Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha

Enjoy the perfect combination of sweet white chocolate and mocha when you make your own Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha, sometimes called the Iced White Chocolate Mocha, at home. Make the ultimate coffee experience right in your kitchen with this simple recipe.

starbucks white chocolate mocha with text overlay


 

Are you into coffee? Me too… As much as I hate to admit it, I need the pick-me-up, especially after having kids.

But during the hot summer months, a hot cup of Joe isn’t what I’m after. I need something more refreshing, and the best thing is an iced coffee or cold brew is at the top of my list.

overhead of crisscross caramel drizzle

Why You’ll Love This Iced Coffee Recipe

After you make this drink once and you won’t need to be convinced a second time.

  • Easy– While this drink is a little more time consuming that simply brewing a cup of coffee, it is also easy to assemble as long as you have all of the ingredients on hand and aren’t making the chocolate sauce from scratch. The cold foam is optional.
  • Variations– Albeit a simple recipe, there are many ways to customize to make it different everyday or just because you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand.
  • Saves You Money- While we all love indulging in a Starbucks beverage, there is no denying that the get costly on a regular basis. Making these delicious drinks at home tastes exactly the same, but saves you oodles of money. If you drink one Starbucks per day, you are spending approximately $200 per month on just coffee. Your local Starbucks is rolling the dough.
white chocolate mocha with a red polka dot straw

What Do You Need to Make a White Chocolate Mocha?

The ingredient list is pretty short and can be made even if you don’t have a coffee maker! These simple ingredients make this homemade version.

  • White chocolate sauce – The signature ingredient to this iced beverage is probably the only one I wouldn’t substitute, but regular old chocolate sauce can be used. I prefer the Ghirardelli white chocolate sauce or Torani and Hollander also make a delicious version. And of course, you can make homemade white chocolate sauce and just stash it in the fridge. You can also make your own smooth white chocolate sauce from white chocolate chips.
  • Espresso or cold brew– The Starbucks version is made using 1-2 shots of espresso. If have an espresso machine, good for you, but the majority of us don’t. There are several ways to get your coffee fix listed below, but the condensed version is using the “strong coffee” on a Keurig, instant powdered espresso or cold brew. Using the Starbucks brand will make it even that much more like the real thing.
  • Milk– The original recipe calls for whole milk. It is thick, luxurious and totally decadent. That said, feel free to chop down the calorie count with a reduced-fat or non-fat milk. Non-dairy options like oat milk, soy milk or almond milk are great too.
  • Heavy whipping cream, Whole Milk & Vanilla Extract– These are the base for cold foam. This comes together pretty fast using an immersion blender. This step is optional, but will give you the authentic feeling of a real Starbucks coffee and make you feel extra fancy. If you are short on time, just give the cup a hefty spoonful of whipped cream and call it a day.
  • Toppings– More chocolate sauce, caramel or a sprinkle of cinnamon- all are good choices.
white chocolate mocha with bag of starbucks espresso beans behind it

How to Make a White Chocolate Mocha

There are a few steps, but after you’ve made this once you’ll see how easy it is.

  1. Line the Glass. Drizzle the white chocolate in to the bottom of a large and tall glass.
  2. Add Espresso & Milk. Pour in the espresso and milk into the cup, stir well.
  1. Add Ice. Add crushed ice about 3/4 of the way full (enough to leave room for the cold foam topping).
white chocolate mocha with ice
  1. Make Cold Foam Topping. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla. Alternately, you can use a milk frother or immersion blender to infuse with a generous amount of air.
  2. Garnish. Top your glass with your homemade vanilla cold foam and drizzle with caramel sauce or whipped cream.
  3. Enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Please be mindful this is a copycat recipe- our best attempt at making this. We did not get it from a Starbucks employee, we just made it up.

Full, printable directions are below. A delicious white chocolate mocha without having to trek to the local coffee shop.

How to Make it Warm

This is one of those coffee drinks that tastes great hot or cold.

Instead of using cold ingredients, use warm milk and hot espresso. Milk can be heated in a small saucepan over low heat or just in the microwave. Top with cold foam or froth using a milk steamer. A sweet mocha latte perfect for the colder months or holiday season.

What is Espresso?

Espresso is a type of strong, full-bodied coffee beverage made from finely ground coffee beans that are brewed under pressure with hot water. It has a higher concentration of caffeine and a distinctive crema (foamy layer) on top.

Espresso is typically served in small shots, accompanied by a bit of sugar, cream, or both. Its intense flavor and smooth, velvety texture make it a popular favorite for coffee drinkers around the world.

head on of a white chocolate mocha

How to Make Espresso Without a Machine

Listen, I wish I had one of those fancy built-in espresso maker with a whole coffee station, but I don’t. Here are a few ways to achieve the robust flavors of an Italian espresso without a machine.

  • Strong Coffee Function – If you have a Keurig or something similar, then you have a little but that says “strong”. Make the smallest volume possible and use the “strong” button for something in the middle of a standard cup of coffee and a real espresso. Make sure it is strong black coffee, you’ll be adding in the sugar and cream later.
  • Cold Brew– Cold isn’t just coffee, in fact, it is much stronger. Regular coffee is 1:16 to 1:20 parts coffee to water. Cold brew concentrate ranges from 1:4 to 1:8. It is literally a concentrated coffee drink and is much stronger with a higher caffeine content making it an excellent swap for espresso.
  • Instant Espresso– The last option makes coffee connoisseurs cringe a bit, but is acceptable in a world where LIFE is present and you just need a fancy cup of coffee and few minutes to yourself. And that is instant powdered espresso. I always have some on hand in my pantry for coffee flavored desserts or to add to chocolate desserts (coffee bring out natural cocoa flavors).
close up of cold foam and caramel drizzling out of a glass

White Chocolate Mocha Topping Ideas

This tasty iced coffee drink can be topped with the signature cold foam, but also a variety of other items. Feel free to leave the cold foam off and just give it a dollop of whipped cream instead or try one of these ideas. White chocolate fans might just want more white chocolate!

caramel drizzle on top of a starbucks white chocolate mocha

Questions About Your Coffee Drink

Can I make this White Chocolate Mocha Recipe Ahead of Time?

For best results, drink this copycat starbucks white chocolate mocha immediately. You can add the white chocolate, espresso and milk together, but wait for the ice. This will melt and water down the drink.

How Do You Prevent The Ice From Watering Down The Drink?

If you enjoy iced drinks, some of this is inevitable. You can, however, chill the ingredients and mix and then use less ice, make ice cubes out of coffee or cold brew concentrate or make a hot white chocolate mocha.

Is White Chocolate Mocha a Latte?

Yes, it is a sweetened milk with coffee, making it a latte.

What Is White Chocolate?

White chocolate is a sweetened, creamy confection made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. Its flavor is similar to regular chocolate, but it does not contain cocoa solids or caffeine, making it milder and sweeter.

It is typically used as an ingredient in desserts and snack foods, or as a decorative coating. White chocolate should not be confused with white candy melts or confectionary coating, which is a mixture of cocoa butter, vegetable oil, and sugar.

Can I Make This Without Sweet?

This is a sweet drink by nature and the majority of it comes from the white chocolate. Taking the white chocolate portion out will cut the sweetness, but then it won’t be a creamy white chocolate mocha, it will just be a regular frappuccino.

collage of white chocolate mocha images

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white chocolate mocha with bag of starbucks espresso beans behind it

Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha

4.63 from 8 votes
Enjoy the perfect combination of sweet white chocolate and mocha when you make your own Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha at home. Make the ultimate coffee experience right in your kitchen with this simple recipe.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients

White Chocolate Mocha:

  • 1-2 tablespoons white chocolate sauce
  • 1-2 ounces espresso or cold brew
  • 1 cup milk

Cold Foam Topping:

Instructions

White Chocolate Mocha:

  • Drizzle the white chocolate in to the bottom of a large and tall glass.
  • Pour in the espresso and milk into the cup, stir well.
  • Add crushed ice about 3/4 of the way full (enough to leave room for the cold foam topping).

Cold Foam Topping:

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla. Alternately, you can use a milk frother or immersion blender to infuse with a generous amount of air.
  • Top your glass with your homemade vanilla cold foam and drizzle with caramel sauce or whipped cream.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 424 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 11 g, Fat: 27 g, Saturated Fat: 16 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 84 mg, Sodium: 187 mg, Potassium: 560 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 23 g, Vitamin A: 1106 IU, Vitamin C: 0.4 mg, Calcium: 378 mg, Iron: 0.4 mg
Calories: 424
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coffee milkshake, frozen coffee drink, iced coffee
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

Read More About Jessica

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    I’m with you, I need cold coffee drinks in the summer and this copycat recipe is going on my “must make” list right now! It looks incredible!

  2. 5 stars
    This was soooooo good. It will save me a ton of money to make it myself right at home when I need a treat!

  3. 5 stars
    I’m always up for a refreshing summer drink. This was DELIGHTFUL! Yummy and satisfied my need for cooling down.