Chocolate Cherry Latte

This chocolate cherry latte was made with the Ninja Coffee Bar I received for review a couple months back – the same one Ninja Kitchen is generously letting me give away to a reader. I was not compensated for this post.

If you follow me on Instagram – or Twitter or Facebook – you’ve probably seen some of my posts about the fun I’ve been having with my Ninja Coffee Bar and the delicious lattes I’ve been making with it. Though my husband is a straight up coffee guy who brews it and may add some milk, I like to… flavor my coffee, shall we say? I love the hint of coffee but with other flavors mixed in. It’s part of why the Ninja Coffee Bar is perfect for both of us – and really, go read my review on all this fun machine can do!

I’ve made marshmallow mint lattes and the fake mocha latte and caramel and so many others, but my current favorite is the chocolate cherry latte I’m drinking as I type this. It’s quick and easy to make, and it’s a unique flavor that I absolutely adore. I make my own cherry syrup (which is super easy, I promise – and I’ll share the recipe), but if you have your favorite, feel free to use that in its place. The only other ingredients are chocolate chips (and c’mon, who doesn’t have those somewhere in the house?) and the frothed cocoa cream that adds to the mystique of the drink.

I’ll admit that when I made this, I used coconut milk because someone (who shall remain nameless) finished the half and half we had in the house, and for the cream to froth, you need to have some fat in it for it to hold its shape. When I make this with half and half, it is a beautiful foam in the Easy Frother, but here’s my challenge: I only had coconut milk when I took my photos, not realizing my perfected recipe would be missing the half and half. And second, my husband accidentally broke my Easy Frother that night when he dropped it on the floor after hand washing it.

Trust me, there were literal tear shed. But the Ninja Coffee Bar has amazing customer service. I did not ask for a new Easy Frother. They did not know that I had received the Ninja Coffee Bar for review. But as I lamented the loss of my Easy Frother, they reached out and offered to send me a new one, which is currently on its way. It makes me love my Ninja Cofee Bar just a little more. I would wait and recreate my chocolate cherry latte with the properly frothed half and half (which has thankfully been replaced), but I don’t want to wait to share the giveaway of the Ninja Coffee Bar. So pretend like it’s as beautifully foamy as the Instagram photos I’ve shared in the past.

Truly though, the chocolate cherry latte is easy peasy to make and ready in under five minutes. Tell me you don’t wait that long in the coffee shop where you pay through the nose for your fancy coffee. And you don’t even have the satisfaction of making it yourself.

How to Make a Chocolate Cherry Latte

Personally, I am a fan of high quality dark chocolate when it comes to my chocolate chips. I find that they taste better, and because they’re good quality, they don’t have too many other ingredients in them that prevent them from melting beautifully. I start with those in the bottom of my cup before I brew my coffee so that the coffee melts as my Ninja Coffee Bar brews (smart, huh?).

For this chocolate cherry latte, I choose the specialty brew which creates a stronger coffee that is designed to be made into specialty lattes. And I may do a double shot most mornings.

While that is brewing, I add my half and half (or in this case the coconut milk) to my Easy Frother, along with the sugar. This gets heated in the glass Easy Frother (without the top that includes metal and plastic – both no nos for a microwave) for 30 seconds. I then add the cocoa powder and froth it for twenty or so pumps, more if I want extra foam. The glass container goes back into the microwave for 15 seconds to set the foam while the coffee for my chocolate cherry latte finishes brewing.

Once the coffee is brewed, stir to ensure the chocolate chips are fully melted and dispersed through the coffee.

Add the cherry syrup and stir again, ensuring everything is mixed in well. I include the cherries with my cherry syrup – a bonus when I hit the bottom of my cup – but whether you do or no is your call.

Carefully pour the half and half and foam into your chocolate cherry latte, finishing with the foam to add a gorgeous and professional finishing touch (that you don’t see here because…coconut milk) and taste test your perfection.

And now for the fun part. I get to give away a Ninja Coffee Bar so you can be as in love with your morning (and afternoon and evening and night…) coffee as I am, whether you make a chocolate cherry latte or your own favorite potion. And if you don’t win it? You can buy it directly from Ninja Kitchen for under $180. No joke.

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Have you ever tried a chocolate cherry latte? What is your favorite way to enjoy coffee?

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