Easy Salted Caramel Mocha {Starbucks Copycat Recipe}

This Salted Caramel Mocha is the real deal! It gives you all the delicious flavor of Starbucks’ drink at the fraction of the price. Sweet, creamy, and full of chocolate and coffee flavor, this homemade salted caramel mocha latte takes 5 minutes to make with a few simple ingredients.

When it comes to Starbucks’ copycat recipes, Java chip Frappuccino and this caramel mocha latte are my favorites. Mocha sauce, coffee, syrup and steamed milk are blended into a delicious and rich beverage. Full of flavors of fall and better than Pumpkin Spice Latte!

With just one sip, you’ll understand why people love it so much. It’s incredibly easy to recreate at home, and this copycat recipe tastes just like the one from Starbucks! The best part? You can make a healthier version and adjust according to your desired sweetness level. Plus, you can make it when it’s not in season!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Caramel Sauce: You can use store-bought or homemade caramel sauce. Caramel ice cream topping also works.
• Chocolate Syrup: After some experiments, we found that chocolate syrup works great for this recipe. It’ll bring amazing flavor and texture to the drink. You can also add toffeenut syrup for some extra flavor.
• Sea Salt: It adds an irresistible complexity of flavor to the drink.
• Coffee: I recommend using really strong coffee so that the espresso flavor won’t be hidden behind a wall of milk and chocolate.  Brewed coffee works best if you have time, otherwise, you can use instant coffee mix (or even decaf if you prefer). If you use the mix, make sure to dilute with a little water so that it’s very concentrated.
• Milk: Use whole milk for the best results, but you can use whatever milk you have on hand.
• Whipped Cream: It adds a cool and creamy counterpoint to the drink. You can skip it if you want to reduce the calorie intake, but I highly recommend it.
• Brown Sugar: Starbucks’ original recipe adds turbinado sugar and sea salt to the topping, but I find regular brown sugar works great if you don’t have turbinado sugar at home.

Pro Tips: Starbucks recently released Salted Caramel Mocha Coffee Creamer. So all you need is to simply brew a coffee, and mix with the creamer!

How to Make Salted Caramel Mocha at Home

1. Add caramel sauce, sea salt, and chocolate syrup in a glass mug.

2. Make coffee and add the hot coffee into the mug. Mix well.

3. Froth the milk (using a frother or mason jar).

4. Gently pour the milk into the mug.

5. Top with whipped cream.

6. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Then sprinkle with sea salt and brown sugar. Serve immediately.

How to Froth Milk without An Espresso Machine

If you don’t have a frother at home, you can pour the milk into a mason jar with a lid. Best to fill no more than a third of the jar. Place the lid on tightly and shake the jar vigorously until the milk is frothy and about double in volume. It usually takes about 30 to 60 seconds.

Tips and Tricks

• You can change the ratio between milk and coffee slightly. More milk will have a creamier taste.
• You can customize the sweetness of your drink. Taste and adjust the amount of caramel for the perfect subtle touch.
• The topping takes this drink over the top. So don’t skip it!

Iced Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino

This recipe can be easily modified to iced salted caramel mocha frappuccino. Make the coffee ahead of the time, and let it chill in the fridge. When the coffee is ready, mix the milk, caramel sauce, salt, and chocolate syrup in a glass, and pour in the chilled coffee. Mix, and add toppings! Serve immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Salted Caramel Mocha Taste Like?

Salted caramel mocha is warm, creamy and chocolaty, tingled with a light coffee flavor. It’s quite sweet and some people consider it as dessert.

Does a Salted Caramel Mocha Have Caffeine?

Yes, the caffeine comes from the espresso. If you prefer a caffeine-free drink, you can use decaf coffee.

Is Salted Caramel Mocha Seasonal?

It’s a seasonal drink at Starbucks and typically released in fall at the same time as the pumpkin spice latte (PSL), but you can make it at home year-round.

How Many Calories Does It Have?

According to Starbucks, a grande (16-oz) Salted Caramel Mocha has 470 calories, a short cup has 260 calories, a tall cup has 370 calories and a venti has 570 calories.

Espresso Machine Recommendations

If you make lattes a lot, it’s worth investing in a good espresso machine. Here is the one I use and I like it a lot.

If You Love This Recipe Try Out More Starbucks Copycat Recipes:

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If you tried this recipe, let me know how your salted caramel mocha turns out in the comments below!