Mocha vs Hot Chocolate: What Is the Difference?

Both are chocolatey, warming and made with steamed milk, so what is the difference? In short, a mocha has espresso in it and a hot chocolate does not.

At a glance

• Mocha: espresso, chocolate and steamed milk. Around 190 kcal in a 12oz cup with semi-skimmed milk.
• Hot chocolate: chocolate and milk, with no coffee. Around 250 kcal for a mug made with 250ml of semi-skimmed milk.

Caffeine

A mocha made with a double espresso contains roughly as much caffeine as a latte. Hot chocolate has only the small amount found naturally in cacao, which is why it is the better choice in the evening or for children.

Flavour

A mocha tastes of coffee first, with chocolate rounding it off. A hot chocolate is all about the chocolate, so the quality of the chocolate matters even more.

How to make them

• How to make a mocha at home
• How to make hot chocolate at home
• Peppermint mocha
• Gingerbread hot chocolate

Tips

• Use the same real chocolate for both. Our 52% Hot Chocolate is dairy free.
• For a mocha, melt the chocolate into the hot espresso first.
• For hot chocolate, make a paste with a splash of milk first.

FAQs

Is a mocha stronger than hot chocolate?

In caffeine, yes. A mocha includes espresso.

Which has more calories?

Usually hot chocolate, because it uses more chocolate and milk. Exact numbers depend on your milk and cup size.

See how your milk choice changes the numbers in our coffee calorie calculator.

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