Cherry Mocha Latte
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Ingredients:
1 cup milk of choice (I used whole milk)
3 tablespoons cherry syrup
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz espresso (or 8 oz freshly brewed coffee)
crushed freeze-dried cherries (optional for garnish)
Directions:
Add the milk, cherry syrup, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk frequently until the chocolate is melted and everything is well combined and smooth.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and froth with a milk frother if desired. Set aside.
Brew your espresso or coffee into a mug, then top with the frothed cherry chocolate milk. Garnish with freeze-dried cherries if desired, then drink up!
Notes:
Substitutions:
Need to make some tweaks? Not to worry. Here are some of my favorite swaps:
Chocolate Chips & Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Try using mocha sauce as a time-saving substitute—this is especially helpful if you prefer an iced cherry mocha.
Whole Milk - Feel free to swap in any percentage of dairy milk or the plant-based milk of your choice.
Espresso - Strongly brewed conventional coffee or cold brew can also be used.
Crushed Freeze-Dried Cherries - Feel free to omit these, or swap in another favorite mocha garnish like whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or chocolate sprinkles.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments:
The great thing about making your own coffee drinks is that you get to tailor them to your exact specifications—no costly add-ons needed. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
Iced Cherry Mocha - Make and chill the cherry chocolate milk mixture (you can speed up the process using a Hyperchiller), then mix with 8 ounces of cold brew coffee and serve over ice. Alternatively, use mocha syrup to blend into the milk without needing to heat it.
White Chocolate Cherry Mocha - Omit the chocolate chips and cocoa powder in lieu of white chocolate syrup for a lighter, sweeter take.
Decaf - Feel free to use decaf espresso for less buzz. Alternatively, go fully caffeine-free by swapping in your favorite coffee alternative (e.g., roasted chicory “coffee” or Dandy Blend).
Sugar-Free - Use sugar-free chocolate chips and sugar-free cherry syrup for a diabetic-friendly cherry mocha.
Dairy-Free/Vegan - Swap in dairy-free chocolate chips and your favorite plant-based milk. Make sure your sugar is vegan-friendly if you’re making your own cherry syrup.
Recipe Success Tips:
Use a milk frother for an airy mouthfeel and fluffy milk topper. If you opt to make a vegan version, I recommend looking for a “barista blend” of whatever type of milk you like. These blends are specially formulated for frothing, so your homemade mocha will taste professional.
Preheat your mug by filling it with boiling water while you make the mocha. This will help keep the drink nice and hot for longer—a bonus if you’re a slow sipper like me.
Don’t scald the milk! You don’t want to heat the milk too vigorously, which can both burn the chocolate chips and unravel the milk proteins, thus making it hard to properly froth. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat and turn it off as soon as the milk begins to simmer.
FAQs:
Where can I get a cherry mocha?
As of the time of publication, Starbucks’ cherry mocha is still on the menu. That said, it’ll likely soon be gone when they switch to the summer menu. But now that you know how to make it at home, you can have one whenever you want!
What is the difference between a café mocha and a mocha latte?
There isn’t one!? These are interchangeable terms for a chocolate-flavored latte.
Where can I buy freeze-dried cherries?
Some stores like Aldi and Trader Joe’s carry freeze-dried fruit. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, you can always shop online!
Nutritional Facts:
Serving: 1drink | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 105mg | Sugar: 51g
Recipe courtesy of Coffee Copycat.com
Cherry Mocha Latte
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Ingredients:
1 cup milk of choice (I used whole milk)
3 tablespoons cherry syrup
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz espresso (or 8 oz freshly brewed coffee)
crushed freeze-dried cherries (optional for garnish)
Directions:
Add the milk, cherry syrup, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Whisk frequently until the chocolate is melted and everything is well combined and smooth.
Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and froth with a milk frother if desired. Set aside.
Brew your espresso or coffee into a mug, then top with the frothed cherry chocolate milk. Garnish with freeze-dried cherries if desired, then drink up!
Notes:
Substitutions:
Need to make some tweaks? Not to worry. Here are some of my favorite swaps:
Chocolate Chips & Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Try using mocha sauce as a time-saving substitute—this is especially helpful if you prefer an iced cherry mocha.
Whole Milk - Feel free to swap in any percentage of dairy milk or the plant-based milk of your choice.
Espresso - Strongly brewed conventional coffee or cold brew can also be used.
Crushed Freeze-Dried Cherries - Feel free to omit these, or swap in another favorite mocha garnish like whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or chocolate sprinkles.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments:
The great thing about making your own coffee drinks is that you get to tailor them to your exact specifications—no costly add-ons needed. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
Iced Cherry Mocha - Make and chill the cherry chocolate milk mixture (you can speed up the process using a Hyperchiller), then mix with 8 ounces of cold brew coffee and serve over ice. Alternatively, use mocha syrup to blend into the milk without needing to heat it.
White Chocolate Cherry Mocha - Omit the chocolate chips and cocoa powder in lieu of white chocolate syrup for a lighter, sweeter take.
Decaf - Feel free to use decaf espresso for less buzz. Alternatively, go fully caffeine-free by swapping in your favorite coffee alternative (e.g., roasted chicory “coffee” or Dandy Blend).
Sugar-Free - Use sugar-free chocolate chips and sugar-free cherry syrup for a diabetic-friendly cherry mocha.
Dairy-Free/Vegan - Swap in dairy-free chocolate chips and your favorite plant-based milk. Make sure your sugar is vegan-friendly if you’re making your own cherry syrup.
Recipe Success Tips:
Use a milk frother for an airy mouthfeel and fluffy milk topper. If you opt to make a vegan version, I recommend looking for a “barista blend” of whatever type of milk you like. These blends are specially formulated for frothing, so your homemade mocha will taste professional.
Preheat your mug by filling it with boiling water while you make the mocha. This will help keep the drink nice and hot for longer—a bonus if you’re a slow sipper like me.
Don’t scald the milk! You don’t want to heat the milk too vigorously, which can both burn the chocolate chips and unravel the milk proteins, thus making it hard to properly froth. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat and turn it off as soon as the milk begins to simmer.
FAQs:
Where can I get a cherry mocha?
As of the time of publication, Starbucks’ cherry mocha is still on the menu. That said, it’ll likely soon be gone when they switch to the summer menu. But now that you know how to make it at home, you can have one whenever you want!
What is the difference between a café mocha and a mocha latte?
There isn’t one!? These are interchangeable terms for a chocolate-flavored latte.
Where can I buy freeze-dried cherries?
Some stores like Aldi and Trader Joe’s carry freeze-dried fruit. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, you can always shop online!
Nutritional Facts:
Serving: 1drink | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 105mg | Sugar: 51g
Recipe courtesy of Coffee Copycat.com
Homemade Cherry Syrup
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
ÂĽ teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
Add the sugar, water, and pitted cherries to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and squishing the cherries with a spatula.
After simmering for 15 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract. Strain the cherries from the syrup with a fine mesh strainer, reserving the liquid and discarding the cherry pulp.
Allow the cherry syrup to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. After the cooling time, transfer the syrup to a syrup bottle or mason jar with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes:
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments:
Sugar Free Cherry Syrup - Use the cup-for-cup sugar-free substitute of your choice to make a diabetic-friendly flavor syrup.
Nut-Free - Almond extract is made with real almonds, so it isn’t suitable with folks who have nut allergies. Instead, you can use artificial almond extract or vanilla extract, or just omit it altogether.
Try Different Kinds of Cherries - I made black cherry syrup here, but you could also make Rainier cherry or sour cherry syrup if you like! I suppose you could also make maraschino cherry syrup, but if that’s what you want, just use the juice from the jar!
Recipe Success Tips:
Invest in Equipment - If you’re making this cherry syrup from fresh whole cherries, make sure to get yourself a cherry pitter with multiple wells to speed up the process. (Yes, you can use a regular straw to do it, but who has time?) Also, I can’t overstate the importance of having a syrup container with a pour spout and a funnel. Your countertops and fridge shelves will thank you!
Waste Not, Want Not - Once you strain out the cherries from the syrup, pop them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. They’re great for making cherry fools, spooning over ice cream sundaes, adding sweetness to plain oats or plain yogurt, adding to smoothies, and more!
Seasonal Smarts - If cherries are in season (mid-late summer), you can often get fresh ones for super cheap. If not, opt for frozen cherries, which are generally cheaper, taste better than out-of-season versions shipped from afar, and have the benefit of being pre-pitted.
FAQs:
Is grenadine the same as cherry syrup?
Not quite! Grenadine is a flavoring syrup made with sugar and water as its base, but is flavored with pomegranate arils instead of cherries.
Is cherry syrup the same as cherry juice?
Nope! Although some packaged juices are almost as sugary. Real cherry juice is made with just the juice from cherries, whereas this recipe uses cherries to infuse sugar water.
What is cherry syrup used for?
Adding bright cherry flavor to whatever you want! Use it in drinks, drizzle it over breakfast or dessert, make shaved ice, or use it in any other recipe that calls for simple syrup where you want to add fruity flavor.
How long does cherry syrup last?
If made as directed below, cherry simple syrup should keep for about a week in the fridge or about 6 months in the freezer. To extend the shelf-life, make a “rich syrup” using twice as much sugar as water. Rich cherry syrup will keep for up to 6 months in the fridge (sugar is a natural preservative) or up to a year in the freezer.
Nutritional Facts:
Serving: 2tablespoon | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Sodium: 1mg | Sugar: 22g
Recipe courtesy of Coffee Copycat.com