This Skinny Caramel Mocha Recipe offers a lighter twist on the coffee shop favorite. Skip the drive thru line and make this easy coffee drink at home!
You can save time, money (and even calories) with copycat Starbucks recipes. Once you try it, you’ll become addicted to homemade Mocha Lattes and Flavored Coffee Creamers too. Or give our apple crisp macchiato recipe a try next!
Why this Recipe Works
I normally drink my coffee with a small splash of heavy cream. Or homemade french vanilla coffee creamer!
Sometimes though, a mocha is what I crave! And if it has caramel? More power to it!
Today, I am sharing this easy to make, caramel mocha recipe, that’s been “lightened up.”
- No espresso machine necessary.
- Less sugar than the coffee house version .
- Customize sweetness based on your preference.
- Rich caramel and chocolate flavor.
- Decadent taste that’s low in calories and fat
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients you use will determine the total calorie content of your Caramel Mocha.
Here is a breakdown of the calorie count, using the brands of products I use for my recipe (calories may vary depending on brands):
- 20 calories: Kroger Caramel ice cream topping
- 30 calories: Rodelle gourmet cocoa powder
- 20 calories: Domino organic light agave nectar
- 5 calories: strong brewed coffee
- 40 calories: Kroger Fat Free organic milk
- OPTIONAL: 35 calories: extra caramel topping and 2 Tbsp Kroger extra creamy whipped cream
That’s a grand total of 115 calories per large mug or 150 calories per large mug with whipped cream and extra caramel sauce (YUM).
Easy Instructions
STEP 1. Combine cocoa, caramel sauce and agave nectar in a mug. Add hot water.
STEP 2. Pour hot brewed coffee over the contents of the mug and stir to combine.
STEP 3. Add hot milk to the coffee mix and stir.
Garnish with whipped cream and butterscotch sauce if desired. Sip and savor!
Tips and Tricks
- Foam the milk. If you want more of a barista touch to your skinny caramel mocha, shake the hot milk in a mason jar first. It incorporates more air into the milk adding a layer of foam to the top of your mocha.
- Use double strength coffee. I brew my coffee at twice the ratio of beans to water when I’m making my homemade lattes.
- Use a “bold” or “espresso” roast. Choose a strong, dark roast for a more pronounced coffee flavor in this caramel mocha.
- Top this sweet drink with some toasted coconut for a delicious crunch!
This mocha isn’t as sweet as a coffee house mocha, but the extra whipped cream and caramel do add a bit more sweetness! You can also add more agave nectar to sweeten if you like!!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but it will be more difficult to dissolve all of the cocoa and caramel if you don’t use any hot ingredients. I would add hot coffee to the caramel as directed, stir to fully combine, then let it cool . Add cold milk and coffee ice cubes to serve.
For a skinny caramel mocha latte, you should use nonfat or lowfat milk. Unsweetened almond, soy or oat milk are tasty choices for a nondairy mocha. This recipe will also work with whole milk if you prefer. The calorie content will just be higher.
Any kind of caramel topping or syrup you enjoy on your ice cream will work perfectly here. You can also use the caramel syrups made specifically for flavoring coffee, like Torani brand.
More Easy Coffee Recipes
- Caramel Coffee Milkshakes: refreshing, delicious, and easy to make at home!
- Nutella Coffee Milkshakes: coffee and nutella are a perfect pair!
- Dalgona Coffee
- Almond Joy Coffee Creamer
- Apple Crisp Macchiato Cold Brew
- Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
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Caramel Mocha Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon caramel sauce
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon hot water
- 1 teaspoon light agave nectar
- 8 ounce strong brewed coffee
- ½ cup skim milk
Optional garnish:
- 2 Tablespoon whipped cream
- 1 teaspoon caramel sauce
Instructions
- In a large mug, add caramel sauce, cocoa powder and hot water, combine with a spoon. Add agave nectar. Pour brewed coffee over mixture and stir until combined.
- In a small mug, heat skim milk in microwave for about one minute (until steamed, microwave times may vary). Pour hot milk over coffee mixture, giving a quick stir.
- Garnish with whipped cream and caramel sauce if desired (highly recommended)!
This is such an amazing treat!! A new favorite for my husband and kids!
This is absolutely incredible! It’s decadent but so easy to make, thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
This drink tastes amazing. You don’t even notice it has less calories. I love a drink I can make at home!
Just what I needed today! Thanks for the recipe!
This was just what I needed this afternoon!! Thanks for a great recipe
Kroger isn’t around here and I need an alternative caramel sauce. I’ll use Splenda instead of agave and my unsweetened cocoa is a brand name one. I’m a mocha iced coffee addict but Dunkin’ makes to extremely weak. I want to taste coffee and not just cream!
Torani makes a delicious caramel sauce, but really, any ice cream topping caramel sauce would work too 🙂
“a mocha”, not “an mocha”
….. I’ve been making mine with almond milk, stevia, organic 100% cacao powder, fat free whipped cream and light chocolate syrup. In the summertime, a crushed ice and I’ve got a mocha frappe better than MickeyDees. Depending on the coffee brand used the flavor will vary. I prefer light roasted vs the burnt flavor of dark roasted.
That looks like a proper treat! I had one of those in a coffee shop not long ago and was wondering if I could make it at home
I would never be able to give up coffee either, I agree, the whole experience is wonderful. This looks divine 🙂