What Is a Macchiato? Espresso, Latte Macchiato or Caramel

A macchiato is espresso "marked" with a small amount of milk, usually foamed. That is the Italian original, and it is what most specialty cafés mean. But the word now names three different drinks, and they sit at opposite ends of the menu: one is mostly espresso, one is mostly milk, and one is a sweetened Starbucks build.

The short version: in an espresso macchiato, milk marks the espresso. In a latte macchiato, espresso marks the milk. A caramel macchiato is the latte-macchiato idea with vanilla syrup and caramel added.

The three macchiatos, side by side

Each cell comes from the source named under the table. Where a source gives no number, the cell says so rather than inventing one.

Sources: espresso macchiato from Breville's macchiato recipe and Methodical Coffee; latte macchiato from Wikipedia and Methodical; caramel macchiato from Starbucks' menu page.

Starbucks' nutrition page lists a grande at 250 calories, 33 g of sugars and about 150 mg of caffeine, calculated from its standard recipe. Neither Italian drink has a fixed nutrition figure, because neither has a fixed recipe.

Why one word names three drinks

Macchiato means "stained" or "spotted." Wikipedia's caffè macchiato entry traces the name to the difference between a plain espresso and one with a tiny bit of milk in it: the second was "marked." Breville puts it the same way, with a dash of foamed milk staining the top of the shot.

The latte macchiato flips the word around. Its name means "stained milk," because the espresso is poured into steamed milk, and Wikipedia describes it as derived from the older caffè macchiato. Brewing the shot into a small pitcher makes it easier to pour, particularly for a layered glass, which is why the drink is usually served where you can see the stripe.

Starbucks follows the latte-macchiato logic. Its own description reads: freshly steamed milk with vanilla-flavored syrup, "marked with espresso," topped with caramel drizzle. So the Caramel Macchiato is not a mislabeled espresso macchiato. It is a sweetened latte macchiato, and a large one by Italian standards.

Where the confusion comes from: the word describes the marking, not the drink. Which liquid does the marking is what separates a two-ounce shot from a sixteen-ounce cup.

The Australian wrinkle

Even the small version shifts by city. Wikipedia notes that in Australia a "long macchiato" is usually a double shot with a dash of textured milk, and that in Melbourne the glass is half-filled with water before the milk goes on. Ask how it is built if you are ordering away from home.

Macchiato vs cortado vs flat white

These three are the small, espresso-forward drinks most often confused. The difference is how much milk goes in.

• Espresso macchiato: the least milk of any espresso-and-milk drink. Wikipedia calls it the highest espresso-to-milk ratio of the lot. One recipe it cites uses about one to two teaspoons of milk.
• Cortado: espresso and steamed milk in roughly equal parts, usually 1:1, in a 4 to 5 ounce cup, per Methodical. Our cortado guide covers the Gibraltar and the Starbucks version.
• Flat white: double ristretto shots with steamed milk in velvety microfoam, per Methodical. See cappuccino vs latte vs flat white.

A latte macchiato belongs with the latte, not with this group. It is mostly milk, like a latte. What sets it apart is the order: the espresso goes in last and, per Methodical, floats on top in a layer.

How to order the one you want

The word alone does not tell a barista which drink you mean. Name the build.

Want it small and strong? Ask for an espresso macchiato: a shot with a spoonful of foam, in a demitasse.

Want it milky and layered? Ask for a latte macchiato, and say whether you want one shot or two.

Want it sweet? At Starbucks, the Caramel Macchiato is the vanilla-and-caramel drink. You can change the syrup pumps and shot count on the menu page.

Wikipedia notes the small drink is sometimes called an espresso macchiato, and that full name is the clearest way to ask for it anywhere a caramel version is on the board.

How to make a macchiato at home

Every version needs real espresso. A moka pot makes a strong, concentrated coffee, but Wikipedia's moka pot entry notes it brews at about 1 to 2 bar, against the 9 bar specified for espresso, so moka coffee is not considered espresso. It can stand in, but the result is not an espresso macchiato.

Espresso macchiato

Breville's recipe is short:

1. Pull a shot into a small glass or demitasse.
2. Steam about 3.5 fl oz of cold milk to around 140 to 150°F, aiming for a velvety, silky texture.
3. Spoon two teaspoons of the microfoam onto the espresso.

Breville's recipe steams far more milk than the drink uses; the rest can go into a second drink. The milk drink ratios tool shows how little foam the macchiato takes next to a cortado or latte.

Latte macchiato and caramel macchiato

Steam the milk first and pour it into a tall glass. Pull the shot and pour it in; Wikipedia notes that brewing into a small pitcher makes the pour easier for a layered glass. For a caramel version, stir vanilla syrup into the milk before the espresso goes in, and finish with caramel sauce, the order Starbucks describes.

Which setup fits

• Automatic milk: the Breville Bambino Plus pairs an espresso machine with a steam wand that textures milk to a set temperature and foam level, so the two teaspoons of foam come out the same each time.
• Manual milk: the Breville Bambino has the same small espresso machine with a manual steam wand. It costs less and takes practice. Our Bambino Plus vs Bambino comparison sets them side by side.
• Milk for several layered glasses: the Breville Milk Café is an induction jug that froths up to three cups of milk at once. It makes no espresso, so it suits a household that already owns a machine. More options are on our frothers page.