What Is a Macchiato Coffee? Types, Taste, and How It Compares to a Latte

It is a small espresso with a spoonful of milk on top. A lot of cafes use the same name for sweeter more milkier drinks too. In comparison to a latte, it’s usually smaller with less creaminess. Rome serves the tiny espresso. Starbucks serves a big caramel cup. We’ve mixed them up ourselves, so here is everything: the types, the taste, what is a macchiato coffee, and what to say at the counter.

Key Takeaways

• What is a macchiato coffee? A macchiato is espresso marked with a little milk
• Macchiato means stained in Italian
• The classic is tiny, roughly 2-3 oz, bold, only slightly sweet
• Caramel and latte macchiatos are mostly milk, putting them closer to a latte
• One shot of espresso has about 63-75 mg of caffeine, more shots mean a stronger drink
• In Italy, “caldo” gets you warm milk and “freddo” gets you cold

What Is a Macchiato Coffee?

A macchiato is a shot of espresso with a little milk and foam spooned on top. It stands for stained/marked in Italian. It’s called stained because it’s a dark drink with one pale spot in the middle.

Bars came up with it out of habit. Waiters needed to know which espresso had milk in it, so baristas started calling the marked ones macchiato.

Now the name covers a bunch of different drinks, and that’s where the trouble starts.

Is a Macchiato Sweet or Bitter?

It is mostly bold and bitter with a little bit of sweetness from the milk. The spoonful of foam rounds off the sharp edge, though it never really hides the espresso.

Flavored macchiatos are another matter. Order a caramel one, and it’s sweet and creamy right away. We drink the classic without sugar. The first sip bites a little, then it mellows.

Popular Types of Macchiato

The 4 most popular types of Macchiato are the espresso macchiato, long macchiato, latte macchiato, caramel macchiato:

1. Espresso Macchiato

It is 1-2 shots of espresso with almost a spoonful of steamed milk/foam in a small cup. Only 3 sips, and you’re done.

2. Long Macchiato

A long macchiato is a double shot with slightly more milk in a slightly bigger cup. Cafes build it differently, so ask what goes in before you pay, since the answer varies a lot.

3. Latte Macchiato

It is steamed milk in a tall glass with espresso poured slowly through the foam; everything in this one is completely backwards. You get a brown mark on top, mostly milk underneath, and a soft coffee flavor. The name means “stained milk.”

4. Caramel Macchiato

It basically is vanilla syrup, steamed milk, espresso with a caramel drizzle to finish. In 1996, Starbucks launched. A grande has:

• ~250 calories
• 33 g of sugar
• 150 mg of caffeine

Honestly, it’s a vanilla latte in a caramel hat. The iced one, with cold milk and ice, is our summer go-to. We ordered our first, expecting a small espresso, and got a huge, sweet cup instead.

Too sweet? Ask for fewer pumps of vanilla. It helps a lot.

One more thing: it isn’t meant to be stirred, since the layers change from sip to sip. Mix it if you’d rather have an even sweetness.

Macchiato vs Latte: What’s the Difference?

The big difference is the milk. A macchiato is a short yet strong espresso with just a dab of milk on top. A latte is a big mug that’s mostly steamed milk with a little espresso in it:

Espresso Macchiato vs Caramel Macchiato: Which Should You Order?

If you want strong coffee, go for an espresso macchiato. Order the caramel one for something creamy that you can sip slowly.

It comes down to the build: 

• The classic starts with espresso and adds milk
• The caramel version starts with milk and finishes with espresso 

This flip changes the taste completely:

• Coffee first in macchiato
• Dessert first in the other

Is a macchiato stronger than a cappuccino? 

Yes, in taste. Since the espresso is less watered down. Caffeine is identical when each has one shot.

Macchiato vs Cappuccino vs Cortado

1. The macchiato has the least milk of the all 3 
2. A cappuccino is roughly equal parts espresso, steamed milk, foam
3. A cortado is close to half espresso, half warm milk

Is a Macchiato Stronger Than Coffee?

It is stronger in flavor but not in caffeine:

• A single-shot Macchiato has 63-75 mg
• 8 oz drip coffee has 95 mg
• Go double, and you get 130 mg

Cup size matters more than the name, so a larger cup carries more caffeine than the classic.

What Kind of Milk Is Used in a Macchiato?

Whole milk is mostly used in a macchiato. Its fat and natural sugar make even a tiny splash feel creamy.

• Oat milk is our favorite swap because it froths well and tastes a touch sweet
• Almond and soy work, but the foam comes out thin 

Steam it gently around 140-150°F, so it stays sweet instead of scalded. We use whole for the classic and oat for iced ones.

What Is the Correct Way to Drink a Macchiato?

• Drink it right away, hot, while the foam is still standing
• Sip water first to reset your palate
• Taste foam and espresso together on the first sip
• Stir gently for a mellow cup, or leave it layered for a stronger start
• Finish in a few sips, since a small cup cools fast
• Skip the stirring with latte and caramel macchiatos and sip through the layers

When Should You Drink a Macchiato?

Late morning or after lunch, if you follow Italian habit. A cappuccino feels heavy by then and plain espresso feels sharp, so the macchiato fits right in the middle.

How to Order a Macchiato

In Italy, you can simply ask for “un caffè macchiato.” If you prefer warm milk, ask for caldo; for cold milk, say freddo. Only saying “latte” isn’t enough, though. You’ll likely get a glass of milk. For the larger, milkier drink, order a latte macchiato.

Everywhere else, say “espresso macchiato” for the small classic. At many chains, “macchiato” alone gets you the caramel kind.

Want a bit more milk? Ask for a macchiatone. It’s a larger macchiato, basically a mini latte.

What Beans Work Best for a Macchiato?

Medium and dark roast beans are perfect for a macchiato. With these, you’ll get more nutty flavors, which still shines after adding the milk. A lot of light roasts have more acidic notes, which can taste super sharp.

Freshly ground beans are a perfect fit if you have them. Also, one tip is not to let the espresso shot run too long, so you get a shot full of flavor and the coffee doesn’t get lost in the milk.

How to Make a Macchiato at Home

To make a macchiato at home, you only need a shot of espresso with a spoonful of frothed milk:

1. Start by warming a small cup with hot water
2. Then pull a shot of espresso into it
3. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of milk and froth it
4. Spoon the foam on top
5. Serve it right away

No machine? A moka pot and a handheld frother do fine. Our first tries had far too much milk and came out as mini lattes.

Final Thoughts

Classic espresso macchiato makes the name make sense. The sweeter versions share that name, but each tastes like its own drink. Not sure What is a macchiato coffee? Ask the barista what’s in it.

And if you’re ever in an Italian bar, don’t grab a table. Locals drink theirs standing at the counter, and it’s finished in minutes.

FAQs

Why are macchiatos not mixed?

They are not mixed because the layers are the whole point. The espresso marks the milk, so the first sip is strong. It normally softens as you keep drinking.

Is macchiato coffee hot or cold?

Traditionally hot. Iced versions do exist like the iced caramel macchiato. Those versions use cold milk and ice. “Freddo” in Italy refers to cold milk.

What’s healthier, a macchiato or a latte?

The classic macchiato. It contains only a spoonful of milk. Thus, landing well under 50 calories. 12 oz latte easily goes past 100 calories. Syrup can easily push flavored macchiatos to ~250 calories.

What is sweeter, a mocha or a macchiato?

A mocha, all because of the chocolate. A traditional macchiato is the least sweet of the bunch. However, caramel macchiato can easily come close to a mocha.

What’s stronger, an iced latte or a macchiato?

In flavor, the macchiato. In caffeine, it depends on the shots. A grande iced latte normally has 2 shots, ~150 mg, which is double a single-shot macchiato.