Hazelnut Mocha (Made at Home for a Fraction of the Price)

A hazelnut mocha is exactly what it sounds like — our regular Mocha with a nutty hazelnut edge stirred in — and it doesn’t require building a third jar of anything new. This recipe just combines two bases you may already have in the fridge: Mocha Sauce and Hazelnut Syrup, 1 tablespoon of each instead of 2 tablespoons of either one alone.

Make Both Bases First (Just Once)

This recipe assumes you already have a jar each of Mocha Sauce and Hazelnut Syrup in the fridge — both are quick batches (15 minutes and 10 minutes respectively) that each make about 12 drinks’ worth and keep about 2 weeks. If you’re building your first jar of either, go make those first, then come back here. If you already make hazelnut lattes or mochas regularly, there’s a good chance you’ve already got both on hand.

Building the Drink

1. Pull a double shot of espresso (about 2oz) directly into your cup, or brew a strong coffee/moka pot equivalent.
2. Stir in 1 tbsp of the mocha sauce and 1 tbsp of the hazelnut syrup while the espresso is still hot — same 2 tbsp of total flavoring as any single-flavor latte on this site, just split between the two jars instead of doubled up on one.
3. Steam or froth 8oz of milk to about 150°F (see How to Make a Latte at Home for the full technique) and pour it over the espresso mixture.
4. Top with whipped cream and a few chopped toasted hazelnuts or chocolate shavings if you want the full café look.

Café grande hazelnut mocha (specialty-menu pricing, tax included)$6.35

Home hazelnut mocha (espresso, milk, both bases)~$0.92

Savings per drink$5.43

Both bases together cost about $2.35 total to make (~$1.30 for the Mocha Sauce batch, ~$1.05 for the Hazelnut Syrup batch), and each batch covers about 12 drinks on its own — since this recipe only uses 1 tbsp of each per drink, a single pair of batches actually stretches to around 12 hazelnut mochas before either jar runs out at the same time (assuming you’re not also using the syrups for their solo drinks).

Assumptions: grande-size drink, national-average specialty-menu pricing for a two-flavor combo drink (these tend to run a bit above a plain mocha or plain hazelnut latte at most cafés), dairy milk, $16/lb specialty beans or equivalent grocery beans. No seasonal ceiling on this one — if it’s your regular order, the savings compound year-round. At 5 hazelnut mochas a week over the site’s standard 48-week year, that’s roughly $1,303/year back in your pocket versus the café version.

Swaps & Notes

• No espresso machine? A moka pot or strong AeroPress shot works fine.
• Want it more chocolate-forward or more nutty? Shift the ratio — 1.5 tbsp mocha sauce + 0.5 tbsp hazelnut syrup leans chocolate, or the reverse leans nutty. The cost and calorie math above assumes an even 1:1 split.
• Only have one of the two bases made? This drink genuinely needs both — if you’re out of one, make the plain Mocha or plain Hazelnut Latte instead rather than doubling up on whichever jar you have.
• Watching sugar? Both bases here are the classic-flavor Standard versions. Swap in the Sugar-Free Mocha Sauce and Sugar-Free Hazelnut Syrup (same 1 tbsp each method) for a lower-sugar build.
• Iced version: use the Hot/Iced toggle above the ingredients to switch — less milk (about 4oz cold over ice instead of 8oz steamed), same method as every other iced drink on the site.

Recipe Card Summary

Hazelnut Mocha

• 2oz espresso + 8oz steamed milk + 1 tbsp Mocha Sauce + 1 tbsp Hazelnut Syrup (both made ahead)
• Prep time: 5 minutes (after both bases are made) · Total: 5 minutes
• Cost: ~$0.92/drink vs. $6.35 café equivalent

FAQ

Do I need to make a whole new syrup for this?

No — that’s the point of building it this way. It uses 1 tbsp each of the Mocha Sauce and Hazelnut Syrup you’d make for our plain Mocha and Hazelnut Latte recipes, so if you already keep either on hand, you’re most of the way there.

Why 1 tbsp of each instead of 2 tbsp of one plus a splash of the other?

Keeping it to 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp holds the total flavoring at 2 tablespoons, the same ratio every other latte on this site uses against 2oz espresso and 8oz milk — so the sweetness and strength stay balanced instead of turning into an oversweet double dose.

Can I make this without an espresso machine?

Yes — a moka pot, AeroPress, or even strong drip coffee works. See How to Make a Latte at Home for the no-machine method.