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 is the difference between mocha and chocolate coffee? ›
It is said that a mocha tastes like a chocolatey coffee. Whilst this is true, a mocha is so much more than that. Where the espresso shot offers an almost bitter taste, the chocolate combination creates a sweetness to create a velvety smooth, luxurious beverage.
What does mocha hot chocolate taste like? ›
Mocha Hot Chocolate is essentially hot chocolate with a hint of coffee. It's so good and takes away from some of the sweetness in hot chocolate.
Does mocha have a strong coffee taste? ›
Mocha is an espresso-based drink that includes chocolate and milk, giving it a distinct, sweet flavor profile. Mochas tend to have a stronger coffee taste with dark chocolate undertones.
What is the difference between mocha and original coffee? ›
The Basics of Mocha
Unlike a traditional black coffee, which is made simply by brewing roasted coffee beans in hot water, mocha coffee requires an extra ingredient or two. Mocha, instead, combines espresso with dark chocolate (or chocolate syrup) and steamed milk.
Which is better, hot chocolate or mocha? ›
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.
Is a mocha just coffee and hot chocolate? ›
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? ›
Some common coffee drinks include americanos, cappuccinos, cold brews, frappes, macchiatos, and of course, mochas. Mochas are made from a combination of espresso, steamed milk and chocolate. The drink is named after mocha beans, a specific kind of arabica coffee bean.
Is a decaf mocha just hot chocolate? ›
Creating a decaf mocha is an art in itself. Start with a well-brewed cup of decaf coffee, add high-quality cocoa or chocolate syrup, and then blend with steamed milk. The result is a delectable beverage that marries the earthy tones of coffee with the sweetness of chocolate, all without the caffeine kick.
Is a mocha just a latte with chocolate? ›
The difference between these two drinks primarily comes from their ingredients: a mocha consists of espresso, chocolate syrup or powder, and steamed milk, while a latte is made with espresso and steamed milk. Mocha has a strong chocolate flavor with a hint of coffee, while latte offers a milder coffee flavor.
The most significant factor affecting the price of a cup of joe is how long the journey from the farm to your cup truly is. Firstly, coffee is a labor-intensive product. It's no easy feat to brew up your tall mocha latte.
Is a mocha a good first coffee? ›
As mentioned previously, milky espresso based coffee's like latte's or mocha's are fairly beginner friendly coffees to get started on.
Why is mocha coffee bitter? ›
Bitter coffee is caused by a few things, mainly these two: Over roasted, stale, or low-grade coffee beans. Over extraction (brewing too much)
Does mocha taste more like chocolate or coffee? ›
Essentially, 'mocha' means a type of coffee that is made from a specific coffee bean originally only grown in Mocha, Yemen. It also means a mixture of coffee and chocolate, or a flavouring that tastes of this. Mocha is known to taste like a chocolatey coffee.
Is mocha stronger than coffee? ›
Per a typical serving, coffee has more caffeine than mocha. Yes, mocha has chocolate, which increases the amount of caffeine in the beverage, but coffee is made from coffee beans, which directly increases the amount of caffeine in the beverage.
Is mocha coffee sweet or not? ›
The mocha is famously known for its sweet chocolatey taste and is often decorated with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and marshmallows. The cappuccino is served with a frothy milk foam, whereas the mocha is not.
What is chocolate coffee called? ›
A caffè mocha (Arabic: موكا) (/ˈmɒkə/ or /ˈmoʊkə/), also called mocaccino (Italian: [mokatˈtʃiːno]), is a chocolate-flavoured warm beverage that is a variant of a caffè latte ( Italian: [kafˈfɛ lˈlatte]), commonly served in a glass rather than a mug. Other commonly used spellings are mochaccino and also mochachino.
Which is darker mocha or chocolate? ›
In contrast, mocha takes inspiration from the rich and earthy tones of the drink. It is lighter than the chocolate shade, sitting between caramel and dark brown.
Is mocha coffee dark chocolate? ›
A standard mocha is made with milk chocolate syrup, whereas white or dark mochas use the appropriate alternative syrup. White mochas are sweeter, but bitter dark chocolate works equally well, or you can even create a marble mocha with a little of each.
