If you walk into any coffee shop, from the locally-owned Mom and Pop cafe that sits on the corner of your street to one of the thousands of Starbucks Coffee franchises that span across the globe, chances are you’ll find a white chocolate mocha on the menu. It’s a coffee shop staple, and why wouldn’t it be? It’s delicious!

If you’ve read our introduction to the mocha (also known as a mocha latte or caffe mocha), then you know that those sweet drinks are just regular lattes with chocolate syrup added. The only difference lies in the varieties of chocolate used. A white chocolate mocha has the same key ingredients — a shot of espresso and steamed milk — except instead of milk or dark chocolate syrup, white chocolate sauce is used instead. Cue the applause of the world’s white chocolate fans.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA AND A TOASTED WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA?

The classic white chocolate mocha is available at Starbucks Coffee all year long, but it’s only when the international franchise unveils the annual winter menu that the toasted variation of the drink arrives on the scene. But is there a real difference?

While both of the creamy beverages are made with sweet white chocolate sauce, that used in the toasted drink is slowly roasted, caramelizing the sugar and bringing out complex, nutty flavors. Since it’s served during the holiday season, Starbucks tops the toasted white mocha with candied cranberry sugar — a festive touch the classic white chocolate mocha lacks. It’s like dessert in a cup!

MAKE A TOASTED WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA AT HOME

There are plenty of recipes floating around the internet that outline the steps of making this delicious coffee drink from the comfort of your own home, but of course, we’re a bit partial to ours. Just follow a few simple steps, and you can curb your white chocolate craving in minutes…plus, you’ll save yourself a trip to Starbucks! Who doesn’t love saving time and money?

YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 Shot of espresso or ½ cup coffee
• ¾ cup of 2% milk
• ¼ cup white chocolate chips
• Whipped cream
• Saucepan

THE PROCESS:

Step 1:

The first thing you’ll want to do is pull out your trusty at-home coffee brewer. If it’s the strong espresso coffee taste you’re after, you’ll of course need to use an espresso maker. But you can always use drip coffee from an automatic drip machine, pour-over, or French press if that’s what you prefer. Once your coffee’s brewed, set it aside; you’ll come back to it in a few moments.

Step 2:

Pour your milk into the saucepan, and let it simmer over low heat just until it’s bubbly. Be careful not to let it burn! When you see bubbles in the milk (we used two percent, but ultimately, the choice is yours), remove the saucepan from the heat, and add the white chocolate chips.

Step 3:

Stir the white chocolate milk mixture until the chocolate is melted and creamy. You should be left with something smooth and creamy.

Step 4:

Pour the sweet white liquid into a mug or tall glass, then add your shot — or shots — of espresso.

Step 5:

Finally — and this step’s the most important — top the white chocolate mocha with a squirt of whipped cream. If you’re feeling extra fancy and want to add even more sweetness to this drink, finish it off with a drizzle of white chocolate sauce…it’s so good!

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WRAPPING UP

And there you have it, a toasted white chocolate mocha recipe that’ll leave you brewing mug after mug of white chocolatey goodness. And if you’re still intrigued by the taste of white chocolate but are looking to cut your caffeine intake, leave the coffee out of the recipe and try a white hot chocolate instead!

Happy Caffeinating!

Toasted White Chocolate Mocha

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A scrumptious coffee recipe that has recently become pretty popular for many reasons. Switch the ingredients up to match with your lifestyle but we HIGHLY recommend lots and lots of caramel sauce!

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Ingredients

• A shot of espresso or 1/2 cup of coffee
• 3/4 cup of two-percent milk
• 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips
• Whipped cream

Instructions

1. Brew your coffee or pull your espresso shot 
2. Pour coffee into a mug 
3. Simmer your milk in a saucepan just until bubbly 
4. Remove from heat and whisk in your chocolate chips until melted
5. Pour saucepan mixture over your coffee
6. Top with desired amount of whipped cream