What Is a Macchiato? Espresso Macchiato, Latte Macchiato and Caramel Macchiato
Order a macchiato in two different cafés and you might get two very different drinks: a small espresso with a spoonful of foam, or a tall glass of milk with caramel on top. Both use the name, but they are not the same drink.
This lesson explains what a traditional macchiato is, how it compares with a latte macchiato and a caramel macchiato, and how to make one at the bar.
What is a macchiato?
A macchiato, or espresso macchiato, is a shot of espresso topped with a small amount of milk foam. The word is Italian for “marked” or “stained”, because the foam leaves a white mark on the dark espresso. Breville describes it as about 2 parts espresso to 1 part foam, served in a very small cup. That makes it the strongest-tasting of the espresso and milk drinks.
Beans made for espresso and milk drinks
For lattes, cappuccinos and iced coffee, try our Arabica-Robusta Blend or bold Robusta, roasted daily and ground to order for espresso or moka pot.
Shop the Blend →Three drinks called macchiato
| Drink | What’s in it | Taste |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso macchiato | A single or double espresso with a spoonful of foam on top, in a small cup | Strong, close to a straight espresso but softer |
| Latte macchiato | A glass of steamed milk with espresso poured in on top, leaving layers | Milky and mild, more like a latte |
| Caramel macchiato | The café-chain version: vanilla-sweetened milk, espresso, and caramel sauce on top | Sweet, closer to a flavoured latte |
Breville points out that the popular caramel macchiato is really a latte-style drink, and that the American-style latte macchiato also belongs with the latte rather than with the espresso macchiato. If a customer orders a “macchiato”, it’s worth asking which one they mean.
Macchiato vs cortado vs cappuccino vs latte
| Drink | Milk | Size | Coffee taste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macchiato | A spoonful of foam | Smallest | Strongest |
| Cortado | About equal parts espresso and warm milk, little foam | Small | Strong |
| Cappuccino | Steamed milk with a thick cap of foam | Medium | Balanced |
| Latte | Plenty of steamed milk, thin foam | Largest | Mildest |
See our lessons on the cortado and on latte vs cappuccino, or the full guide to types of coffee drinks.
How to make an espresso macchiato
- Pull a fresh espresso into a small cup. TESDA’s barista standard for a single shot is 7 to 9 g of coffee, 25 to 35 ml of espresso, in 20 to 30 seconds. Many cafés use a double.
- Steam a small amount of milk with plenty of air so it makes a thick foam. Our steaming lesson explains how.
- Spoon or pour a little foam onto the centre of the espresso, just enough to mark it. Don’t fill the cup.
- Serve straight away, while the espresso is hot and the crema is fresh.
Café tip: because a macchiato is mostly espresso, it shows every flaw in the shot. Dial in carefully. Our espresso ratio and dial-in lessons help.
Which coffee for a macchiato?
A small splash of foam doesn’t hide much, so use a coffee you’d also enjoy as a straight espresso. For a bolder cup with more body, use a blend with some Robusta. For a smoother cup, try an Arabica-forward blend. Our guide to espresso beans explains the choices, and cafés can see wholesale pricing.
More lessons are in the Caffeine Brothers Coffee Academy.
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