Keto Mocha
Published August 4, 2019 • Updated March 11, 2026
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I make this keto mocha almost every morning, and it's the reason I stopped ordering Starbucks. Strong coffee, cocoa powder, MCT oil, and heavy cream blended until frothy, with a richness that beats any drive-through version I've had.
I started making this when I realized my Starbucks order was costing me over 40 grams of carbs before 10am. The fix turned out to be simpler than I expected: strong coffee, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and MCT oil, blended until frothy. It tastes richer than what I used to order, and I’ve been making it almost daily since.
The MCT oil is what separates this from regular chocolate coffee. It emulsifies into the hot liquid and creates a creamy, almost latte-like body without any milk. I usually have this around 9am and I’m good until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, which is the whole reason I started adding MCT to my coffee in the first place. If you’ve tried my keto bulletproof coffee, think of this as the chocolate version.
For sweetener, I use Lakanto liquid monkfruit drops specifically. 4 to 5 drops is the sweet spot, and I’ve landed there after testing other brands that overshoot. One thing I’ve noticed is that the monkfruit intensifies slightly as the drink cools, so if you start at 6 drops it tips too sweet by the time you’re halfway through. Start with 4 and adjust from there.
If you want to switch things up, try swapping the MCT oil for butter. A reader named Beth used Kerrygold and got a thick, almost mousse-like top. That makes sense because higher butterfat emulsifies differently than MCT oil, giving you a denser foam. Both work, just different textures. For something colder, pour the blended mix over a full glass of ice for a low carb iced version that holds up well. I also love rotating between this and my keto white mocha or peppermint white mocha depending on my mood.
The blender matters more than you’d think. A regular countertop blender gets the best froth, but a handheld milk frother works in a pinch (I wouldn’t just stir with a spoon because the oil needs that agitation to emulsify properly). You’ll know it’s ready when the surface looks creamy and opaque, not oily.
Two tablespoons of cocoa powder gives this real chocolate depth, not a watered-down hint. I keep coming back to it because it satisfies the same craving as a coffee shop drink without any of the sugar. If you’re into coffee drinks, my keto frappuccino, mocha dalgona coffee, and dalgona coffee are all in regular rotation at my house.
How to Make This Sugar Free Mocha
I blend everything on high for about 15 seconds. That’s enough to fully emulsify the MCT oil and get a layer of foam on top. If you don’t have a blender, a handheld milk frother works, just give it an extra 30 seconds of frothing to get the same texture. You’ll know it’s done when the color goes from dark brown to a lighter, creamy tan.
For an iced version, I blend as usual and pour over a full glass of ice. I use strong coffee or a double shot of espresso when I’m going iced so the ice doesn’t water it down. If you love cold chocolate drinks, my frozen hot chocolate uses a similar blending approach.
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Ingredients
8 ounces of fresh brewed coffee or espresso -
¼ cup heavy cream or nut milk
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2 tablespoons cocoa powder
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1 tablespoon MCT oil or coconut oil
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4 to 5 drops liquid Lakanto monkfruit sweetener
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splash of vanilla
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Get a blender
Add ingredients to a blender.
Pulse it
Pulse until combined. If using a frother, add ingredients to a cup and use frother to mix until combined.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use granulated monkfruit instead of liquid drops?
I've done it both ways. Granulated works if you dissolve it into the hot coffee before blending. I use about half a teaspoon of Lakanto granulated in place of the liquid drops. The liquid is more precise for dialing in sweetness, but granulated gets the job done. A reader named Shawn asked about this and I told him the same thing: as long as the hot liquid dissolves the granules, you're fine.
How many drops of sweetener should I use?
I land on 4 to 5 drops of Lakanto liquid monkfruit almost every time. I've noticed that monkfruit intensifies slightly as the drink cools, so 6 drops can tip too sweet by the time you're halfway through your cup. My advice is to start with 4, take a sip after blending, and add one more if you want it sweeter. I tested other liquid sweetener brands and they tend to overshoot compared to Lakanto.
How do I make this into an iced mocha?
I blend everything hot first, then pour it over a full glass of ice. The key is using stronger coffee or a double espresso shot so the ice doesn't water it down. The MCT oil stays emulsified even over ice, which surprised me the first time I tried it. It's a solid low carb iced coffee option when it's too warm for a hot mug.
Can I use butter instead of MCT oil?
I've tested both and they just give you different textures. Butter (especially something high-fat like Kerrygold) creates a thicker, almost mousse-like foam on top because the butterfat emulsifies differently than MCT oil. MCT gives you a lighter, cleaner froth. I go back and forth depending on my mood. Either one works, just blend long enough to fully incorporate it.
Is this the same as bulletproof coffee?
Similar idea, different drink. My keto bulletproof coffee is just coffee, MCT oil, and butter. This adds cocoa powder and heavy cream, which turns it into something that actually tastes like a coffeehouse mocha. I make both regularly but this one wins when I'm craving chocolate, which is most days.
Can I add collagen peptides to this?
I throw in a scoop of unflavored collagen peptides sometimes, especially if I'm skipping breakfast. It dissolves completely in the blender and doesn't change the flavor at all. I use about 10-12 grams per cup. Just add it with everything else before blending.
How can I store leftover mocha?
I keep leftovers in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 days. The oil separates when it sits, so I give it a hard shake or re-blend it before reheating. I usually microwave it for about a minute and then hit it with the frother again to get the foam back. Tastes almost as good as fresh.
If you want the full coffeehouse experience, top your coffee with a dollop of sugar free whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. 
MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides – fatty acids with about 8-10 carbons in length. Your body uses them almost immediately as fuel since there’s not much digestion involved. That’s why they’re a staple in low carb and keto eating.
Are you more of an iced coffee person? Sometimes I am too, especially when it’s hot outside. This mocha can easily be turned into an iced version – just mix as instructed, then pour over ice.
To mix up your mocha, you can use a blender or a handheld frother. I prefer a blender because it makes the coffee frothier. A frother is more convenient when you’re on the go or don’t have a blender.
Silkier froth if you bloom the cocoa first.
Good catch, Brittany. I usually throw everything straight in, but blooming the cocoa in the MCT oil before the coffee goes in makes sense. Going to test it this week.
Less sweetener than listed. The coffee comes through more.
Same, coffee all the way. Monkfruit intensifies as it cools, so the 4-5 range can sneak up on you by the last few sips.
Cinnamon. Added it on batch seven because I had it sitting out, and now I look forward to making this even more than I already did. Something about how it hits the cocoa makes it feel like it was always supposed to be there. That pinch isn't going anywhere.
Batch seven is late, but here we are. Cinnamon in a mocha only feels obvious after you've actually done it.
It was specifically the mocha part I thought I'd have to let go of on keto, not coffee in general. Made this on a whim last week and there's something about blending the cocoa with the heavy cream that actually works (I used a regular blender, came out so thick and frothy). Didn't realize I'd been quietly compensating with black coffee for three months until I had this.
Three months. That's a long time to write off mocha.
extra espresso, half the sweetener. that's where I landed.
Extra espresso and half the sweetener is more coffee than mocha, in a good way. I'd make it that way on days when I want the coffee to actually show up.
I've been keto for about seven months, and the thing I mourned most wasn't bread or pasta. It was my morning mocha. Made this on a whim last week and sat at my kitchen table genuinely surprised at how much it felt like a ritual again. The cocoa powder blends into something so rich and full that I didn't feel like I was making the best of a bad situation. I feel like I got something back.
Getting something back is exactly how I'd put it. Not a substitute. Just the mocha.
Was genuinely skeptical about the MCT oil in here (I've had plenty of bulletproof-style coffees that just taste like you accidentally spilled something greasy into your cup), but the blender changes everything, it emulsifies into this froth that doesn't separate and doesn't taste like oil at all. I've been doing double espresso instead of the 8oz brewed and bumping the cocoa to a heaping two tablespoons and the depth it adds is something else. For context I spent four years going through a Starbucks drive-through every single morning, I knew exactly what I wanted, and I kept telling myself there was no way a homemade blender drink would scratch that itch. I was wrong in a way that kind of annoys me because I've now done the math and I was paying $6-7 a day for something that is objectively worse than what I can make in my kitchen in 90 seconds. The way the cocoa and cream come together blending hot (the blender warms it slightly if your coffee is fresh), there's nothing from a drive-through that competes with it, and I say that as someone who was very committed to being a drive-through person.
Ugh, same. Did that math once and couldn't stop thinking about it. Double espresso and a big scoop of cocoa is right where I landed.
My husband thought I'd picked this up from a coffee shop and finished most of it before asking where I got it. When I told him I made it he just looked at the blender. Something about the MCT oil and cocoa blended together comes out so smooth and frothy, nothing like what I expected from ingredients I already had in the pantry.
The blender stare gets me every time. It doesn't look like much going in, and then it comes out tasting like that.
I pre-measure the dry ingredients into small containers on Sunday so the blender routine takes about two minutes each weekday morning. What actually changed things was figuring out that the MCT oil blends much smoother when the coffee is still hot off the machine, not cooled down. Had a few batches with an oily layer sitting on top before I worked that out. Four stars, and I'd probably add a bit more cocoa next time for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Hot coffee or it separates, learned that one early too. And yeah, 3 tablespoons of cocoa if you want it darker. Completely changes the flavor.
I thought my morning coffee ritual was just gone when I started keto. The cocoa powder blended with the MCT oil and heavy cream gives it a richness I didn't expect to find again, and the froth comes out legitimately thick. I make this before work now and I genuinely don't think about Starbucks anymore.
The froth is why. Once you get that right, nothing at a drive-through comes close. Mine takes about 45 seconds in the blender to get there.
Made a batch of this for Sunday brunch and my sister-in-law, who is very much not keto, asked what coffee shop it came from. The blended froth comes out thick enough that it actually holds up poured over ice, which I wasn't expecting.
The MCT oil is what holds that froth together over ice. Blend hot first and it stays emulsified even when cold.
I was pretty skeptical about blending oil into my coffee. Tried it anyway after it kept showing up in my feed, and the texture stopped me. Frothy and thick, way more than I expected, and the cocoa powder makes it taste like an actual coffee shop drink. Been making it every morning for two weeks.
Two weeks every morning is the real endorsement. Try throwing a scoop of unflavored collagen in sometime - dissolves completely, doesn't touch the froth.
I didn't have MCT oil so I used coconut oil instead and was honestly nervous it would taste off, but it blended so smooth and there's this subtle coconut note underneath the cocoa powder that I wasn't expecting to like as much as I do. Still can't believe something this rich is under 3 carbs. Trying it with a pinch of cinnamon tomorrow morning to see what happens.
That coconut-cocoa thing sneaks up on you. Cinnamon works, just go light. It gets loud in a blended drink.
Brought this to a spring brunch for a group that basically runs on Starbucks. Made a double batch at home and blended it in the Vitamix right before we left so the froth would hold. Three of them asked what coffee shop I ordered from. One said the chocolate tasted like actual cocoa, not the syrup version. That's the cocoa powder vs. pump bottles gap. I had to explain the MCT oil when someone asked why they felt satisfied until 3pm. Taking the blender next time so they can watch it come together from scratch.
'What coffee shop' is always the best outcome. Taking the blender is the right call. Watching it froth up in 30 seconds explains MCT oil better than words.
I put off making this for two months because I was convinced MCT oil in coffee was going to be slick and weird. It sat in my pantry after I bought it for something else, and I kept scrolling past this recipe. Finally made it on a Tuesday morning when I was out of patience and other options. The second I blended it all together and the cream went frothy with the cocoa, I got it. There's this richness I can't explain, something about the fat in the oil and cream together that makes it feel substantial in a way regular coffee just doesn't. I've made it every morning since and I'm almost out of cocoa powder already. Took me long enough.
MCT straight from the bottle is a little unsettling. Blended with hot coffee and cream it does something completely different. Running out of cocoa powder after a week is about right.