Salted Caramel Cocoa Mocktail Recipe

I love making drinks that feel special but don’t take a ton of effort. Salted caramel and cocoa just work together, you know?

Mixing them into a mocktail is such an easy way to bring something different to your next hangout—or even just a cozy night by yourself.

This Salted Caramel Cocoa Mocktail recipe gives you a sweet, salty, and seriously comforting drink that everyone can enjoy—no booze required.

When I’m after a treat, this mocktail totally hits the spot. You can serve it hot or iced, so it’s honestly good any time of year.

The best part? You only need a handful of simple ingredients and some basic kitchen stuff.

Salted Caramel Cocoa Mocktail Recipe

I like making this drink for family and friends because it’s sweet, super easy, and doesn’t need anything fancy. The creamy chocolate with the rich caramel and a little salt—yeah, it’s a winner.

Equipment

• 1 small saucepan
• Whisk
• Heatproof mug or glass
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cup
• Spoon for stirring
• Small plate (for rimming the glass with caramel and salt)
• Optional: Frother or immersion blender (if I want the cocoa extra creamy)

Having these things ready just makes everything go smoother. The frother is nice if you want it extra creamy, but honestly, a regular spoon gets the job done.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk (any kind—dairy, almond, oat, whatever you like)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons caramel sauce (plus more for drizzle)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, if you want it sweeter)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt (plus extra for topping)
• Whipped cream (optional, for topping)
• Ice cubes (if making it iced)

I’ve found sea salt really balances out the caramel’s sweetness. If I’m using store-bought caramel, I go for a thicker one so it doesn’t just slide right off the rim.

Instructions

• Pour the milk into a small saucepan and set it over medium heat.
• Add cocoa powder, caramel sauce, and sugar.
• Whisk until everything’s blended and the mixture is warm, but don’t let it boil.
• Put a little caramel sauce on the small plate. Dip the rim of your mug in the sauce, then dip it into sea salt.
• Carefully pour the warm cocoa into your mug.
• Top with whipped cream, more caramel drizzle, and a sprinkle of sea salt if you’re feeling it.
• For an iced version, chill the cocoa, pour it over ice, and add your toppings.

I always make sure the cocoa powder’s dissolved so the drink’s nice and smooth. The caramel and salt rim? It just makes every sip a bit more fun.

Notes

Whole milk makes it extra creamy, but honestly, any milk works. If you want to skip dairy, oat milk is probably my favorite.

Sometimes caramel sauce is too thick to drizzle, so I just microwave it for a few seconds. Easy fix.

If I’m not in the mood for whipped cream, I leave it off. Sometimes I’ll add a splash of vanilla or a little cinnamon if I want to mix things up.

I taste as I go and tweak the salt and caramel till I get that sweet-salty balance just right.

Tasting Notes

When I take my first sip, the salted caramel flavor jumps out at me right away. There’s this gentle sweetness, and then a buttery taste sneaks in.

The bit of salt really makes the caramel pop and keeps things from getting cloying. It’s honestly a nice balance.

The cocoa brings a cozy, chocolatey vibe. It’s smooth, not too bitter, and it sort of rounds out the caramel.

I actually love how the chocolate and caramel mingle together with every sip. It’s a combo that just works.

There’s a creamy texture from the milk that’s hard to miss. The drink is thick enough to feel a little special, but not so heavy that finishing it feels like a chore.

I can smell hints of cocoa and caramel as I lift the cup. The aroma makes it even more inviting—kind of hard to resist, honestly.

This drink isn’t too sweet or too salty. It’s gentle and really easy to enjoy, whether you drink it hot or cold.

Sometimes, I’ll add a sprinkle of sea salt or a little drizzle of caramel sauce on top. That just brings out the main flavors even more.

It always feels comforting, especially on cool days.

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