What Is a Macchiato? Espresso and Latte Macchiato

A plain "macchiato" on a specialty café menu almost always means the espresso version.

An espresso macchiato is espresso marked with a dollop of milk foam. It stays strong and intense because there is almost no milk. A latte macchiato flips the build: steamed milk first, then espresso poured through it, forming layers. Chain versions often add syrup and caramel, which moves them closer to a sweet latte.

What you taste depends on the shot. In a small drink, sour or bitter flaws show clearly, which is why a well-extracted double shot or ristretto works best.

• Espresso macchiato vs latte: nearly pure espresso with a foam mark, versus 8–12 oz with 6–10 oz of steamed milk.
• Latte macchiato vs latte: similar milk volumes; one pours espresso into milk, the other milk into espresso. Once stirred, the difference is small.
• Espresso macchiato vs cappuccino: more concentrated, where the cappuccino is balanced thirds of espresso, milk and foam.

Head-to-heads: macchiato vs latte, what is a cappuccino and flat white vs cappuccino vs cortado.

Starbucks' Caramel Macchiato, for example, is a vanilla latte built in layers with caramel drizzle: closer to a latte macchiato in construction but flavored and much larger.

An espresso macchiato contains exactly as much caffeine as the shot underneath. A macchiato made with a single shot has the caffeine of a single espresso, and one made with a double has the caffeine of a doppio. The spoonful of foam changes the taste and texture, not the strength in caffeine terms.

A latte macchiato usually also contains one or two shots, so its caffeine is similar to a latte of the same size, even though it looks very different. Chain-store caramel macchiatos follow the same rule: count the shots, not the size of the cup.

If you want a strong-tasting drink with little caffeine, ask for a single-shot macchiato or use decaf beans; if you want more, ask for a double. Our macchiato vs latte guide compares the two drinks side by side.

1. 1

   Warm. A demitasse and pull a double shot (about 18g in, 36g out, 26–30 seconds) into it.26–30 seconds

2. 2

   Steam. 30–40 ml of whole milk with 3–4 seconds of aeration for dense microfoam.3–4 seconds

3. 3

   Spoon. (do not pour) a dollop onto the espresso.

4. 4

   Serve. At once; the foam collapses in about a minute.

It tastes almost like straight espresso with a softer first sip, then full intensity, acidity and a short clean finish. Every extra teaspoon of milk moves it toward a cortado.

Because you only need a spoonful of foam, it is easy to over-steam a large amount of milk and waste most of it. Use the smallest pitcher you have and steam just enough to build foam; leftover milk can go into a second drink. If you have no steam wand, a handheld frother or a French press pumped up and down with warm milk gives a usable foam for a macchiato, though it will be less fine than wand-steamed milk.

The espresso matters more in a macchiato than in any other milk drink, because the milk barely softens it. A medium roast that tastes sweet and balanced on its own makes the best macchiato; a very bright light roast can taste sharp, and a very dark roast can taste bitter. Our how to dial in espresso guide helps you get the shot right first. The espresso dial-in calculator tells you what to change after each shot.

Serve it in a warmed demitasse; a cold cup cools the small drink in seconds.

1. 1

   Steam. About 180 ml of whole milk to 65°C with a little more aeration than for a flat white.

2. 2

   Fill. A tall glass (10 oz or more) to about 70%.

3. 3

   Pull. A double espresso within 30 seconds of the milk.30 seconds

4. 4

   Pour. The espresso slowly over a spoon held just above the foam so it settles mid-glass.

Done well it has three layers, so each sip has a slightly different balance.

The layers in a latte macchiato form because foamed milk is lighter than steamed milk and espresso sits between the two. If the drink turns into one beige mix, one of three things usually went wrong.

• The milk was too thin. Whole milk stretched a little more than for a latte gives a thicker foam cap that the espresso can settle under. Skim and many oat milks hold weaker layers.
• The espresso went in too fast. Pour it slowly down the side of the glass or through the centre of the foam in a thin stream.
• The milk sat too long or was too hot. Pull the shot within about 30 seconds of steaming, and keep the milk around 60 to 65°C so the foam has not separated or collapsed.

A tall, clear glass makes the layers easy to see, which is half the point of the drink. If you only care about taste, skip the layering: the flavour is the same as a milky latte. Our latte guide covers the steaming technique in more detail.

• Dial in the shot with a scale; see how to dial in espresso.
• Use a small pitcher and steam a small amount of milk for foam.
• Preheat the cup, because small drinks cool quickly.
• Pre-infusion and temperature stability make sweeter shots.
• For a latte macchiato, pour slowly into steamed milk in a glass, so the layers form.

If you are new to espresso drinks, start with a latte macchiato or a cortado; if you already enjoy straight espresso, the espresso macchiato is the natural next step. Our macchiato vs latte guide compares the two most commonly confused drinks side by side.

If you want more foam than a macchiato gives but less milk than a latte, how to make a cappuccino is the next drink up.