: Land O Lakes Arctic White.
- Best Marshmallow: Barú Fluffy Marshmallow Chocolate Powder.
A large mocha or one with two espresso shots will have more caffeine. Overall, while a mocha contains caffeine, it is not typically considered high relative to other popular coffee drinks, making it a moderate choice for those looking to manage their caffeine intake.
Is mocha a sweet or latte? ›
Mochas are often topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or sprinkles, making them a delicious, dessert-like treat for those with a sweet tooth. On the other hand, a latte features a stronger espresso flavor and is less sweet than a mocha.
Is Starbucks hot chocolate made with mocha? ›
The "mocha syrup" in Starbucks hot chocolate is cocoa powder (similar to Hershey's baking cocoa) and sugar mixed with water.
Does hot chocolate have as much caffeine as coffee? ›
When comparing hot chocolate vs coffee, which has more caffeine? An 8-ounce cup of hot chocolate has about 9 milligrams of caffeine, while an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has around 95 milligrams. Larger sizes, such as the “grande” size in many coffee shops, has between 200 and 300 milligrams.
Is Starbucks mocha coffee or chocolate? ›
This Starbucks classic combines espresso, bittersweet mocha sauce and steamed milk for a sweetly satisfying coffee. Top it off with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a delicious mug of coffee ready to be enjoyed any time at home.
Most use Monin dark chocolate sauce, which we lightly dilute with hot water before topping off with steamed milk. One of our cafes uses a drinking chocolate mix from Ritual Chocolate, which is prepared into a sauce in batches and is then served the same way.
Why is hot chocolate so expensive? ›
Poor harvests due to extreme weather, pests and disease in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, which produce most of the world's cocoa, have hurt supply. According to a CoBank report, prices are roughly 65 per cent higher than last year.
Is Starbucks hot chocolate mocha? ›
How does Starbucks make their hot chocolate? They have a mocha sauce that is specially formulated for them but you can make your own with baking semi-sweet chocolate that has been melted. They add a little vanilla (Sugar Free if you ask) and then top with milk and whipped cream .
Is a mocha from mcdonalds hot? ›
Enjoy this hot mocha treat, full of earthy chocolatey flavor and rich creaminess when you order from our full menu in the app using contactless Mobile Order & Pay* with Curbside pickup.
Is hot chocolate and hot cocoa the same thing? ›
Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.
Are mocha and chocolate syrup the same? ›
What is mocha sauce? Mocha Sauce is like chocolate syrup/sauce except it's made with strong brewed coffee (double brewed coffee or espresso) in place of water.
