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Starbucks Caramel Macchiato: How to make

How to make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato (Recipe)
Tasty, addictive and popular drink served in Starbucks is a Starbucks original. Simply it’s a vanilla latte with a bit less vanilla and extra foam, and with caramel sauce drizzled on top. How to make such a sweet drink at home?

Starbucks Caramel Macchiato recipe

starbucks caramel macchiato Ingredients

For a one mug of this full-of-sugar coffee drink you would need

  • espresso
  • milk
  • vanilla syrup
  • and caramel topping

To a coffee mug, add vanilla syrup and steamed milk. Top with milk foam and add freshly brewed espresso through the foam. Drizzle with caramel sauce. If you want to make this Starbucks clone super accurate, pick up bottles of the authentic vanilla syrup and caramel sauce sold in Starbucks stores.

Starbucks Caramel Macchiato secret

The shots of espresso need to be added after the steamed milk. The actual recipe for the Grande Caramel Macchiato is 3 pumps vanilla syrup, add steamed milk with a bit of foam on the top, add double shot of espresso, and then make a criss-cross pattern on top of the foam with the caramel.

denvit / Pixabay

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65 responses to “Starbucks Caramel Macchiato: How to make”

  1. Timmy Avatar
    Timmy

    uh, a grande caramel macchiato calls for 3 pumps of vanilla syrup… remember… a little less than the standard for vanilla lattes… duh!

    Reply
  2. Sharayah Avatar
    Sharayah

    Try it iced with soy as a whole milk substitute, definitely my new favorite drink!

    Reply
  3. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    yes agreed with timmy……….i am a starbucks employee and ……anyone who knows anything about starbucks knows anything about the drink they purchase would know that it gets one less pump than normal. ie. tall 2 pumps of vanilla, grande 3, and a venti 4…..you should really change that and not make yourself look so ignorant

    Reply
  4. Shea OG Loc Avatar
    Shea OG Loc

    Shea, coz I’m a Blue Rag looking for Crabs to blast at, damn girl my pistol be giving whiplash.

    Reply
  5. devita Avatar
    devita

    starbucks coffiiee iis the best ever ii love iit not just because of the name but because iit iis awesome ii love iit!!! thats were me and friiends go when we go to the mall iits were ii go when iiam felliing down iits a wonderfull place a sanctuary iif u wiil, ii just love the relaxiing viiews of the people and the books and magaziines just layiing around for any open soul to piick up and read whiile they enjoy a deliiciious cup of hot or cold coffiiee. but that iisnt theiir only speciial thiing there iis also the scruptiious array of cakes, cookiies, muffiins and of course the many variietiies of breads to choose from. there are soooo many delectable flavors that there iis soo much to choose from weather ur haviing a calmiing breakfast or lunch wiith all of ur pals, ur always haviing a great fantastiic tiime a starbucks! the the most wonderfull place to hang out and just be yourself wiith all of ur friiends or wiith yourself and have the perfect driink…..or snack of ur oun choosiing.

    Reply
  6. Former Barista Avatar
    Former Barista

    The above recipe for the drink is correct, it does recieve 3 pumps of vanilla. Coffee cups are always considered grande sizes. so he was correct and although tall gets 2 pumps grande gets 3 and venti gets 4, both the grande and venti drinks get 2 shots of espresso and tall gets one. I have the starbucks barista manual for drinks and he is correct. Actual starbucks drinks have a certain weight to make sure that everything was added correctly. So people at home will just have to tweek according to mug size and taste

    Reply
  7. dagguah Avatar
    dagguah

    I still keep trying to make this wonderful caramel macchiato at home. The thing that still doesn’t work ist the caramel-topping with the original starbucks drizzle sauce. Everytime I put it on top of the steamed milk the steamed milk is ruined and the sauce sinks into the coffee but doesn’t make this yummy topping. Du you have to warm the sauce up? What is the secret behind this sauce?

    Reply
    1. Wanda Avatar
      Wanda

      Making sure you foam is ‘tight’ and silky is one key, so making the foam slowly will create that, the other key is very thin drizzles of the caramel sauce.
      Good Luck!

      Reply
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    Reply
  9. KATELYN C. Avatar
    KATELYN C.

    HOW MUCH MILK DO YOU USE?

    Reply
    1. Wanda Avatar
      Wanda

      8 oz.

      Reply
  10. Justin Avatar
    Justin

    Why not go to Starbucks and get the original drink instead of suffering through all of this burning the milk and not tasting right blah blah blah. just pay the $4 and enjoy a drink made 10x better than you could make it yourself.

    Reply
    1. Chloe Avatar
      Chloe

      or you could save the $4 and use what you have at home and make a homemade version.

      Reply
    2. sarah Avatar
      sarah

      It has lots of long lines so you can save the time and do it your way to make sure you have all the right stuff in it and don’t have to wait so long

      Reply
  11. kristen Avatar
    kristen

    what are the best flavored coffee beans/grinds to buy for this?

    Reply
    1. Wanda Avatar
      Wanda

      I use french roast, prefer the darker richer taste. Authentically you would use an espresso roast.

      Reply
  12. kristen Avatar
    kristen

    i think this is for a HOT macchiato…how do you make an iced one?

    Reply
  13. Yet another formet barista Avatar
    Yet another formet barista

    Iced Caramel Macchiato is the same exact recipe as above, just don’t steam the milk.

    Reply
    1. 3year barista; advanced store trainer Avatar
      3year barista; advanced store trainer

      the iced caramel macchiato is similar to the above recipe although the venti gets 6pumps of vanilla syrup and 3 shots of espresso 🙂

      Reply
      1. Kristin Avatar
        Kristin

        How much milk for an iced venti caramel macchiato?

        Reply
  14. Mark Avatar
    Mark

    My girlfriend always orders us an upside-down version. How is this made then? It is my favorite drink BTW. I think I am addicted!!!

    Reply
  15. upside down macchiato lover Avatar
    upside down macchiato lover

    up-side down means the layers are added in reverse order from the recipe. I love them this way!

    Thanks for all of the recipe advice! Does anyone know where you can buy one of the Caramel Macchiato sets? Starbucks has them during the holidays to purchase as gifts but now I can’t find them anywhere. Please help!

    Reply
  16. addicted 2 Avatar
    addicted 2

    I am so addicted too!!! This is the best coffee drink ever!

    Reply
  17. Suzy Avatar
    Suzy

    I have the opportunity to visit different Starbucks between two different states and I just wonder if they all have the same manual and if the upside down carmel macchiato is a standard drink in this manual because I get it made several different ways. I love the drink but I would like it to be consitant

    Reply
  18. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    Those of you freaking out because he may or may not have made an error really need to chill out and get a life. It’s coffee. Go outside and take a breath of fresh air. Geez.

    Reply
  19. Shawnie Avatar
    Shawnie

    I love them any way they come, hot, cold and upside down. This is my all time fav.

    Reply
  20. Diabetic coffee lover Avatar
    Diabetic coffee lover

    I’m a diabetic but I absolutely love this drink. Is there a way to make this sugar free other than the obvious ditching of the caramel? AND have it actually taste good?

    Reply
  21. Meme Avatar
    Meme

    woooow. chill. its a drink.
    Dagguah- they are really easy to make. to avoid scorching the milk, heat it to about 140 degrees instead of 165. I just made one for the first time and someone who drinks a lot of them was my test subject. she said it was the best she has ever had. try try again. 🙂 good luck.

    Reply
  22. Cheryl Avatar
    Cheryl

    I run the espresso stand at our church and I’m looking for a good Caramel Macchiato recipe. This is a popular drink and I always dread it when people order it because I’m afraid I’m not making it right.

    Reply
  23. Tina Avatar
    Tina

    The Syrups that Starbucks use are from Dolce. They are the best tasting.

    Reply
  24. Wed Avatar
    Wed

    Diabetic coffee lover – you can use a sugar-free vanilla flavoring. It doesn’t taste any different in the drink to me.

    Reply
  25. my name is ME! Avatar
    my name is ME!

    You fools, anything made at home is better than starbucks. Now now people I’m not hating on starbucks. It is definitely cheaper to make this drink at home than going to pay 10 dollars at starbucks every time you want one. Coffee beans: 10-12 dollars at best, and it will make you lots and lots of espresso shots. Syrup: Free for me, for you might be somewhere near 5 dollars? Caramel drizzle: Free for me, for you somewhere near 5 dollars? (I’ve never looked this up I’m just going by gut feeling). Now you are probably thinking what about the espresso machine? I managed to get a very decent espresso machine at an affordable price on the internet, about 80 dollars. Now considering that starbucks charges 10 dollars for the tall, 12 dollars for the grande, and 15 dollars for the venti, and about 20 dollars for the trenta, just buying less than 10 drinks at starbucks will get you this drink home made, for as long as you want. Don’t want it hot everytime? Add some ice cubes and some ice cold milk and you got yourself an iced macchiato. Want it blended? trow your ice cubes on a blender and add everything else to it and you got yourself a macchiato frap. All made at home. Thank you!

    Reply
  26. Kelley Avatar
    Kelley

    Please, no one answered the question about how much milk is needed for each size. Since the milk has to be added before the expresso, there must be an exact amount.

    Reply
  27. Erik Avatar
    Erik

    which caramel syrup do you use at Starbucks? I want to purchase it and need the exact name of the syrup for the bottom and also for the topping.

    Reply
  28. Questions Avatar
    Questions

    So how would you make this iced?

    Reply
  29. Tobby Avatar
    Tobby

    A macchiato is not suppose to be stirred… Correct?

    Reply
    1. Wanda Avatar
      Wanda

      That is correct!

      Reply
  30. what? Avatar
    what?

    @my name is ME…where on earth does starbicks or anyone charge those prices? 10 tall, 12 grande, 15 venti?? just curious.. I have never seen higher than 1/3 that!!! Crazy!!!. @ kelly…As far as the milk.. A grande is 16 oz..minus space for the espresso and syrup..i am guessing 10 to 12 oz of milk. I would try that and experiment 🙂

    Reply
  31. jony Avatar
    jony

    i work at starbucks, in ireland, the secret to the caramel drizzel is pour it aroudn the mug rim and back and forward to make it look like a criss cross, do it lightly and if possible transfer the caramel drizzel to a finer tip squeese container, make sure ur milk foam is dreamy steamy and think and pour the caramel lightly

    Reply
  32. jony Avatar
    jony

    iced is the same, u add the vanilla syrup then the milk then the ice to fill the glass and again light pour of caramel drizzel the espresso goes before the drizzel and after the ice, u want to see the differnt layer colours as it added to presentation of the drink

    Reply
  33. Russell Avatar
    Russell

    With as much milk as Starbucks uses for this drink the proper name should be Caramel Latte Macchiato. A true Macchiato (italian) is espresso shot with just a splash of steamed milk and is called a Cafe Macchiato. The focus is on the coffee. With a Latte Macchiato the focus is on the milk.

    Reply
  34. Krissy Avatar
    Krissy

    I make the ghetto version since I have yet to get an espresso machine… I brew a very strong pot of coffee in my coffee maker. I use one scoop of vanilla ice cream in the cup of coffee to create a steamed milk froth. Then I add a drop of whole milk and some caramel drizzle. It’s very similar and just as satisfying!

    Reply
  35. justbill2020 Avatar
    justbill2020

    Vanilla Syrup? i thought it was caramal syrup? and how do you measure out pumps if you’re not using their exact bottle and pumps?

    Reply
  36. Alease M. Avatar
    Alease M.

    the sauce on top is caramel sauce, it is not vanilla.. you do a basket weave.

    Reply
  37. Kimmie63 Avatar
    Kimmie63

    I live in Alaska where everything is an average of 30% higher than anywhere else in the lower 48 and our Starbucks in anchorage charges 3.95 fir a tall, 4.65 fir a grande, and 4.95 for a venti. There us vanilla syrup in the milk and caramel flavored drizzle for the topping. I’ve been experimenting with thus one at home and I’ve discovered that it works best for me if I use my little Mako stovetop expresso maker for my two shots of expresso and a small French press for my mill. I use nonfat milk and a tiny sprinkle of splenda in it, microwave it for a minute 40 seconds and then add the plunger to the press and plunge til you have hot steamy microfoam. It works great. I have two or three of these a day and I love them, but I still ho to Starbucks at least three times a week for theirs

    Reply
  38. Kimmie63 Avatar
    Kimmie63

    Oh, and not sure about the vanilla syrup pump measurements. I use a cap and a half of the sugar free syrup and that’s enough for me, but I like mine a little less sweet

    Reply
  39. Kimmie63 Avatar
    Kimmie63

    Lol, forgot to mention that I make it in a 12 oz cup and use two shots expresso and 8 oz of skim milk. Like I said, it’s a little stronger. Most folks would probably like the double shot with about 12 oz milk and three capfuls of syrup. Maybe that’s why I’m grinding my teeth? 

    Reply
  40. Mckenna Avatar
    Mckenna

    It didnt work it tasted gross i agree with timmy

    Reply
  41. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    Iced CM is easy to make. Syrup goes in first, THEN ICE, then milk leaving room for espresso (if you get a venti at a Starbuck iced venti get 3 shots instead of 2) then caramel drizzle on top.
    CMs do not actually have caramel syrup as flavoring the only caramel in the drink is the drizzle on top, it gets vanilla syrup.
    Iced CM definately tastes better with soy milk if you like it sweeter!

    Reply
  42. matt jerome vitug Avatar
    matt jerome vitug

    i like ds one 😀 one of my favorite flavor :D.

    Reply
  43. Val Avatar
    Val

    In any case of trying to imitate the original anything, remember that more of one thing makes you happy but, more of another might make others happy. Your mixture might not be the best but, if you keep practicing you will get it (once you do write it down)right so, you cannot ask how much of each ingredient you need for a perfect mix, containers dispense different increments. I use Kona coffee (vanilla mocha) mixed with caramel macchiato cream from Cosco. This mix is good enough for me.

    Reply
  44. Norma Jean Avatar
    Norma Jean

    What’s up with Starbucks no longer having their Caramel Sauce (for the top of your Caramel Macchiato) ???? Does anyone have an answer or an identical substitute I can purchase? I even contacted Starbucks headquarters office and spent two hours on the phone contacting local stores with absolutely no luck and no answers from Starbucks as to why they are not offering their Caramel Sauce any longer on their Starbucks on line store. Hard to believe no one at Starbucks was able to provide any answers on the infamous “caramel sauce”. Since I live in the country and not close to a Starbucks, I have to make my own. Thank you anyone.

    Reply
  45. Sheri Avatar
    Sheri

    What is wrong with people always assuming you can make iced drinks out of hot ones. You CANNOT make an Iced cappuccino(a cappuccino is half cup of foam! how can you ice foam??). Starbucks ruined coffee us out here in the upper north west HATE starbucks because we know what real coffee is. We know that to make a macchiato it’s not about vanilla or “less vanilla than a latte” It’s about less coffee than a latte(or as the person said before me cafe italian version is a tbs of milk). It is not “the same as a vanilla latte with less vanilla”. A macchiato is all milk with usually a shot of espresso and a very thin layer of foam. How do you ice foam? How can you possibly ice a drink that is named on how much foam goes in it? A latte as well is named for it’s 1 inch layer of foam in comparison to the cappucino’s half cup of foam. I’m sorry but when you ask for iced drinks it is simply espresso and milk over ice not an iced latte, iced macchiato, iced cappuccino.

    Reply
    1. Lala Avatar
      Lala

      You are absolutely right, but it’s just to help keep it simple. (It’s easier to call it an ‘iced vanilla latte’ when it really does taste the same as the hot version) You’d be surprised at how dullwitted a lot of consumers are. The simpler, the better.

      Of course, it creates a headache for when these certain people enter a traditional coffee shop and attempt to order a Starbucks…

      Reply
  46. B Avatar
    B

    @Norma Jean I love the iced version & had bought some Starbuck’s caramel last year. I was really dissappointed as it was too thick to poor. Perhaps my house is just too cold. Heating it helped some. But recently I picked up some Agave caramel at BJ’s Health food store. I can’t stand sugar free anything as. The artificial sweetener really turns me off. However, this stuff made from a natural ingredient is really good. And they say agave takes the body longer to process so it burns off more efficiently than sugar. I would give it a try. I bought th Organic Blue brand.

    Reply
  47. The Pursuit of Coffee Perfection | Ric Riley, multimedia designer

    […] I’ve been pursuing a home-brewed cup that rivals a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato. Finding the recipe is only half of the story, I found out very quickly that this coffee making business is very […]

    Reply
  48. SSADance Avatar
    SSADance

    I love this drink so much but i didn’t realizse it was so much syrup!! But thanks for the Caramel Macchiato tips!

    Reply
  49. My name is:Giovanna Minette Avatar
    My name is:Giovanna Minette

    It’s so very easy to make and it’s so Delicious for our family =)
    My family really really love the caramel macchiato

    Reply
  50. MSC Avatar
    MSC

    I just had great success making the caramel macchiato at home this morning. This is my regular drink when I am unable to indulge in the pumpkin spice and gingerbread lattes during the fall through late winter. I made a homemade vanilla simple syrup at home which is so easy there is no reason why you shouldn’t, plus the store bought syrups such as Torani are overly sweet. I followed the method above and it came out pretty true to Starbucks. Yay. 🙂

    Reply
  51. Alfred A. Avatar
    Alfred A.

    I love caramel macchiato and I drink one daily but not all baristas know how to make this drink correctly. Sometimes I get a Vanilla latte with caramel on the bottom of the cup. For the most part they are good about remaking it correctly but I had one barista tell me “you need to specify that you want foam on top”. I thought everyone received the same training but I guess it’s a hit and miss.

    Reply
  52. How To Make A Caramel Macchiato

    […] I finally had one.  What a great creation!! If you want to attempt to recreate the magic you can. How to make a Caramel Macchiato Category: Buffalo Stuff Send to a friend!Share on facebook!Share on twitter!  Like […]

    Reply
  53. My name is Edward Avatar
    My name is Edward

    This Caramel Macchiato is one of my favorite, although I do like most of the coffees and i love the steamed milk. Matter of fact I like all of your product.

    Reply
  54. Xcith Avatar
    Xcith

    Yup, go out and buy one. Save your damn time.

    Reply
  55. Sir Loin of Beef Avatar
    Sir Loin of Beef

    To Diabetic coffee lover:

    You can make a large Caramel Macchiato with 2 pumps of Amoretti vanilla blue agave nectar and 2 or 3 pumps of Amoretti Crema di Caramel syrup and your beverage will be diabetic friendly. Agave nectar has a glycemic index of 2 and will not spike your blood sugar level, and the Crema di Caramel syrup has 7g of carbs per pump for a total of eitehr 14 or 21g of carbs, depending on how much you decide to use. I use a teaspoon of Crema di Caramel to decorate the top of my macchiato. You can order both products at Amazon.com and get free supersaver shipping if you spend more than 25 bucks American.

    I dirnk one of these almost every morning. My 30 day average on my Accu-Check is 175 and my doctor said my A1C is excellent.

    Reply
  56. Please stop Avatar
    Please stop

    Everyone stop!! Americans have (again) completely mangled the term Carmel Macchiato. Probably led by Starbucks.
    A macchiato has no syrup. It has a spot of cream on it. period.
    A carmel macchiato has no syrup. The carmel IS the espresso poured through the foamed milk. Period.
    Look it up. NOT at yahoo answers or Starbucks, but at an information site. Even Wikipedia will work.

    Reply

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