What Is a Macchiato? Espresso, Latte and Caramel Explained

A macchiato is a shot of espresso “marked” with a small spoonful of milk foam. The word is Italian for stained or marked, and in Italy that is all the order means: a small, strong espresso with just enough foam to soften the top.

In the US the same word covers three quite different drinks, which is why ordering one can go wrong. Below you get what each version is, how to tell them apart, how to order the one you want and how to make a proper espresso macchiato at home. If you want a straight comparison with a milkier drink, our macchiato vs latte guide puts them side by side.

The short answer: what is a macchiato?

• Espresso: one shot, sometimes two.
• Milk: a spoonful or two of foam, not steamed milk.
• Size: about 1 to 2 oz (30 to 60 ml) in a small cup.
• Taste: espresso first, rounded off slightly by the milk.
• Caffeine: about 63 mg per shot, so roughly 63 to 126 mg for a single or double.

That is the traditional espresso macchiato, sometimes written as caffe macchiato. It has far less milk than a cortado, which is roughly half milk, and a lot less than a cappuccino. What it keeps is the bite of the espresso.

The three drinks called a macchiato

Same word, opposite logic. In an espresso macchiato the espresso is the drink and the milk is the mark. In a latte macchiato the milk is the drink and the espresso is the mark, which is why it comes out in layers. The caramel version is the coffee-shop take on the latte macchiato with syrup added, and our caramel macchiato recipe shows how it is built. For a closer look at the first two, read latte macchiato vs macchiato.

What a macchiato tastes like

Expect a concentrated, slightly sweet espresso with a soft top. The foam takes the edge off bitterness and acidity without covering the coffee flavor, so the beans matter more here than they do in a latte. If straight espresso is too harsh for you but a latte is too mild, this is the middle route.

Espresso macchiato vs cortado, cappuccino and flat white

The more milk in the cup, the further you are from the espresso macchiato. A cortado is the first step up and our cortado vs macchiato guide covers where the line falls. A cappuccino adds a thick foam cap, and we compare that in macchiato vs cappuccino. The flat white is smoother and wetter again, with microfoam rather than foam on top.

How to order the one you want

In an Italian bar, asking for a caffe macchiato gets you the small one. In a US coffee chain a plain macchiato often means the caramel drink, because that is the version the menu made famous. The safest way to get what you want is to name it in full.

• Espresso macchiato: the small, strong one. Ask for a single or double.
• Latte macchiato: the tall layered glass of milk with espresso in it.
• Caramel macchiato: the sweet, vanilla and caramel drink.
• Double macchiato: two shots with a spoonful of foam, for a stronger version of the classic.

For the rest of the menu, our guide to coffee drink types covers what everything on a board actually is.

How to make an espresso macchiato at home

You need an espresso and a small amount of foamed milk. A machine with a steam wand is easiest, but a handheld frother works well because you only need a spoonful of foam.

1. Warm a small cup by rinsing it with hot water.
2. Pull a shot of espresso straight into the warm cup. A single is traditional, a double is common.
3. Froth 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold whole milk until it turns glossy and holds its shape.
4. Spoon 1 or 2 teaspoons of foam onto the middle of the espresso so it sits on top.
5. Drink it straight away, while the foam is still soft and the espresso hot.

Not sure how to get the foam? Our guide to frothing milk covers the wand and the handheld methods. If you do not own an espresso machine, making espresso without a machine explains the moka pot and AeroPress routes, and how to make espresso at home covers dose and timing for a proper shot.

Common macchiato mistakes

• Too much foam: a macchiato needs a spoonful, not a cap. Add more and it turns into a small cappuccino.
• Liquid milk instead of foam: pouring steamed milk makes it a cortado. Use the stiff foam from the top of the jug.
• A cold cup: a small drink loses heat fast, so rinse the cup with hot water first.
• An over-extracted shot: with so little milk to hide it, a bitter shot tastes worse. Aim for roughly 25 to 30 seconds and see our espresso guide for dialing in.
• Waiting too long: the foam collapses within a minute or two, so drink it straight away.

Which beans suit a macchiato

Because there is so little milk, the coffee is nearly all you taste. A medium-dark espresso blend with chocolate or caramel notes is the safest choice, since it stays sweet next to a little foam. A very light, acidic roast can taste sharp because there is not enough milk to round it off. Our best espresso beans roundup lists blends that hold up in small milk drinks,.

Caffeine in a macchiato

Each espresso shot averages about 63 mg of caffeine and the foam adds none. That gives an espresso macchiato roughly 63 mg with a single shot and around 126 mg with a double, in line with the figures in our espresso caffeine guide. A latte macchiato or caramel macchiato has the same espresso spread over far more milk, so it feels milder without being weaker. A large one at a chain can hold two or three shots.

Variations you may see on a menu

• Double macchiato: two shots with a spoonful of foam.
• Ristretto macchiato: a shorter, sweeter shot in place of standard espresso. See ristretto vs espresso for the difference.
• Iced macchiato: espresso, milk and ice, usually layered, most often the iced caramel version.
• Flavored macchiato: a shot of vanilla or hazelnut syrup in the espresso, which is how many chains sell it.

What the name means

Macchiato comes from the Italian macchiare, to stain or mark. The idea is a little of one thing added to another. In the espresso macchiato a little milk stains the coffee. In the latte macchiato a little coffee stains the milk. The caramel macchiato borrowed the name for its layered look and its pour order, with espresso poured over the top of the milk.

The bottom line

A macchiato is espresso first and milk second. If you want the small, strong drink, order an espresso macchiato. If you want tall and mild, order a latte macchiato. If you want sweet, order the caramel one. There are more drinks to explore in our coffee drinks section.

Frequently Asked Questions About Macchiatos

Joel Lewis Contributor Italian espresso conventions, and what survives the trip to the US.