Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Updated Dec 06, 2024
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Get step-by-step instructions and tips to make the very popular Starbucks Caramel Macchiato drink at home in just 5 minutes.
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is a hot, caffeinated drink made with espresso, milk, vanilla syrup, and caramel drizzle. Macchiato means “stained” or “marked” and the Caramel Macchiato is made by adding espresso into frothed milk, leaving a dot or a mark of espresso on top.
The name of the drink is a little confusing since there isn’t any caramel in the coffee. It’s flavored with vanilla syrup and the caramel is only drizzled on top of the drink.
For a drink to be called a Caramel Macchiato, the vanilla syrup and frothed milk needs to go into the cup first, then the espresso, followed by the caramel drizzle. It’s the espresso crema mark on top of the milk that makes a drink a Caramel Macchiato and not a latte.
This drink is essentially a vanilla latte with caramel drizzle but made “upside down” by adding the milk in first into the cup instead of the espresso.
RELATED: Iced Caramel Macchiato
Recipe Highlights
- Espresso is needed to make this drink properly and the easiest way to make it is with a Nespresso.
- Frothed milk is simple to make at home with a French press or an electric milk frother.
- The recipe makes a 16 ounce (2 cups) hot espresso drink.
RELATED: How to Make an Americano
Ingredient Notes
- Espresso: Use Starbucks Espresso Roast or Blonde Espresso Nespresso capsules to make the drink taste closest to Starbucks. You can also use regular espresso from an espresso machine.
- Vanilla syrup: Use homemade vanilla syrup or buy it directly at a Starbucks location.
- Milk: Starbucks makes theirs with 2% milk but you can use any milk you like.
- Caramel sauce: It’s a little tricky to make caramel sauce at home, so store-bought is the easiest to use. It’s only used to drizzle on top of the drink.
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Froth milk. Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother.
Another method is to simmer milk on the stovetop, pour it into a French press, then pump the plunger a few times to create froth.
Step 2: Put vanilla syrup into a cup.
Step 3: Add frothed milk.
Step 4: Add espresso shots. Drizzle caramel sauce on top.
Nespresso Notes
The easiest way to make espresso at home is with a Nespresso machine.
1 shot of espresso = 1 Nespresso espresso capsule
To make this Caramel Macchiato, use 1 or 2 Nespresso espresso capsules or 1 double espresso capsule. Don’t use the coffee/mug capsules for Vertuo machines which make a full cup of coffee and not espresso.
Starbucks uses regular espresso to make a Caramel Macchiato but try making it at home with their Blonde espresso, which is more popular.
Expert Tips
- If you don’t have an espresso machine or a Nespresso, you can use instant coffee. Combine 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and ¼ cup hot water to replace the 2 shots of espresso in the recipe.
- Make the homemade vanilla syrup ahead of time. It’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- The drink is intended to be layered and not mixed together. Drink it as it is, without stirring. You’ll taste the caramel drizzle with the milk first, then get more of the espresso as you keep sipping.
Questions You May Have
A Caramel Macchiato is a vanilla flavored latte but the order in which the ingredients go into the drink is what makes it different. Frothed milk goes in first, then the espresso. In a latte, the espresso goes in first, then the frothed milk.
All the ingredients would be the same, but the Caramel Macchiato is made by assembling the drink with vanilla syrup, frothed milk, the espresso, then the caramel drizzle. The vanilla latte would have the frothed milk last, then the caramel drizzle.
Starbucks makes theirs with 1 shot for a short (8 ounces) and tall drink (12 ounces) and 2 shots for a grande (16 ounces) and venti (20 ounces). You can use 1 or 2 shots of espresso, depending on how strong you want the drink.
There are 2 macchiato drinks on the Starbucks menu and they’re completely different. The Espresso Macchiato is a small drink with espresso and a tiny bit of milk, and the Caramel Macchiato is an upside down latte with caramel drizzle.
Related
- Iced Americano
- Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Shaken Espresso
- Chai Latte (Starbucks Copycat)
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Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
- 2 capsules Nespresso Starbucks espresso, or 2 espresso shots
- 2 teaspoons caramel sauce
Instructions
- Froth milk.Frothed milk can be made using an electric milk frother. Another method is to simmer milk on the stovetop, pour it into a French press, then pump the plunger a few times to create froth.1 ¼ cups 2% milk
- Put vanilla syrup into a cup. Pour in frothed milk. Add espresso shots.Use 2 Nespresso espresso capsules or 1 double espresso capsule.2 tablespoons vanilla syrup, 2 capsules Nespresso Starbucks espresso
- Drizzle caramel sauce on top.2 teaspoons caramel sauce
Notes
- 1 shot of espresso = 1 Nespresso espresso capsule
- To make a 16 ounce (grande) Starbucks drink, you’ll need 2 Nespresso espresso or ristretto capsules. You can also use 1 double espresso capsule.
- Starbucks makes theirs with 2% milk but you can use any milk you like.
- If you don’t have an espresso machine or a Nespresso, you can use instant coffee. Combine 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and ¼ cup hot water to replace the 2 shots of espresso in the recipe.
- Make a batch of homemade vanilla syrup ahead of time. It’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- The drink is intended to be layered and not mixed together. Drink it as it, without stirring. You’ll taste the caramel drizzle with the milk first, then get more of the espresso as you keep sipping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
