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Caramel Macchiato Versus Caramel Latte
About the differences between a caramel latte and a caramel macchiato. For many, the best part of brewing coffee in your own home kitchen is that it gives you the ability to recreate your favorite coffee shop classics on a smaller budget.
Published March 24, 2022
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Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
Along with saving a lot of money compared to buying your drinks at Starbucks or a local coffee shop, you also have the chance to further customize the drinks to exactly how you like them. However, lots of people are not sure how to make their usual orders when they start preparing their own coffee. Two popular coffee shop drinks that you might want to try making at home are a caramel latte and a caramel macchiato. But what are the main differences when it comes to the macchiato vs latte, and what do you need to start making these delicious coffee beverages at home?
What’s a Caramel Macchiato?
Caramel macchiato is a hugely popular beverage sold by Starbucks with an excellent reputation. It has a lot of different imitation products; all you need to do is go to the coffee section of your local supermarket and you will find caramel macchiato iced coffee, coffee pods, coffee creamers and more. However, despite being a popular choice, many people misunderstand caramel macchiatos, mainly because of what it is named. The macchiato is a different drink altogether that coffee lovers were aware of before caramel macchiato drinks came on the scene.
A macchiato is a classic Italian coffee drink. In terms of latte versus macchiato, the macchiato uses much less milk. Rather than being topped up with a lot of milk like lattes or caramel macchiatos, a traditional macchiato refers to an espresso shot with a small amount of milk foam on top. It’s usually served unsweetened.
On the other hand, a caramel macchiato is quite similar to a latte when it comes to latte v macchiato. It’s prepared like a latte but in reverse; you pour vanilla syrup and then steamed milk into your cup before you pour the espresso shots and your milk foam on the top. If you get the drink from Starbucks, you’ll also get caramel drizzle on the top.
How to Customize a Caramel Macchiato at Home
To make a caramel macchiato at home, you will need an espresso machine, coffee beans, milk, vanilla syrup, and caramel sauce. Pull your espresso shots while preparing steamed milk. Add vanilla syrup to the bottom of your cup before pouring in the steamed milk, then pour your espresso shots on top. Finally, drizzle caramel sauce over the top, and it’s ready to drink.
For a customized version, you can try adding breve or half & half for a more decadent drink, or simply swap it for whole milk for more richness. Skim milk might an ideal choice if you would like a lower fat version, or if you’re lactose intolerant or vegan, there are many non-dairy milks that go well with a caramel macchiato, especially vanilla-flavored soy milk. Coconut milk and almost milk are some other great options, but these can be harder to foam compared to regular dairy milk.
What’s a Caramel Latte?
A caramel latte is a very popular drink that is loved around the world. Although it’s easy to mix up with a caramel macchiato, it is easier to make and uses fewer ingredients. It is basically a latte with caramel syrup added. All you need to do to make this drink at home is add your favorite caramel syrup to the bottom of your cup, add espresso shots, add steamed milk and microfoam and enjoy.
Similar to a caramel macchiato, there are lots of ways that you can customize your caramel latte and different variations to try. Caramel syrup goes very well with both dairy and non-dairy milks, so making a vegan version of this drink is easy. Coconut milk is an especially great choice as it has a sweet and light flavor that combines well with caramel. If you would like to make your caramel latte into an even more indulgent treat, add whipped cream or caramel drizzle to the top.
How to Make the Perfect Caramel Macchiato or Caramel Latte
While these two drinks are very similar, they do have some different steps involved in making them, and different ingredients. Now that you know more about the differences between latte vs macchiato and what sets the two apart, you are ready to start making your own at home. You will need a coffee maker that makes espresso and something to steam milk with when you make either of these drinks at home. You can use a traditional espresso machine or make your espresso with a pod machine like the Nespresso Vertuo. Alternatively, you can use a stovetop method of making espresso like a percolator.
For the milk, a steam wand on a traditional espresso machine will do the job just well. However, if you are not using an espresso machine to prepare your espresso shots, then you will need to invest in a milk steamer or milk frother. Optional gadgets that you might want to make your drinks include a coffee grinder to prepare your ground whole beans, and a kitchen scale to weigh out the perfect amount of coffee to water for a delicious espresso to create the base for these sweet, milky espresso drinks.
If you’d like to try and prepare a caramel latte or caramel macchiato at home, keep these tips in mind:
Steaming Milk
If you are fairly new to making espresso drinks yourself, then you can usually expect to put in some practice when it comes to steaming milk if this is something that you have never done before. However, putting in the practice and learning how to execute it well is definitely worth it when it comes to creating the perfect drinks from home. Steaming the milk creates microfoam, which results in the silky texture of most espresso beverages. Begin with a jug of milk and place the steam wand’s tip just underneath the milk’s surface before switching it on. Bubbles will begin forming on the surface. One the sound is quieter, move the steam arm further towards the base of the jug, and keep an eye on the milk to check when it is done. Steamed milk should grow to around twice the original volume and any larger bubbles will get smaller. Smooth the milk out once done by tapping the jug lightly on the counter to remove any leftover large bubbles, before pouring it over your espresso.
Making Espresso
If you are new to making espresso at home, then there are also going to be some main things to learn before you start getting it right – practice makes perfect here. To start with you will need a good espresso machine. While there are some other options for making espresso at home including stovetop methods and pod machines, you really can’t go wrong with the classic option when it comes to making great tasting coffee. You will also need excellent quality coffee beans that are finely ground. Make sure that the machine is correctly calibrated for pulling the espresso shots before you start making a drink.
Ideally, an espresso shot will take between twenty-five and thirty seconds to pull. Any longer, and they are likely to taste both watery and bitter, which is very unpleasant. The quality of your coffee beans is also an important factor to consider when making espresso at home. If you normally get your caramel latte or caramel macchiato from Starbucks, you might want to consider buying your beans from them so that you can replicate the drink as close as possible. Otherwise, buy high quality Arabica espresso beans.
Pre-ground coffee can come in handy if you are brewing espresso at home. However, if you can afford one, it’s always a better idea to invest in a good burr grinder for your beans. If you are serious about coffee, then you might already know that pre-ground beans are unlikely to deliver the same quality since a larger surface area has already been exposed to the air, meaning that you’re already losing flavor. When grinding beans for espresso, be sure to use the finest grind setting.
Measuring Syrup
Since everybody has different preferences, getting the ratio of shots, syrup, and milk right when making either of these drinks might be different depending on who you are making it for. However, to get started, it’s a good idea to use a recipe that most coffee shops follow. Syrup is an ingredient that lots of people have problems measuring. If you are hoping to make coffee like Starbucks, it’s well worth investing in a syrup pump and adjusting how much syrup you use based on the size of your drink. For reference, Starbucks will put one pump in a tall, two pumps in a grande, and three pumps in a Venti.
Caramel lattes and caramel macchiatos are very popular drinks that are quite similar, but with some key differences.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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