What’s better than cherry and chocolate? A cherry mocha! I love iced mochas, but sometimes you want to zhuzh it up a little bit. A homemade cherry vanilla syrup adds just enough fruitiness and sweetness to make a delicious cherry mocha. It’s super easy to make at home and perfect for a nice, sweet treat.

Here’s how to make an iced cherry mocha at home!

Cherry Mocha Recipe Takeaways:

• Make a homemade cherry vanilla syrup for the best cherry mocha!
• Mix the chocolate and cherry syrup with your espresso for a smooth texture and balanced flavor.
• It tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry with whipped cream!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• It’s super easy to make and only takes 4 ingredients!
• Save your money from buying it from Starbucks and make it in the comfort of your own kitchen.
• Cherry, chocolate, and coffee are a great pairing for when you want something fruity and balanced.
• Impress your friends and family with this easy coffee recipe!

What is a Mocha (Coffee)?

A mocha is an espresso-based beverage made with milk, chocolate syrup, and espresso. You can use cocoa powder or even melt chocolate instead of using syrup, although the traditional way is with cocoa powder. The result is a smooth coffee with perfect bittersweet flavor.

Personally, I love using dark chocolate or cocoa powder in my mochas because it’s not too sweet! Most big coffee chains stick to premade chocolate syrups for convenience, which makes their mochas sweeter and more milk chocolate-like.

What is a Cherry Mocha?

Now, a cherry mocha is just a regular mocha with cherry syrup or mashed cherries. I’ve only seen this flavor combo around Valentine’s Day—something about chocolate cherries must appeal to lovers nationwide! I know that Starbucks has a popular rendition of a cherry mocha with whipped cream, although I’ve never tried it.

However, I believe you can make one better than they can for cheaper and have it taste so much fresher. I like to use a homemade cherry vanilla syrup for my cherry mochas, but regular cherry syrup works too. You can also macerate cherries to add a juicy cherry flavor.

What Does a Cherry Mocha Taste Like?

It tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry with a sweet, creamy flavor! As if you dipped the fruit into whipped cream before eating it. It’s seriously so good and one of my favorite mochas ever! It’s light from the cherries, but still has that cocoa depth, which can sometimes be overpowering.

This is literally the best of both worlds in a coffee!

Do Cherry and Coffee Go Together?

Yes, cherries and coffee are actually one of the best flavor pairings. Coffee comes from the coffee cherry, which is a sweet, fleshy fruit. During the coffee processing, the bean can take on some of the fruity flavor, which you can taste when prepared in a pourover. Often, sommeliers and baristas describe coffee with fruity flavors, like mandarin, grapefruit, cherry, or strawberry, among other flavors like nutty, chocolatey, smoky, etc.

So, red cherries and coffee have a lot more in common than meets the eye! You should try it in a cold brew coffee or even a latte, but it’s best in a mocha.

Cherry Mocha Recipe: Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this iced cherry mocha:

• Cherry Syrup — My cherry vanilla syrup is so perfect for this cherry mocha, and adds that nice, round flavor from the vanilla. Regular cherry syrup works too! You can also use freeze-dried cherry powder and cherry extract, but I think the fresh fruit syrup tastes best.
• Espresso — Use your favorite espresso beans and espresso machine! You can also use instant coffee powder and hot water, coffee concentrate, or a stovetop espresso maker.
• Milk — Whole milk or oat milk tastes best with this drink! My personal favorite is Oatly’s barista-style oatmilk because it’s just sooo creamy. But you can use any milk you’d like.
• Ice
• Dark Chocolate or Cocoa Powder — I use mini dark chocolate chips for an easy melting process. You can use semi-sweet or even milk chocolate, or unsweetened cocoa powder.

How to Make a Cherry Mocha

1. Buy or Make Cherry Syrup. Use a store-bought or homemade cherry syrup. I recommend my cherry vanilla syrup that only needs 3 ingredients to make.
2. Brew Espresso. Add your chocolate to your espresso cup, then brew 1 – 2 shots of your favorite espresso beans directly onto the chocolate using an espresso machine. You can also use a coffee pod machine, an espresso stovetop maker, or instant espresso powder and hot water.
3. Melt Chocolate. Mix the chocolate or cocoa powder with your espresso until smooth and melted. If there are grainy bits, heat the espresso in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir until smooth. Make sure to transfer it to a microwave-safe mug if your espresso cup is fragile.
4. Assemble Drink. Add ice, cherry syrup, and milk to a separate glass, then top with your chocolate espresso mixture.
5. Mix and Enjoy! Give it a nice stir and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Cherry Mocha

• Add Vanilla: Vanilla adds the perfect creamy flavor to a cherry mocha! I think it adds a top layer of aroma that just completes the flavor profile. It’s not very strong, but it definitely elevates the other flavors.
• Melt the Ingredients With Espresso: For a super easy and smooth beverage, melt both the chocolate and cherry syrup into the hot espresso. This saves you time from trying to stir it in when it’s cold and gives a smoother texture.
• Use Cocoa Powder for a Smooth Texture: If you don’t like the unmelted bits of chocolate, then use cocoa powder for a smooth texture. Since there’s no melting involved, cocoa powder easily forms a silky liquid once whisked into the espresso. It might sink to the bottom over time, but it’s generally much smoother.

FAQ’s

Can I make this hot?

Yes, you can make a hot cherry mocha by steaming or heating your milk, then frothing it with a handheld frother or electric frother. Then add your chocolate espresso to a latte cup and pour the hot milk over it. Attempt latte art if you can do it! And voila, you have a delicious hot version!

Can I use white chocolate?

If you use white chocolate, you’ll make a cherry white mocha, which is just as tasty but has no bittersweet cocoa flavor. It’ll taste more like cherries and cream or a creamy cherry flavor. So yes, you can use white chocolate, but shift your expectations.

Other Mocha Recipes to Try

You can be your own barista after following this easy mocha recipe! If you’re itching to make more delicious drinks, here are some other mocha recipes to try next:

• Cherry Cream Mocha
• Peppermint Mocha
• White Chocolate Mocha
• Coffee Cream Mocha