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Is Starbucks Mocha Vegan? Peppermint, White Chocolate, Sauce

The Starbucks mocha lattes and frappuccinos can all be prepared vegan with plant-based milk (without whip cream or dark chocolate curls), with the exception of the white chocolate mocha, which isn’t vegan.

Starbucks has gradually added vegan options to its menu over the last couple of years. Most Starbucks bagels are vegan and have other delectable plant-based snacks to choose from.

But we know the real reason people visit Starbucks.

For coffee, of course! 

And some of us vegan caffeine addicts can’t start the day without our daily dose. And few drinks can compare to the delicious mochas served up at Starbucks. However, are all the mochas at Starbucks vegan? Let’s find out.

Vegan Mochas at Starbucks

Starbucks has added a range of plant-based milks to their menu, and most customers today can approach the counter and ask for anything on the menu while swapping out the dairy for their favorite vegan version.

However, not all of Starbucks’ mocha drinks are inherently vegan. While you can ask them to use almond milk in your drink, other elements may make your mocha non-vegan.

Here we’ve listed a few of the popular mocha drinks at Starbucks and discussed whether or not they’re vegan.

1. Peppermint Mocha Latte

An absolute favorite among regular Starbucks customers, the peppermint latte has no equal in the world of baristas.

Luckily for the plant-based people out there, Starbucks has the option of ordering a vegan peppermint mocha where they switch the dairy milk with your preferred plant-based milk (oat, almond, or rice milk).

It’s crucial to mention that you want a vegan peppermint mocha as the dark chocolate curls and whipped cream on the regular drink aren’t vegan.

2. Mocha Frappuccino

Starbucks also provides a variety of frappuccinos, including a regular coffee frappuccino and several variations. Some of these include

  • Mocha Frappuccino
  • Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino
  • Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino 

You can ask for vegan versions of these drinks and select your favorite plant milk to go with them. As mentioned earlier, ensure you ask them to avoid the whipped cream and dark chocolate curls.

And if you haven’t tried the Starbucks vegan Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino, you’re missing out!

Starbucks also has two special mocha frappuccinos that aren’t on the menu.

  • Samoa Cookie Frappuccino
  • Vegan Nutella Frappuccino

Both can be made entirely vegan, and you can specially request the store to prepare them.

3. White Chocolate Mocha

While their white chocolate mocha is pretty famous worldwide, it’s one of the few drinks at Starbucks that doesn’t have a vegan alternative.

The white chocolate isn’t vegan as it’s made using cream and dairy. As such, avoiding this ingredient in any of the drinks you order here is best.

These are the most popular range of mochas at Starbucks, and while you can order vegan versions of the same, it’s best to check whether all the ingredients in the drink are vegan.

In most cases, specific add-ons won’t be vegan, and you can always order a drink without these extras.

Vegan and Non-Vegan Ingredients in Starbucks Mocha

While most of their drinks can be turned vegan, there are some non-vegan ingredients you want to avoid. These include:

  • Whipped cream
  • Pumpkin sauce
  • Java Chips 
  • Protein Powder
  • Caramel Drizzle

Some mochas at Starbucks contain these elements, and it’s best to let the barista know you’re vegan so they can avoid adding non-vegan things to your mocha.

Is Starbucks Mocha Sauce Vegan?

Starbucks uses its mocha sauce in nearly every mocha preparation to give the drink its signature flavor. And while you can change everything else to plant-based, a mocha drink isn’t complete without the signature Starbucks mocha sauce. So is it vegan?

Fortunately, Starbucks mocha sauce is vegan. The mocha sauce at Starbucks is the only sauce that’s naturally vegan, so you don’t have to worry about changing anything there.

While Starbucks has a collection of other syrups, only a select few are vegan. And out of the many sauces they use to prepare their drinks, the mocha sauce is probably their only vegan one.

Final Thoughts

Most of the mochas prepared at Starbucks are typically vegan unless you add whipped cream or certain other add-ons that aren’t vegan.

When visiting the store to pick up a vegan mocha, confirm with them that all elements in your drink are vegan.

And with its increasing vegan customer base, the store will surely cater to your needs to the best of its ability.

Vegan Multi Vitamins at FutureKind.com
Vegan Multi Vitamins at FutureKind.com