You wake up dreaming of that delicious caramel flavor, but you don’t have time for a visit to the Starbucks drive-thru. Or maybe it’s a work-from-home day and you don’t plan to get out of your house—or your pajamas—all day. If you only knew how to make a caramel macchiato at home!
Good news: It is possible to get that Starbucks flavor in your own mug, right in your own kitchen. Here’s everything you need to know about how to make a caramel macchiato.
What is a Caramel Macchiato?
If you’re going to learn how to make a caramel macchiato, it’s important to know what this drink is all about. The caramel macchiato is one of Starbucks’ most popular drinks. The drink first hit the market in 1996, and was part of Starbucks’ celebration of its 25th anniversary. An employee created the new caramel macchiato in honor of the occasion.
Macchiato means “marked” in Italian—when you pour the espresso through the milk, it creates a mark on the foam, hence the name.
The caramel macchiato is an espresso-based beverage. “Espresso” is a process, not a type of bean. Espresso involves using high pressure to force hot water through beans that are finely ground. You can use any type of coffee bean to make espresso.
In addition to espresso, a caramel macchiato contains steamed milk, vanilla syrup, and caramel sauce. The caramel sauce is used as a foam topper, to add a final layer of sweetness to the drink. Since it’s a fairly simple recipe, you won’t need much to make this drink at home.
How to Make a Caramel Macchiato, Starbucks Style
If you’re a purist, this is your recipe. It includes authentic Starbucks ingredients, so it should taste just like what you order from the barista. The difference? This time, you’re the barista. (So, you probably don’t need to leave a tip.)
Here’s What You Need
A Starbucks caramel macchiato is actually quite simple to make. The at-home formula includes just three ingredients.
- 1 Starbucks Espresso roast by Nespresso® capsule
- ¾ cup of milk
- 1 Tbsp Starbucks Vanilla Syrup Caramel Sauce
Of course, you’ll need to have these ingredients on hand as you discover how to make a caramel macchiato. Starbucks products aren’t always at every corner market, but you’ll likely find them at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Target, or you can order them on Amazon.
Here’s What to Do
Once you have your supplies, creating your steaming cup of joe requires just five simple steps.
Step 1: Prepare the shot of Espresso and pour it into your favorite mug. Don’t have a Nespresso machine? Instead, brew 2 ounces of Starbucks Espresso Roast in a regular espresso machine, or use a stovetop moka pot to make coffee espresso style. (Espresso Roast is a dark roast with hints of molasses and caramelized sugar, which is ideal for this type of drink.)
Step 2: Froth the milk. Use the medium froth setting on a Nespresso Aeroccino, or froth your milk manually. Heat the milk to 140 degrees (make sure it doesn’t boil), then whisk the milk for 15-20 seconds, until it doubles in volume.
Step 3: Pour the Starbucks Vanilla Syrup into the bottom of your coffee mug.
Step 4: Add the frothed milk to your mug, then pour the espresso shot through the milk foam.
Step 5: Drizzle caramel sauce on top. You can even create a fun design so you feel like a true barista.
That’s all there is to it. Time to enjoy!
Here’s What You Get
Are you curious about what’s inside your homemade Starbucks beverage? Using the recipe above yields the following nutritional content:
- 182 calories
- 4.9 g of fat
- 146.4 mg of sodium
- 26.5 g of carbs
- 26.1 g of sugar
How to Make a Caramel Macchiato, Freestyle
Want to skip the Starbucks ingredients altogether and go fully homemade? Here’s how to make a caramel macchiato with your own generic ingredients. You don’t even need any fancy equipment.
Here’s What You Need
- 2 ounces of espresso (or 4 ounces of regular coffee)
- 14 ounces of reduced fat or whole milk
- 2 Tbsp vanilla syrup
- Caramel sauce, for drizzling
No vanilla syrup on hand? You can make your own! Just boil a cup of water and a cup of sugar until it thickens (about 8 minutes). Then remove the mixture from the heat and add a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. Voila! You now have homemade vanilla syrup.
Here’s What to Do
Step 1: Prepare the espresso. Use an espresso machine or a macchinetta to prepare the coffee.
Step 2: Warm up and froth the milk. Remember not to boil the milk. To froth, use a milk frother or a simple whisk.
Step 3: Pour the espresso into a measuring cup.
Step 4: Pour the vanilla and milk into your mug, then pour the espresso on top.
Step 5: Drizzle the caramel on top. Starbucks baristas create a grate pattern with the drizzle, but feel free to get creative and make your own trademark design.
Here’s What You Get
This recipe’s nutritional label differs a bit from the Starbucks method. Of course, this will also vary based on the type of espresso and milk you choose. Here’s an estimated count:
- 294 calories
- 11 g of fat
- 199 mg of sodium
- 50 g of carbs
- 46 g of sugars
Time to Customize
If your first attempt at making your own caramel macchiato turns out good, but not quite like you expected, don’t worry. You can make some adjustments to get the flavor a little closer to what you imagined!
For example, maybe you found this espresso recipe a little too “weak.” You can strengthen your espresso by simply adding more coffee.
Maybe your caramel sauce was less saucy and more watery. Seek out a sauce with a good, thick consistency for that perfect final touch.
And finally, if you were really missing that last touch you’d get at Starbucks, you can still write your name on your cup: dry erase markers work on ceramic and glass.
That’s All There Is to It!
Now you know how to make a caramel macchiato! Whether it’s a cold day and you’re looking for a hot beverage that’s a little more interesting than a cup of black coffee or you’ve got a sweet tooth that needs satisfying, a homemade caramel macchiato is sure to please.
