Our Copycat Starbucks Tuxedo Mocha is the ideal drink if you’re a chocolate lover like me. It’s the perfect combination of coffee, white chocolate, and dark chocolate. We top it with a generous amount of whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and dark chocolate curls.
Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
Cooking Method: All you have to do is brew some fresh hot coffee and warm some milk.
Key Ingredients: Coffee, white chocolate mocha sauce, chocolate sauce and whipped cream (of course!)
Ease: Easy-peasy! Just brew some coffee and mix a few ingredients together.
Top Tip: If you’re heating the milk in the microwave, be sure to use a microwave-safe container. If heating it on the stove-top, watch it carefully, as milk can boil over quickly.
The trio of tuxedo drinks first appeared around the end of 2016. From what I’ve gathered online, they were only available that year. These drinks are now part of the Starbucks secret menu—if that’s even a thing!
Personally, I tend to stick to what’s officially on the menu. (Judging by comments I’ve received on Pinterest and this blog, baristas seem to prefer it that way.) I do enjoy their seasonal drinks, but when I crave something not currently available, I create a recipe so I can enjoy it at home.
Jump to:
What is a Tuxedo Mocha?
A tuxedo mocha is a drink that’s made with coffee, chocolate sauce and white chocolate mocha sauce. It’s topped with whipped cream. Then the whipped cream is topped with chocolate sauce on one side and shaved chocolate on the other side. There is also a tuxedo hot chocolate and a tuxedo mocha frappuccino. It’s so tasty!
The Tuxedo Mocha has been offered by other coffee shops besides Starbucks under different names. It is sometimes called a Zebra Mocha or Black-and-White Mocha. These have the same basic flavor profile as the Starbucks version.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
See below to make homemade white chocolate mocha sauce (the ingredients need to make it aren’t listed here).
- Coffee: Starbucks makes theirs with a shot of espresso. We use very strong coffee but if you have an espresso machine then go ahead and use a shot.
- Chocolate Sauce: We use store-bought chocolate sauce, chocolate syrup, like Hershey’s, can be used.
- Mocha Sauce: I use my homemade White Chocolate Mocha Syrup. Store-bought white chocolate sauce or syrup (Torani, for example) is slightly different but works well.
- Milk: We use whole dairy milk. Virtually any type of milk will work.
- Whipped Cream: Either whipped cream in the can or whipped topping in a tub can be used. See note below for using whipped topping, like Cool Whip.
- Dark Chocolate: A candy bar is inexpensive and works perfectly to shave on top of the drink. Dark chocolate chips can be used in a pinch; just chop them up a bit.
How to Make a Tuxedo Mocha
- Pour hot brewed coffee into a mug, stir in chocolate sauces.
- Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove top in a small saucepan.
- Top with whipped topping then top it with a mocha drizzle over half and chocolate curls over the other half.
How to Make White Chocolate Mocha Sauce
Not only is this sauce great in coffee, it’s also delicious as a topping for ice cream and other desserts. There is an in-depth post here for this recipe, so check that out.
Ingredients
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp instant coffee
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium saucepan.
- Simmer over medium-high heat stirring constantly until the chocolate chips melt.
- Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Recipe Notes
- If you’re heating the milk in the microwave, be sure to use a microwave-safe container. If heating it on the stove-top, watch it carefully, as milk can boil over quickly.
- The drink in the photos is topped with Cool Whip. I simply put it in a piping bag and pipe it on. You can also use a plastic zip-top bag; just snip off a corner to pipe.
- We usually drink our morning coffee with just a little milk. So when making a sweet drink like this, we brew our coffee twice as strong. This helps it to be more like espresso.
- This makes one drink that’s about 12 ounces. Be sure to use a mug big enough that you have plenty of room to top it with whipped cream. You definitely want enough room for that!
Coffee drinks like this are best made fresh. The iced version can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Just give it a good stir before topping and serving.
Can this be made as an iced drink?
Yes! Add the white and dark chocolate sauces to cold coffee, or cold brew, and top it just the way you would the hot drink.
Yes! Use your favorite non-dairy milk for a diary free option. Healthline has a great article highlighting the 9 Best Nondairy Substitutes for Milk.
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Copycat Starbucks Tuxedo Mocha
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong coffee
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tbsp white chocolate mocha sauce
- 1 tbsp chocolate syrup + additional for garnish
- whipped cream
- dark chocolate curls
I earn a small commission from Instacart for qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Pour hot brewed coffee into a mug, stir in chocolate sauces.1 cup strong coffee, 1 tbsp white chocolate mocha sauce, 1 tbsp chocolate syrup
- Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove top in a small saucepan and add it to the coffee mixture.1/2 cup milk
- Top with whipped topping then top it with a mocha drizzle over half and chocolate curls over the other half.
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