Mocha Flavoured Coffee

Skip the coffee shop line and make your own mocha mix at home. This dry blend of instant coffee, cocoa powder, sugar, and powdered creamer stores in a jar and turns into a warm, chocolatey cup whenever you need one.

Blending the ingredients in a mixer breaks up any lumps and distributes the cocoa evenly through the powder. Without that step, you get clumps of cocoa floating on top of your mug instead of dissolving smoothly.

A scoop and a half tablespoons stirred into hot water is all it takes. The ratio is forgiving, so adjust up or down depending on how strong you like your coffee or how chocolatey you want it.

Pro Tips

• Use a good quality cocoa powder. Cheap cocoa tastes chalky and won’t give you that rich mocha flavor.
• Store the mix in a tightly sealed jar away from moisture. Any humidity causes the sugar to clump and the instant coffee to dissolve prematurely.
• For a creamier cup, use hot milk instead of water.
• This mix makes a great homemade gift. Fill a mason jar, tie a ribbon around it, and attach the mixing instructions.

Variations

• Peppermint mocha: Add a crushed candy cane or a pinch of peppermint extract to each cup.
• Vanilla mocha: Stir in a splash of vanilla extract when mixing with hot water.
• Iced mocha: Dissolve the mix in a small amount of hot water, then pour over ice and top with cold milk.