Get ready to indulge in the sweet simplicity of this Iced or Hot Caramel Macchiato—a super easy drink you can whip up at home for a fraction of the cost of your favorite coffee shop!
First things first, we need to establish a way to make espresso at home since espresso is the base of both a hot and iced Caramel Macchiato!
How Can I Make Espresso At Home?
There are five ways to make espresso at home:
- Instant Espresso Powder
- Nespresso Machine
- Moka Pot
- Aeropress
- Espresso Machine
See my 5 Ways To Make Espresso At Home blog post for step by step instructions of each espresso making method!
What’s The Best Coffee to Use For Espresso?
Depending on your espresso making method, you’ll need certain types of coffee products. See a full list of all my recommended coffees for the various espresso making methods.
What is a “Shot” of Espresso?
A common espresso term you’ll see a lot is a “shot” of espresso. When you brew espresso using an espresso machine, the liquid that comes out of the machine is considered a shot, since the machine pushes out the liquid at high pressure.
- A single shot or one shot of espresso is roughly 1.25 ounces of liquid.
- A double shot is roughly 2.5 ounces of liquid.
- A tripe shot is roughly 3.75 ounces of liquid.
- A quad shot is roughly 5 ounces of liquid.
How To Steam Milk For a Hot Caramel Macchiato:
A Hot Caramel Macchiato requires steamed milk as one of the ingredients. To steam milk at home, you have a few options:
- Steam Wand: If you have an espresso machine with a steam wand attached to it, watch this Milk Steaming Video Tutorial for how to steam milk! You simply add milk to a milk frothing pitcher, insert the tip of the steam wand into the milk, and create air bubbles, heat and texture to create perfect, velvety steamed milk at home!
- Electric Milk Frother: Add your milk to an electric milk frother, and select the hot setting. The milk frother will heat the milk as well as create a thick and foamy texture. The texture will be a little different than a typical steam wand, but it’s very similar and pleasant, and a great option if you don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand.
- Handheld Milk Frother: Add cold milk to a large coffee mug and place the mug in the microwave for 60 seconds. Alternatively, you can heat up milk in a pot on the stove until warm, just make sure to constantly stir it so it doesn’t burn. Once your milk is warm, insert a handheld milk frother into the warm milk. Froth the mixture until the milk doubles in size and becomes bubbly and frothy, and you have steamed milk for your hot latte!
Note, for an Iced Caramel Macchiato, you do not need to warm or steam the milk. Simply skip this step, and use cold milk straight from the fridge.
Iced Caramel Macchiato
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Vanilla Syrup (or Torani Vanilla Syrup)
- 8 ounces 2% milk (or whatever milk you like)
- Ice
- 2 shots of espresso
- Torani Caramel Sauce (for topping)
Instructions:
- Brew your espresso using one of the espresso making methods described in my blog post: 5 Ways to Make Espresso at Home
- In a separate cup, add the vanilla syrup, followed by the milk, and then the ice.
- After the ice, pour the 2 shots of espresso over the top. Yes, the order matters!
- Top off your masterpiece with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce for that perfect Starbucks Caramel Macchiato replica!
Hot Caramel Macchiato
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Vanilla Syrup (or Torani Vanilla Syrup)
- 8 ounces 2% milk, steamed (feel free to use whatever milk you like best)
- 2 shots of espresso
- Torani Caramel Sauce (for topping)
Instructions:
- Brew Your Espresso: Brew your espresso using one of the espresso making methods described in my blog post: 5 Ways to Make Espresso at Home
- Combine: Pour the Homemade Vanilla Syrup (or Torani Vanilla Syrup) into a milk frothing pitcher along with the cold milk, straight from the gallon or carton.
- Steam Your Milk: Steam the milk using a steam wand until it’s nice and frothy. If you don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand, you can heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave for 60 seconds and use a handheld milk frother to froth it manually.
- Combine Milk and Espresso: Once your steamed milk is ready, pour it into your favorite mug, then carefully pour the espresso shots over the top of the milk.
- Drizzle with Caramel: Now for the finishing touch—drizzle Torani Caramel Sauce over the top of your hot caramel macchiato, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips:
- Customize Your Milk: Feel free to swap out the 2% milk for almond milk, oat milk, or any other milk alternative you like.
- Make It Decaf: If you want to enjoy this treat in the evening without the caffeine, use decaf espresso or coffee.
- Add Extra Sweetness: If you like your lattes on the sweeter side, add more vanilla syrup in the drink, or drizzle a little extra caramel sauce on top!
- Make it Sugar Free: Use a sugar free vanilla syrup and caramel sauce!
What Ratios Does Starbucks Use?
I like my coffees to be a bit more coffee tasting than milky tasting, so my ratios are a slightly different from Starbucks. If you want to most accurately replicate the Starbucks ratios for a Caramel Macchiato, follow these ratios:
How Can I Make This Dairy Free?
To make a dairy free Caramel Macchiato:
- Use a dairy free caramel sauce
- Use any dairy free milk instead of 2% milk: oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc
How Can I Make This Lower Sugar/Lower Calories?
To make a lower sugar/lower calorie Caramel Macchiato at home, make as many of the modifications below as you would like:
- Use the Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup
- Use the Torani Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
- Use unsweetened almond milk instead of 2% milk
Looking for more Starbucks Copy Kat Recipes:
- Starbucks Copy Kat Pistachio Cream Cold Brew
- Starbucks Strawberry Açaí Refresher
- Starbucks White Mocha
- Starbucks Iced Cherry Chai
- Starbucks Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte
Shop This Recipe:
Ingredients
Iced Caramel Macchiato
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Vanilla Syrup or Torani Vanilla Syrup
- 8 ounces 2% milk or whatever milk you like
- Ice
- 2 shots of espresso
- Torani Caramel Sauce for topping
Hot Caramel Macchiato
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Vanilla Syrup or Torani Vanilla Syrup
- 8 ounces 2% milk steamed (feel free to use whatever milk you like best)
- 2 shots of espresso
- Torani Caramel Sauce for topping
Instructions
Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Brew your espresso shots and set aside.
- To a separate cup, add the Torani Vanilla Syrup, milk, and ice.
- Slowly pour the espresso shots over the top of the milk and ice.
- Drizzle Torani Caramel Sauce over the top of your iced caramel macchiato, and enjoy!
Hot Caramel Macchiato
- Brew your espresso shots and set aside.
- To a milk frothing pitcher or a mug, add the Torani Vanilla Syrup and milk.
- Steam the milk using a steam wand until it’s nice and frothy. If you don’t have an espresso machine with a steam wand, you can heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave for 60 seconds and use a handheld milk frother to froth it manually.
- Once your steamed milk is ready, pour it into your favorite mug, then carefully pour the espresso shots over the top of the milk.
- Drizzle Torani Caramel Sauce over the top of your hot caramel macchiato, and enjoy!
Leave a Comment