✔ Updated · step photos, iced and hot versions, plus the layering trick
A caramel macchiato is vanilla, milk and ice with espresso floated on top and a caramel crosshatch, and I make mine at home whenever the line at the Starbucks near us wraps around the building. It takes 5 minutes and five ingredients.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Pour the espresso over the back of a spoon held just above the milk. It slows the pour, so the shots float and drift down in pretty streaks instead of turning the whole glass beige.
Why You'll Love This Caramel Macchiato
- Those layers, with white milk, espresso streaks and a glossy caramel lid.
- Five ingredients, 5 minutes, and no special barista gear beyond something that makes strong coffee.
- Your drink, your way, with an iced version, a hot version and dairy-free swaps.
What Is a Caramel Macchiato?
Macchiato means “marked” in Italian. A traditional espresso macchiato is just a shot marked with a spoonful of milk foam, but the caramel macchiato from Starbucks flips that: lots of vanilla milk, marked with espresso on top. The caramel crosshatch is the finishing touch.
The layered iced version is the one you see all over social media, because the espresso drifting down through the milk looks so good in a clear glass. My copycat-style recipe gets the same look with a spoon and a slow hand.
Iced vs. Hot Caramel Macchiato
Both use the same four flavors. Only the milk and the assembly change.
| Iced (recipe card) | Hot | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 3/4 cup cold milk over 1 cup ice | 1 cup milk, steamed or heated to about 150°F and frothed |
| Vanilla syrup | 1 1/2 tablespoons in the bottom of the glass | 1 1/2 tablespoons in the bottom of the mug |
| Espresso | 2 shots poured over a spoon on top | 2 shots poured through the foam |
| Caramel | Crosshatch over the top | Crosshatch over the foam |
| Best for | Warm days and that layered look | Cozy mornings |
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Order matters. Syrup first, then ice, then milk, then espresso. That's what makes it a macchiato (“marked” with espresso) instead of a latte, where the shots go in first.
- Use thick caramel for the top. A thin caramel syrup sinks straight away. I use a thick caramel sauce (the ice cream topping kind) so the crosshatch sits on top and slowly melts down the ice. So pretty.
- No espresso machine? Use 1/4 cup of very strong coffee from a moka pot, AeroPress or French press, or 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder in 1/4 cup hot water. It won't layer quite as neatly, but it tastes great.
- Cold milk layers best. Milk straight from the fridge is denser than the espresso, which helps the shots float. Warm milk mixes in fast.
- Adjust the sweetness. 1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla syrup is about what a 16-ounce drink gets at the coffee shop. I go down to 1 tablespoon most days, since the caramel adds plenty.
Copycat Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato
1
servings5
minutes230
kcal5
minutesA copycat Starbucks iced caramel macchiato made at home: vanilla syrup and cold milk over ice, two shots of espresso poured slowly on top so they float in layers, then a crosshatch of thick caramel sauce. Ready in 5 minutes.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla syrup, store-bought or homemade
1 cup ice cubes
3/4 cup cold whole milk (or 2% milk)
2 ounces espresso (2 shots), freshly brewed
1 tablespoon thick caramel sauce, for the drizzle
Directions
- Brew 2 shots of espresso (about 2 ounces). Use it hot for the classic look, or let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes if you want the ice to melt a little less.
- Pour the vanilla syrup into the bottom of a 16-ounce glass.
- Fill the glass with ice, then pour in the cold milk, leaving about an inch of room at the top.
- Pour the espresso very slowly over the back of a spoon held just above the milk, so it floats on top and drifts down in streaks instead of mixing in.
- Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top in a crosshatch: three lines one way, three lines across, then a circle around the edge. Serve straight away and stir before sipping if you like it evenly sweet.
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Variations and Swaps
- Dairy-free: oat milk layers best and tastes the creamiest. Almond and soy milk work too, but they're thinner, so pour the espresso extra slowly.
- Salted caramel: add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt over the caramel crosshatch.
- Make your own syrup: try my copycat Starbucks vanilla syrup. It keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
- Blended: for an icy, slushy caramel coffee, try the Starbucks caramel Frappuccino copycat instead.
- Extra treat: top it with a swirl of Starbucks-style whipped cream before the caramel goes on.
- Lighter: use skim milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup, and keep the caramel to a thin drizzle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Starbucks caramel macchiato?
It's vanilla syrup, milk and espresso, finished with a crosshatch of caramel sauce. For the iced version the milk goes over ice and the espresso is poured on top so it sits in layers. This copycat uses 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla syrup, 3/4 cup milk, 2 shots of espresso and 1 tablespoon caramel.
What is the difference between a caramel macchiato and a latte?
A latte has the espresso in first and the milk poured over it, so it's evenly mixed. A caramel macchiato is built upside down: vanilla syrup and milk first, then espresso poured on top to mark the milk, then caramel drizzle. Ask for it "upside down" and it's basically a vanilla latte with caramel.
Should you stir a caramel macchiato?
It's up to you. Unstirred, the first sips are strong espresso and caramel and the last sips are sweet vanilla milk. Stirred, it's evenly sweet all the way through. I take a couple of sips for the layers, then give it a swirl.
How do you make a hot caramel macchiato?
Put the vanilla syrup in a mug, steam or heat 1 cup of milk until hot and frothy (about 150°F) and pour it in, holding back some foam. Spoon the foam on top, pour the espresso through the foam, and finish with the caramel crosshatch.
How much caffeine is in a homemade caramel macchiato?
Two shots of espresso usually have about 120 to 150 mg of caffeine, depending on the beans and the machine. Use one shot for a milder drink, or decaf espresso for an evening caramel macchiato.
