I seem to get a lot of questions about how to sweeten coffee on a real food diet…so I’ve finally decided to address it in an official recipe. For starters PLEASE throw away your Splenda or other imitation sweete
ners. I am begging you! 
Even though our family rarely does sugar anymore I would much rather have regular white table sugar (that has been around for thousands of years) over something that was (relatively recently) invented in a lab just to imitate sugar. Enough said about that.
As you’ve probably gathered from the title this is not a recipe for just plain ol’ coffee because that is just not how I roll. I am a mocha girl and always have been. My victim of choice used to be a white chocolate mocha to be exact, and I don’t even want to think about what the ingredients might be in one of those. But just in case I could convince one more person to stop ordering them I just got off the phone with Starbucks…
Starbucks white chocolate syrup: sugar, condensed skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, coconut oil, cocoa butter, natural flavors, salt, potassium sorbate, monoglycerides
Okay, well at least I can (almost) pronounce everything…I guess that is a positive, but what is the point in consuming a large dose of all that stuff when it could be so much simpler (and cheaper) if you make it at home!? Now if I am not at home my new drink to order is a latté (which is just plain espresso and milk) with a little honey added to sweeten it. And as you can see from the recipe if you want to make these mochas at home it is necessary to have an espresso maker. I have the simplest espresso machine imaginable, and it has worked wonderfully for almost a decade. It is a Krups mini and you can actually get them on ebay for as little as 12 or 15 bucks…so go for it!
Now if you are one of those that likes to get creative please know that the cocoa/maple syrup combination in this recipe can be used as a “chocolate sauce” for just about anything. You can drizzle it on some ice cream, or I even use it to make both cold and hot chocolate milk for my girls. I bet it would be good mixed into regular coffee too. So enjoy!
Maple Mocha
Ingredients
½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa (this recipe will work with regular cocoa, but I think it is SOOO much better with the pictured “special dark” variety…which most stores carry)- 1 teaspoon 100% pure maple syrup (honey would work as an alternative)
- 1 shot of espresso
- ¾ cup of milk
Directions
- Measure 3/4 cup milk into a glass measuring cup and heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes. If you want to get fancy you can use the frothing attachment on your espresso maker to heat the milk, but I personally think that makes way too much of a mess for the small added benefit of foam.
- While the milk is heating up, stir together the cocoa and maple syrup
- Pour the hot espresso and milk into the chocolate mixture…and voila! You have a “mocha”
Yield: 1 serving
Sweetened condensed milk in my coffee? How very Vietnamese!
Not thrilled about the monoglycerides, though. I also wanted to support what you’ve said in other posts about using agave nectar in coffee to replace sugar. I’ve never used sweeteners; I’ve always been a white sugar gal. However, agave has proven to be just as delicious in coffee without altering the taste, and it is so readily available these days. I get mine at Costco, which is by far the best value. However, Trader Joes, EarthFare and Harris Teeter carry it as well. It’s great!
Unfortunately new info is now out on Agave & it is compared to high fructose corn syrup.
I used to really love it too!
I have switched to this for my regular coffee as of today. I have been a Agave nectar girl until a few days ago. Based on some new information I’ve read, I’m not convinced agave nectar is as “clean” as I thought. In the most recent article I read, its likened to HFCS. So, hi ho, hi ho, back to maple syrup and honey I go!
i do something very similar in my quest for a homemade mocha and my answer to the foam is to put my warmed milk and cocoa mixture into the magic bullet and blend it for about 15 seconds! lots of frothy goodness, plus the bigger volume makes me feel like i’m getting much more to drink in my mug!!!
That is a good idea!
I like both maple syrup and honey in my coffee and hot chocolate, but I prefer honey. It has an extra warming effect that makes me feel like I’m drinking alcohol…lol!
That cracks me up!
I’ve found that as I turned to more “real” food, I don’t really crave sugar as much anymore. A little dab of honey will do! I recently was on the road and picked up a regular “light” yogurt. It tasted so sweet I couldn’t even finish it. One of the many benefits of switching to real food…the lessening power of the old sweet tooth!
But if you wanna have more guilt/reason to get off sugar I recommend reading a book called “The Island Beneath the Sea” by Isabelle Allende. It’s a fictional novel about a slave girl in Haiti. I had no idea how much of the original slave trade was built to help feed our addiction to sugar. Now, I’m sure we don’t have sugar plantations anymore, but after reading this I couldn’t help but feel my sugar has “blood” in it….metaphorically speaking. I think about it every time I reach for that tsp of sugar. This entire “whole food” way of living has raised my consciousness on so many levels. Besides honey comes from sweet bees
!
I am with you…our taste buds have definitely changed (for the better) too! It is amazing how those things can happen. Thanks for the book recommendation too!
Yummy! I limit myself to only drinking coffee out(which means I haven’t had one in at least a year and a half) but I would love to try this
Nothing to feel guilty about in there.
HI there!
I am following your posts
I would have to agree. I think everyone varies in what we consider “clean” or not. Agave is getting bad press and it seems to be making sense. Therefore, I am avoiding it. I am using Organic Green Leaf Stevia (NO other ingredients!)because it is plant based (not grain based). Beware, now there are MANY “Stevia” products out there with a ton of CRAP in them!
Maple Syrup and Honey in their raw form is another excellent choice IF you are not sensitive to those foods.
We pretty much just stick to maple syrup or honey ourselves…and it works just fine for us.
YUM!
Any idea how much a “shot” of espresso is? I have a manual espresso pot that I use on my stove. Is it like a “shot” of liquor? 1 OZ? just wondering.
Thanks!
My machine dictates the size and I just measured it out…It’s 1/3 cup!
Oh this soudns amazing!!! I can’t wait to try it
Sounds like a nice drink. I drink coffee with a splash of milk, no sweetner. I would like to get off of coffee all together, but I really enjoy it in the mornings.
I would never have thought to use maple syrup in coffee! I’m going to try it right now
I make a cappuccino or French press for my wife and I most mornings- and we tried your idea this morning and loved it. Thanks for the post.
If you are looking for a quick way to get that great steamed milk (froth) without the mess, try a milk frother. You can find them at most kitchen stores or online. I use a manual one. You don’t do anything differently with the milk, just heat and then froth away. You’ll get froth you can balance a quarter on….if you like it that way. Best of all, no mess.
Thanks for the idea, although I have to say I don’t really miss the foam!
I was ADDICTED to flavored coffee creamers and it was the last “fake food” habit for me to kick. Thanks to this blog the suggestion of maple syrup and half and half, I have been “creamer” free ever since i emailed you. I shudder at the thought of how much of that junk I used to drink. Keep up the fantastic work, if this blog comes to an end I will be devastated!
I am new to website- But really like what I see. I love coffee- but am allergic to honey and maple- what other option can i use. I miss the sweetness- all I use now is carnation milk and instant coffee. I tried half and half but system didn’t like it. LOL!! Joys of having intestinal issues- But an planning on making cheese crackers today. Thank you..
Check out these homemade coffee creamers as an alternative… http://deliciouslyorganic.net/homemade-coffee-creamer/
Thanks! This is my new favorite morning “treat”. I use a mini-whisk to make the milk frothy without the mess. I feel like I’m exercising my arm a little and then I just throw it in the dishwasher!
LOL…good idea! And I am glad to know I am not the only one out there savoring my morning maple mocha! I’ve come to look forward to it in the morning.
My kids loved the cocoa and syrup mixture in their chocolate milk. Do you think I could pre mix some cocoa and syrup and have it in the refrig to make a fast glass of chocolate milk? Thanks for all the great ideas!
I have wondered the very same thing about mixing the sauce in advance (especially since I use it everyday in my mocha). I have not tried it yet though. Let me know if you try it and it works out!
I am an iced tea drinker and sometimes hot tea and have been using Splenda for years. Would you use honey/maple syrup for sweetening iced tea as well? I am just beginning the real food challenge. I also do the cooking for my diabetic mother who also uses splenda for everything. I bake cakes/desserts that are diabetic friendly. Any suggestions for sweetening these items would be much appreciated. Thanks!
What are the rules that your diabetic mother needs to follow? Also, all “sugars” are technically sugar meaning high in calories and low in nutrients. Honey and maple syrup are less processed and have slightly more nutrients than the other alternatives. Imitation sugar (like Splenda, which was “invented” in a lab by scientists) should be avoided no matter what. I think honey would be good in hot tea, but I don’t think it would absorb very well in cold tea. I would recommend using the real thing (white sugar) over the imitation stuff (splenda) any day and very much using it in moderation. No matter what kind of sweetener you use it should always be used in moderation. I hope that helps!
We use raw, local honey in our iced tea every time! Make your tea-boil a small saucepan of water, add your tea bags. We use 6-8 herbal tea bags. Try a spiced tea like Chai, sometime! Let steep until cool. In a one gallon pitcher pour honey-we use 3/4 cup, and some warm water. Stir. Add your tea “concentrate”. Fill the pitcher up with cool water and stir. One gallon of delicious sweet tea! Mmmm.
Ok. I DON’T have an espresso maker, and have used up my yearly small appliance request allotment for this year. LOL! So, my question would be this: Would this work in regular coffee? I really want to stop drinking the flavored creamers, and even got the ingredients to make this because I forgot you said it required an espresso maker.
Can I just change amounts or something?
Oh, and I generally don’t tolerate milk very well, but don’t like the milk “replacements.” Could I maybe just leave out the milk? Would that work? Or just using alot less and my regular coffee?
try regular coffee with one of those homemade creamers instead!
I’m not sure…never tried it with regular coffee! Did I send you that link with the homemade creamers? http://deliciouslyorganic.net/homemade-coffee-creamer/
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I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure how I would like this because I used to be a white chocolate mocha type of gal too. However, this is DELICIOUS. I’m so excited because my biggest sadness over eating real food is not being able to get my yummy coffees! So, thanks for the recipe
“Microwave”?! Say it ain’t so! While I look forward to trying your recipe, I would never put my raw goat’s milk in a micorwave! Toss that terrible thing or use it as a planter but not for your real foods!
We thoroughly enjoy our raw milk products…lots of hot chocolate in the winter-varieties my teen daughter makes us: “Cocoa, Mocha, Coco-mon (w/cinnamon), Mint-oa (w/real mint), Coff-oa (w/coffee), using evaporated cane juice, cocoa and raw milk gently heated on the stove top. During the summer we enjoy a tall glass of cold, cold chocolate milk after finishing chores in the summer heat! Oldest daughter makes a great frappachino, too! Using 60% cacao chips, coffee, chocolate raw goat’s milk and ice! Mmmm! Better than Starbucks anyday (even though we are all SB junkies here!)
Coffeemate just came out with a new creamer made with four ingredients: cream, milk, sugar and. . .not sure. Going to try it. It’s not the best bet but better than the french vanilla we have bought for years:)
What about “Sugar in the Raw”?
Coffeemate’s new one is called Natural Bliss and the fourth ingredient is Natural Flavoring. We’ve switched over to that one when the price came down to the same as their regular non-dairy creamer. But I just made a batch of the Cinnamon Strudel recipe above tonight. Can’t wait to try it in the morning, as it smelled great, not to mention tasted good, too, when I dipped my finger in it. Thanks! If it’s okay I’d like to link to this on my blog sometime!
I used to work at Starbucks and I can tell you that all of their specialty drinks are FULL of sugar, and many of them full of trans fats. The white mochas are the absolute worst, but also steer clear of any of the syrups and of the whipped cream. The whipped cream is heavy cream with vanilla syrup in it, so it’s really awful.
The soymilk they use is a sweetened vanilla soy milk, so you will want to avoid that, too. They do have honey and if you don’t see it out, you can request it.
Microwave?? Now that just contradicts everything. Microwaves poison our foods.
Yum! I have become a plain latte when out and home brewed with heavy cream at home girl with the occasional dose of sugar. What are your thoughts on organic evaporated cane juice “sugar” such as can be found at TJ’s?
I don’t think it’s really that much better than regular sugar…no matter what sweetener you choose I think the important thing to remember is to use it in moderation!
I have been trying to cut the refined sweeteners and it has been so hard cutting the sugar in my morning coffee! I didn’t realize I had been using about 2 Tablespoons of sugar in 16 oz of coffee! I made it with 2 tsp maple syrup this morning and it’s good. Still getting used to it, but it’s much better than with honey. Love that maple flavor! Tomorrow I’m going to try it with the cocoa too. Thank you so much. Your site has been an eye opener!
I used honey crystals to sweeten my coffee, and it is delicious. I have only been able to find them from one company in GA. It’s just honey in a granular form.
Hi, what are your thoughts on using coconut milk in your coffee? I found a recipe using dates (pureed with water) as the sweetener and using coconut milk and cacao for a mocha coffee. Have not made, do not have the dates or cacao yet. Seems a little expensive to make also.
I think all those ingredients sound fine…just be sure to get unsweetened coconut milk.
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Hi everyone!
I’d like to request that we all take the time to find Fair Trade chocolate products please. Child trafficking is a HUGE problem when it comes to Cocoa, and chocolate of any kind. Here is a Huffington Post article about it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/is-there-child-slavery-in_b_737737.html
Anyone tried this cold and blended with ice? Would be a bit of a healthier version of my homemade iced cappacino that I use as a post workout drink. I mix 2% chocolate milk with instant coffee granules and ice-blend until smooth. Delicious and refreshing.
Just made this and made it cold with crushed ice! Quite good. May have to tweak the recipe a tiny bit to suit my taste…I think I need to add a smidge more cocoa powder but otherwise bang on.
Do you use Rapadura sugar at all?? It is recommended by many naturopaths and nutritionists.
We don’t…we are able to do all we need with honey and maple syrup. The bottom line with your sweetener choice is “sugar is sugar” no matter what you use. Just because we use two of the least processed sweeteners available it doesn’t give us the green light to turn up the bottle or anything like that.
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A good way to make froth milk! http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-milk-foam-without-100716
I’ve done this many times and it works great!
Hi Lisa – I love your blog! It’s exactly the way I think about food & have raised our three kids. It’s not always been the most popular theory, but real-food only makes sense to me!
About your Hershey’s Cocoa — do you know if it’s fair trade? I’ve learned a bit about how we get our chocolate products & it’s very sad. There was a great documentary you can probably find on Knowledge Network’s website about it.
I am no expert, but I am very shocked by the chocolate industry and think all families need to hear about it. A very large amount of the chocolate we are sold by the chocolate companies comes from farms which use child labour, and a lot of that child labour is trafficked children. Children who are stolen from their families or sold by unscrupulous relatives to agents who sell them to the farmers. When this happens, the children have no access to education or a loving childhood, and many have unspeakable living/working conditions.
For some reason, most of us loving mothers do *not* know anything about this. It’s hard to feed this chocolate to our families when we think about how it hurts other families in the world.
Unless chocolate if certified fair-trade, there is no accountability in the system. The farmers pool their cocoa (in a version of what dairy farmers do), so the chocolate companies do not know where the chocolate they bought came from.
Sorry to get political, but I think this should be something we consider every time we choose our food.
Cheers!
This is not something I’ve looked into…thanks for sharing.