Starbucks Vs Dunkin': Who Makes The Better Hot Chocolate?

A comfy mug of hot chocolate can make even the nastiest of winter days more palatable. It's tasty and welcoming, just what's needed to revive yourself on a cold day. But who makes the better hot chocolate? Starbucks vs Dunkin'? I've put the two brands head-to-head for other coffee taste tests, such as who makes the better macchiato or peppermint mocha, so I wanted to try both brands' chocolatey beverages. 

But I wanted to take it a step further. How would the coffee chains measure up for a hot chocolate and a hot chocolate with espresso (you know, for those moments when you need that kick of caffeine)? While there are different ways to make hot chocolate, I wanted to consider the flavor, texture, appearance, and price. There can only be one winner and there was an obvious front-runner for this taste test. Who shall win this round? You're about to find out.

You're pretty likely to find both brands at least somewhere near you. Dunkin' was founded in 1950 and has opened over 13,000 locations since, while Starbucks opened its doors in 1971 and now has over 40,000 locations worldwide. Yes, there are considerably more Starbucks stores, but both brands are widely available throughout the United States. 

I ordered the hot chocolates exactly as they come without modifications (this will come up later), but technically the hot chocs with espresso are considered a modification. I prefer to order through each brand's app for ease when possible. I ordered a medium hot chocolate for $3.79 and a medium hot chocolate with an espresso shot for $5.04 through the Dunkin' app no problem. 

When I attempted to do the same with Starbucks, I was left at a standstill as I could not add an espresso shot to the hot chocolate. There was room to customize syrup, milk, and other aspects, but there was no espresso tab to be found. So, I ventured into my local Starbucks to inquire. I was told that a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso is indeed a mocha (but with one shot). The barista rang me up for a grande caffe mocha with one shot of espresso for $5.75 and a grande hot chocolate for $3.85. Okay, now let's take those first sips and get to the tasting portion.

The Dunkin' hot chocolate has a dark appearance and is made with hot chocolate powder that contains non-dairy creamer, cocoa powder, and nonfat dry milk. Since I did not modify or customize my Dunkin' hot chocolate, I didn't realize you could add whipped cream in the "add on" section through the app at no added charge. So, feel free to do that for more creaminess.

It's not overly rich or milky, which can be a good choice when you don't want a milk-forward beverage. While the drink had a brown chocolate hue, it also had a watery appearance much like when you add hot water to the hot chocolate packets from the store. It had a chocolate flavor, wasn't too heavy, and had a prominent sweet taste to it. 

The medium-sized regular hot chocolate has 330 calories, 10 grams of fat, 2 grams of protein, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 46 grams of sugar, 3 grams of protein, and 13 milligrams of caffeine. Adding whipped cream will change these facts. I wasn't too impressed by this drink but it could be good if you like sweet, not-too-milky drinks and don't want something with a lot of caffeine.

Hot chocolate is one of the most popular Starbucks drinks because it's a comforting staple during the holidays or anytime you need a warm pick-me-up. The drink comes with steamed 2% milk, milk foam, four pumps of mocha sauce, whipped cream, and a mocha drizzle. I ordered my hot chocolate standard without any modifications but you can mix it up however you like. Since mine came with whipped cream, it melted into the drink and provided an added creamy taste to the beverage.

I tasted this side-by-side with the Dunkin' version and the Starbucks drink was rich with a bittersweet cocoa-forward flavor and noticeably milkier. While the drink has sugar and is sweet, it was not nearly as cloying as the Dunkin' version. Although the drink itself was lighter because of the milk, the mocha sauce was dark and it visibly settled at the bottom of the cup to create a chocolate sludge. 

This beverage contains 370 calories, 16 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 37 grams of sugar, and 25 milligrams of caffeine. I enjoyed the rich taste of Starbucks' hot chocolate, an ideal drink for anyone who prefers to have the cocoa flavor come through the most. Just remember to occasionally stir it to incorporate the chocolate sauce otherwise it sinks to the bottom. For added flavor and thickness, you could try the order hack for velvety Starbucks hot chocolate.

The Dunkin' hot chocolate with espresso had the same qualities and ingredients as the regular Dunkin' hot choc but with the addition of an espresso shot. I liked how it's easily customizable in the app. Simply search for the hot chocolate and then add an espresso shot in the "add on" section. Bing, bang, boom, and you're order is out there in the ether. 

As far as the taste, the drink did have a mild espresso flavor but it wasn't too prominent. The one shot of espresso got mellowed by the sweetness; it was there but barely. I'm not sure I'd be able to tell it had espresso if it wasn't expressly written on my cup. Since there's a touch of espresso, this beverage had a smidge more balance in terms of the sweetness. This drink has 280 calories, 9 grams of fat, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 39 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein, and 131 milligrams of caffeine.

I would pick this libation over the Dunkin' hot chocolate simply because there was a tinge more flavor, but neither beverage was especially compelling or strong. Next time, I would be more curious to try the chocolate-covered raspberry hot chocolate from the Dunkin' secret menu drinks.

As I explained earlier, I went into the store to ask about adding espresso to a hot chocolate and was told it was merely a mocha. It had the same components as the hot chocolate but with the espresso addition. It included a blend of velvety milk, decadent mocha sauce, and a whiff of espresso. 

I'd call it mocha light because the espresso taste was scarcely perceptible under all the bittersweet mocha sauce and melty whipped cream. Even when taking a sip of all four drinks one after the other, it was hard (but not impossible) to tell which had espresso. I love mocha but was underwhelmed with the taste of this drink. Paying nearly $2 more for one barely-there shot was simply not worth it. Because it's the price of a standard caffe mocha, I'd simply order the mocha and get my two shots of espresso included for the same price. It's not like you get a one-shot discount. 

A 16-ounce grande caffe mocha has 370 calories, 15 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 35 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein. The standard mocha with two shots has 175 milligrams.

In both hot chocolates with espresso, the one shot of espresso isn't too noticeable. Both the Dunkin' drinks were sweeter while both Starbucks ones had more of a cocoa-tasting chocolate. You could taste the earthiness of the cocoa in the Starbucks beverages along with the sweetness of the sugar and the thick, richness of the milk. 

As far as which brand makes the better hot chocolate, this boils down to three components: if you like a milk-based or water-based hot chocolate, if you want a sweeter drink, and if you prefer a noticeable cocoa taste. It's truly a personal preference for milk vs water: which makes the better cup of hot chocolate? I don't mind either way and I've made it both ways plenty of times over the years. 

But you didn't make it this far just for me to say everything was adequate. I preferred both Starbucks drinks over Dunkin', but my top pick overall would be the Starbucks hot chocolate. And it's not because of the hot chocolate base. Starbucks is my winner because I preferred the cocoa-y, bittersweet nature of the brand's drink. It's a great option when you want something warm and cozy without a lot of caffeine; it has a bit less than the caffeine content in a can of soda so you don't have to fret about having an afternoon sipper.