Macchiato vs Latte: Size, Strength & Taste

• Macchiato: means "stained": espresso marked with a spoonful of foam. Add much more milk and it becomes a cortado.
• Latte: is usually a double shot under plenty of steamed milk with a thin microfoam layer. Chain sizes of 16-20 oz are mostly milk.

Macchiato means marked or stained in Italian. A traditional espresso macchiato is a single shot (many specialty cafés now use a double) with a spoonful of foam, so it stays intense, with the bitter edge softened only slightly. A latte reverses the proportions: usually a double shot in 240-350 ml (8-12 oz) of steamed milk, so the espresso becomes a background note.

This is why the same beans can seem very different. Sweetness in a latte comes from steamed milk, while a macchiato exposes the shot's acidity and crema. A latte macchiato is a different drink again: espresso poured into a glass of steamed milk, so it is as milky as a latte, just layered.

A macchiato and a latte made with the same double shot have the same caffeine. The latte only tastes weaker because the espresso is spread through much more milk. If you want something that tastes strong but is not a straight espresso, the macchiato is the step down; if you want a large, gentle drink to sip, the latte is the one. A cortado sits between the two. Our caffeine calculator adds up a day of drinks.

Temperature also changes how strong each tastes. A macchiato is served hot and drunk in a few sips, so you taste the espresso clearly. A latte is usually steamed to around 60–65°C and sipped over several minutes, and as it cools the milk's sweetness becomes more noticeable. If you add sugar, a latte needs less of it than you might expect, because steamed milk already tastes sweeter than cold milk.

In a traditional Italian-style café, a macchiato is an espresso "marked" with a small amount of milk foam, served in a small cup. In many chain coffee shops, especially in the US, a "macchiato" on the menu often means a latte macchiato: a tall glass of steamed milk with espresso poured on top, sometimes with syrup and caramel drizzle. That drink is much closer to a latte in size and taste.

• Want the small, strong version? Ask for an "espresso macchiato" and check the cup size.
• Want the tall, layered drink? Ask for a "latte macchiato".
• Want a classic latte? Order a latte; it is mixed rather than layered.

Our what is a macchiato guide covers each version in detail.

1. 1

   Preheat the cup. And pull a single or double espresso (25–30 seconds) straight into it.25–30 seconds

2. 2

   For a macchiato. Steam a small amount of milk in a small pitcher with a little extra air so it turns into dense, velvety foam, then spoon a spoonful or two onto the centre of the shot. Do not stir.

3. 3

   For a latte. Steam more milk with only a short burst of air, swirl it until glossy, and pour it into the shot, finishing with a thin layer of foam on top.

4. 4

   Serve straight away;. Macchiato foam in particular sinks and fades within a few minutes.

Stop steaming at about 55–65°C; hotter milk tastes scalded in either drink. Whole dairy gives the best texture; barista-blend oat milk is the closest alternative.

A steam wand gives you both drinks from one machine. If your machine has an automatic milk frother, choose a foam-heavy setting for the macchiato and a smoother setting for the latte. Our how to make a latte guide covers the steaming technique, and steam wand not frothing milk helps when the foam will not build.

• Choose a macchiato if you enjoy espresso but want it a little softer, prefer a small drink, or want something quick to drink standing at the counter.
• Choose a latte if you want a larger, milder drink to sip slowly, like to add flavours or syrups, or are new to espresso drinks.
• Watching calories? A macchiato has only a spoonful of milk; a latte has several hundred millilitres, which adds up if you drink more than one a day.
• Making latte art? You need the volume of a latte or flat white; a macchiato's spoonful of foam leaves no room for a pattern.

If neither feels right, try a cortado or a flat white. Both sit between the two in size and strength, and many people who find a latte too milky settle on one of them.

Use a pitcher of 12 oz or under for macchiatos, 12-20 oz for lattes. Shot quality depends on the grinder too; see coffee grinder picks and top-rated espresso machines.

Budget

Breville Bambino Plus

Fast heat-up, automatic milk texturing and a compact footprint.

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Mid-range

Gaggia Classic Pro

A workhorse with manual control; steam power suits 6-8 oz of milk.

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