Photo: Need Swanya (Shutterstock)
Summer afternoons are tough, especially when you’ve hit that post-lunch slump—you still have work to do, but your brain has checked out for the day. The next time that happens, maybe mix up an iced mocha cola, which I find to be a perfectly caffeinated. easily customizable combination of coffee, chocolate, and carbonation.
An iced mocha cola is similar in spirit to a chocolate egg cream, an NYC staple that contains neither egg nor cream, but is made with whole milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer water. The combo elevates a beloved childhood chocolate milk into a drink with real character, and the iced mocha cola gives it an added kick. It requires chocolate milk, cold brew coffee, and Coke, and offers the sweetness of chocolate, the smoothness of coffee, and the fizzy kick of soda. It’s a lot, but some days require a lot.
Iced Mocha Cola
(makes one serving)
1/4 cup cold brew coffee1/3 cup cola 3/4 cup chocolate milk Optional: Whipped cream or ice cream, for toppingTo make your iced mocha cola, combine all ingredients, stir, and then pour over ice. If desired, top with whipped cream or add in a scoop of ice cream. The taste is like a grown-up chocolate egg cream; the coffee tempers the sweetness of chocolate milk, with the coke adding a kick.
Customize it to your liking
The best thing about an iced mocha cola is its adaptability. If you want a slightly less caffeinated drink, mix chocolate milk with cola, leaving out the coffee. If dessert is what you are craving, top it with whipped cream or ice cream, which adds a silky sweetness. If you want more of a grown-up drink, you can swap out some of the cold brew for coffee liqueur. If you can’t handle dairy, you can use chocolate alt-milks. And when it comes to the cola, Coke Zero is always an option.
