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What Is Jamocha? – & How To Make It At Home

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Jamocha has been around for decades, but it seems that many people have forgotten what this delicious treat is!

What is Jamocha? Jamocha is a chocolate and coffee-flavored milkshake that was developed by Arby’s restaurant. In fact, this milkshake is arguably one of the first frozen drinks to hit the market, even before everyone hit us with frappuccinos!

Today, we will be looking at exactly what this beverage is, what it contains, and how it can be made.

We have also included a section that will help you understand the differences between the more well-known Mocha drink and Jamocha.

And finally, we have developed and included an extremely quick and easy Jamocha recipe that you can make at home.

What Is Jamocha?

If you aren’t already familiar with this delicious sweet treat, then you will certainly want to try it now!

This milkshake has been served at Arby’s for decades! It is actually a menu staple there! Recently, this item has been rediscovered and the internet is going wild.

So, as we have mentioned, Jamocha is a type of milkshake. It is made from a combination of coffee and chocolate flavorings. But, it shouldn’t be confused with the classic mocha drink.

Jamocha is made using mainly coffee flavoring or a coffee-flavored syrup. This means that it naturally won’t contain a lot of caffeine if any really.

Arby’s specifically uses instant coffee powder to flavor a sweet syrup. As you may know, instant coffee doesn’t have an intensely concentrated coffee flavor, but it is still enough to hint at it. 

All in all, while it doesn’t contain a lot of caffeine, it is still very high in sugar and calories. The chocolate syrup they use is virtually all-sugar.

And, like all milkshakes, ice cream is also packed with sweeteners and dairy, both of which are extremely high in calories.

One 16-ounce Jamocha milkshake contains roughly 116 grams of sugar and about 830 calories. That is a lot!

While this isn’t the healthiest treat, having one every now and again won’t hurt anybody! Portion control and moderation are always key to a healthy and balanced diet.

Jamocha Vs Mocha

While these two beverages do contain the same flavor profile, that is about all they have in common.

Mocha is made from a combination of milk, espresso, and chocolate syrup. The espresso it uses gives the drink a very high amount of caffeine. It is also more commonly served as a warm beverage than a cold drink.

Furthermore, mocha is regularly flavored with baking spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and star anise.

Jamocha, as we have mentioned previously, is a milkshake. That is one of the biggest differences. It is never served warm and is always made from ice cream and flavoring syrup.

Another very notable difference is that Jamocha is made using instant coffee that is added to chocolate syrup. So, the caffeine count and coffee flavor will be a lot less intense. The calories on the other hand are a lot higher than mocha contains.

Making Jamocha at Home

Making this Jamocha milkshake recipe at home is incredibly quick and easy!

What You Will Need

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons instant coffee powder
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 3 cups vanilla ice cream, full-fat
  • 5 tablespoons chocolate syrup (additional for garnish)
  • Whipped cream

Equipment

  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Small saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Blender
  • Silicone or rubber spatula
  • Milkshake glass

How To Make Jamocha

  1. First, combine the instant coffee powder with 2 cups of whole milk and sugar. Place the ingredients in a small or medium saucepan and whisk them together well. Place the saucepan over low to medium heat. This will help heat the milk slightly and melt the instant coffee granules.
  2. Once all of the granules have been heated, set the coffee-flavored milk aside and allow it to cool completely before using it with the milkshake.
  3. Add the vanilla ice cream into the blender and mix until you have a smooth consistency. Then, slowly add the cooled flavored milk while the blender is running at a low speed.
  4. Keep adding milk until you have a milkshake-like consistency. Finally, add the chocolate syrup and blend until you have a thick uniform mixture.
  5. Drizzle some extra chocolate syrup on the side of the glass. Then, slowly and carefully pour the Jamocha milkshake into the milkshake glasses. 
  6. Finally, we like to top our milkshake with some whipped cream for a finishing touch.

Alternatives

There are a ton of alternatives you can use for this recipe that will work equally well. The first alternative and one most people will ask for, is a dairy-free version of the classic Jamocha milkshake.

Dairy-Free

To make this milkshake dairy-free, you have to substitute the milk and the ice cream. Luckily, today there are a ton of lactose-free options and even dairy-free options. One thing to keep in mind is the flavor.

Almond options always work best, so make sure to use almond milk and almond-milk ice cream (almond-flavored ice cream is likely still made using cow’s milk).

If you use different kinds of milk (like coconut milk and soy ice cream), you may end up with a funky flavored milkshake.

However, this is also an opportunity to create some unique combinations. For example, using coconut-based vegan ice cream with an almond milk—both have sweet and nutty flavors that pair well together.

Less Sugar

Yes, milkshakes and virtually all dairy-based desserts are naturally high in sugar and calories. But, you can make a few changes to cut down on those.

For one, you can remove the addition of granulated sugar completely. You can also use an unsweetened ice cream, but these are often difficult to find, not to mention expensive.

The chocolate syrup though is the biggest problem, and you aren’t likely to find a sugar-free substitute.

What you can do instead is flavor the milk with some cocoa powder. Add about 2 tablespoons to the milk and whisk vigorously until the cocoa is completely dissolved.

You can also use some melted dark chocolate. But, make sure to mix it with milk so that it doesn’t simply solidify when you are trying to mix it with the ice cream.

Less Fat

This is an easy change to apply. For a lower calorie and lower fat milkshake, you can use low-fat or fat-free alternatives for the milk and ice cream.

You can also completely substitute the milk with water. However, this will also take away some of the creaminess.

Instant Coffee Alternatives

If you don’t have instant coffee, you can use half a shot of espresso. Keep in mind though that this will drastically increase the caffeine levels and coffee flavor. It may even overpower the chocolate flavoring.

But, if you are fine with these changes, then go right ahead! You can even intensify the coffee flavor by using more espresso. 

You can substitute some of the milk in the recipe with the pre-made espresso. Again, allow it to cool completely before adding it to the ice cream.

Tips And Tricks For Making Jamocha

  • To help the coffee-flavored milk cool more quickly, you can decant it into a heat-proof freezer-safe container and place it inside the freezer or fridge. This will instantly lower the temperature.
  • If you don’t have a food processor to make this Jamocha milkshake, you can also simply use a large mixing bowl and whisk. It will require more elbow grease but is still perfectly doable.
  • Allow your ice cream to stand at room temperature for a couple of minutes to soften slightly. This is especially important if you are making this milkshake without a blender. The softened ice cream will mix better with the other ingredients and will create a lusciously smooth and creamy milkshake.
  • Always use stain-free and odor-free equipment. Because we are working with dairy that is very porous, it can easily absorb any rogue flavors which will affect the flavor of the final product.

Related Questions

Now that we’ve gone over how to make a Jamocha, let’s take a look at a few related questions on the subject!

What does Jamocha taste like?

Jamocha is a very sweet milkshake that has strong chocolate and coffee flavors. It has an extremely creamy texture thanks to the full-cream vanilla ice cream used to make it.

The type and quality of ice cream, coffee, and chocolate syrup will ultimately determine the quality and intensity of flavor.

How much caffeine does an Arby’s Jamocha shake contain?

A Jamocha milkshake only contains about 0.72 mg of caffeine per fluid ounce (that is less than a regular Coca-Cola drink, a red bull, or a Starbucks Triple Shot Energy).

But, keep in mind that if you substitute the instant coffee with espresso for this recipe, the caffeine levels will rise dramatically.

Can you use mocha syrup for this Jamocha milkshake?

While you can, we don’t recommend doing so. Mocha, as we have mentioned, has a much stronger coffee flavor, unlike Jamocha milkshake.

Thus, by using a mocha syrup, you will have an intensely coffee-flavored drink rather than a well-balanced milkshake.

Jamocha

Jamocha

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

This Jamocha drink from Arby's is an excellent way to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning while also satisfying your sweet tooth!

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons instant coffee powder
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 3 cups vanilla ice cream, full-fat
  • 5 tablespoons chocolate syrup (additional for garnish)
  • Whipped cream

Instructions

  1. First, combine the instant coffee powder with 2 cups of whole milk and sugar. Place the ingredients in a small or medium saucepan and whisk them together well. Place the saucepan over low to medium heat. This will help heat the milk slightly and melt the instant coffee granules.
  2. Once all of the granules have been heated, set the coffee-flavored milk aside and allow it to cool completely before using it with the milkshake.
  3. Add the vanilla ice cream into the blender and mix until you have a smooth consistency. Then, slowly add the cooled flavored milk while the blender is running at a low speed.
  4. Keep adding milk until you have a milkshake-like consistency. Finally, add the chocolate syrup and blend until you have a thick uniform mixture.
  5. Drizzle some extra chocolate syrup on the side of the glass. Then, slowly and carefully pour the Jamocha milkshake into the milkshake glasses. 
  6. Finally, we like to top our milkshake with some whipped cream for a finishing touch.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 830Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 106gFiber: 3gSugar: 116gProtein: 16g

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