Raspberry Mocha (Regular, Dark, or White Chocolate)

Enjoy a dreamy raspberry mocha at home this Valentine’s Day. This simple recipe can be made with regular, dark, or white chocolate sauce for the ultimate sweet treat to say ‘I love you’! It’s sure to be love at first sip.

You guys know I love a homemade coffee drink recipes. They’re easy to make, they’re cost effective, and there’s no need to wait in line at the coffee shop. Plus, when you’re your own barista, you can adjust each drink to your personal preferences. So it was natural for me to make a homemade version of one of my favorite coffee shop splurges, a raspberry white chocolate mocha. 

Alongside our chocolate covered strawberry mocha, this raspberry mocha is a great option to show the coffee lover in your life that you care.

What is a Mocha?

A mocha, also known as a cafe mocha or caffè mocha, is a coffee drink with an espresso base, milk and chocolate (which can be made with either chocolate cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, or melted chocolate). It’s basically a cappuccino that meets hot chocolate (so if you thought you were getting notes of hot cocoa when you tried a mocha, you weren’t wrong!).

The composition of a mocha can vary widely, but it is commonly set up like a variant of a latte, with ⅓ espresso and ⅔ steamed milk (plus chocolate).

Ingredients Needed

Espresso. A typical mocha is made with freshly brewed espresso. We’re using ¼ cup of espresso in this recipe (which is the equivalent to 2 shots of espresso). See the ‘recipe variations and substitutions’ section for how to make this using hot coffee if preferred.

Milk of choice. I personally enjoy using 2% or whole milk in this recipe. However, you can use whatever milk you prefer (dairy or non-dairy)! If preferred, try skim milk, almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk (my personal non-dairy favorite for coffees).

Chocolate Sauce. You can use regular, dark, or white chocolate sauce for this delicious mocha! Or go next level and make your own white chocolate mocha sauce. We’ll use it in the mocha itself, and you can optionally drizzle more on top for that ‘wow’ factor too.

Raspberry Simple Syrup. You can use a homemade raspberry syrup, or buy one (I personally like the Torani Raspberry Syrup for off-the-shelf). 

Optional: Whipped Cream for topping. I mean, does adding whipped cream on top of a mocha ever hurt? 

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Variations for Our Starbucks Raspberry Mocha Copycat Recipe

• Use strongly brewed coffee instead of espresso. Don’t have a way to make espresso at home? No worries! Brew strong coffee instead by increasing the amount of coffee grounds used in your normal brewing method to make a more concentrated coffee. A good place to start is by adding one or two extra scoops of grounds. Use your normal brewing method (drip, French press, etc.).
• Make an iced raspberry mocha. If you love iced coffee, you can totally turn this into a cold drink too! For best results, pour your fresh brewed coffee or espresso over your chocolate syrup and stir to combine. Then chill the mixture in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Fill a tall glass about half full with ice. Then pour the cooled coffee and chocolate mixture, raspberry syrup, and milk over the ice, top with whipped cream, and enjoy!
  • Alternatively, you can keep things easy by using cold brew coffee, just know the chocolate may not incorporate quite as nicely (but it will still taste awesome). 
• Make a decaf mocha. If you’d like to enjoy a cozy mug of this at night, or cannot have caffeine, use your favorite decaf espresso or decaf coffee in this recipe.
• Top with chocolate or white chocolate curls. This is another lovely addition to this raspberry white chocolate mocha recipe if you want to make things extra special.
• Garnish with fresh raspberries (or serve it with some!). Adding a beautiful raspberry to the rim of your mug is a cute way to help show what flavor this is. And since your coffee is more than a little bit special, why not serve some fresh raspberries along with it too?!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brew espresso (or strongly brewed coffee) in your preferred method.

Step 2: Add milk to liquid measuring cup and microwave for 30-45 seconds to heat (alternatively, add your milk to a small saucepan and place on the stove over medium heat, stirring periodically).

Step 3: While the milk is heating, add the raspberry syrup and chocolate syrup to your mug.

Step 4: Add the warmed milk and stir to combine.

Step 5: Then fill the rest of the mug with the freshly brewed espresso. Stirring again to combine.

Step 6: Garnish with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce or chocolate shavings, and a raspberry if desired.

Possible Dietary Restrictions?

A raspberry mocha is vegetarian as written. You can make your white chocolate peppermint mocha dairy free and vegan by using a non-dairy milk -AND- a verifying that the chocolate you’re using is dairy-free/vegan friendly.

Helpful Equipment

If you’d like to make espresso at home, but don’t want the expense (or size) of an espresso machine, a Moka Pot is a great investment! I love and use mine a ton.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this mocha recipe with coffee instead of espresso?

Definitely! Replace the espresso noted in the recipe with strongly brewed coffee. Brew strong coffee by increasing the amount of coffee grounds used in your normal brewing method to make a more concentrated coffee. A good place to start is by adding one or two extra scoops of grounds.