Chocolate Cracking Iced Latte (Printable)

A cool espresso drink topped with a crisp chocolate layer that cracks when stirred.

# What You Need:

→ Coffee

01 - 2 shots (2 fl oz) freshly brewed espresso

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup (8 fl oz) whole milk or plant-based alternative

→ Chocolate Layer

03 - 2.8 oz dark or milk chocolate, chopped
04 - 1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

→ Sweetener (optional)

05 - 1 to 2 tsp simple syrup or granulated sugar

→ Ice

06 - 2 cups ice cubes

# How To Make It:

01 - Brew two shots of espresso and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - In a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler, melt the chopped chocolate with coconut oil until smooth and glossy.
03 - Fill two tall glasses with ice cubes.
04 - Pour ½ cup (4 fl oz) cold milk into each glass and add sweetener to taste if desired.
05 - Slowly pour one shot of espresso into each glass over the milk and ice.
06 - Drizzle or spoon the melted chocolate over each latte to form a thin, solid layer on top.
07 - Serve immediately. Crack the chocolate layer gently with a spoon or straw and stir before drinking.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • That satisfying crack when your spoon breaks through the chocolate—it never gets old, no matter how many times you make it.
  • Two cups of pure indulgence that feels dessert-adjacent but counts as your caffeine fix, so there's zero guilt.
  • Takes fifteen minutes from start to sip, making it perfect for lazy mornings when you want something restaurant-quality at home.
02 -
  • If your chocolate layer doesn't set within 30 seconds, it was too warm or you poured it too thick; next time let the melted chocolate cool for 15 seconds before spooning it over. This one change transformed my results from inconsistent puddles to perfect cracks.
  • The espresso must still be hot enough to arrive warm, but room-temperature espresso poured into ice-cold milk creates better layers than piping-hot shots that melt the ice too quickly.
  • Your chocolate will only crack if you've given it enough time to set—about 20–30 seconds of sitting untouched is the sweet spot.
03 -
  • If you don't have an espresso maker, brew very strong coffee (almost like you're making it too strong for drinking) and use twice as much as you would espresso—the intensity matters more than the exact ratio.
  • Chocolate that won't crack is usually chocolate that wasn't melted smoothly or was poured at the wrong temperature; a tiny pinch more coconut oil in your next batch solves almost every texture problem.
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