Apple Crisp Macchiato – A Lovely Mess

While I will probably forever be excited for a pumpkin spice latte in the fall, I must admit that I am loving Starbucks’ new apple crisp macchiato. It’s delicious! And so I set out to make my own homemade version that I can make at home anytime I want.

Intro: In case you haven’t tried it, the Starbucks apple crisp macchiato is not like a traditional macchiato, but rather a latte macchiato (so it’s similar to a latte). It tastes like apples and cinnamon and is truly a delight. Their standard is usually made with oat milk, but if you are making your own at home you can use any milk you prefer.

Related: Love coffee drinks? Next up, try a homemade pumpkin cream cold brew, mocha, cappuccino, or an affogato. You can find even more recipes in our full Drinks archive.

Ingredients

• Espresso
• Milk – any percentage or an alternative like oat milk
• Apple crisp simple syrup (see recipe below)

You may also want caramel sauce to drizzle over the top, but it’s optional.

Directions

First, make the apple crisp simple syrup. In a small pot, combine the water, granulated white sugar, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, whisking until the sugar fully dissolves. Then add in the peeled and chopped apple slices and cinnamon stick. Continue to cook on low heat for another hour. Then cover the pot and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, strain the syrup from the apple slices and cinnamon stick. Now you have apple crisp simple syrup.

Brew two shots of espresso. Heat the milk and froth. If your espresso machine has a frothing wand, this will be simple, but if not you can use a milk frother or a frothing wand.

Add the syrup to your coffee mug. Then pour in the hot milk. Then pour the espresso shots through the frothed milk. Top with caramel sauce if using.

Tips for Making

• You don’t have to leave the apples and cinnamon stick soaking in the syrup overnight, but I do think it deepens the flavor.
• If you don’t want to throw the apples away, mash them up and you’ve got applesauce!
• Use any milk you prefer: whole, 2% milk, oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc.
• If you don’t want to make your own apple crisp simple syrup, you can use a store-bought apple syrup and a few pinches of cinnamon. I think the homemade syrup is worth the effort, but this is another option.

Home Espresso Makers:

We’ve tried many espresso makers over the years, and here are our favorites at different price points and skill levels:

• Cafe Automatic Espresso Machine – My current machine. It uses any whole beans, so if you use high quality beans you’ll get high quality espresso. It makes espresso shots automatically (no barista skills required) and includes a milk frothing wand to heat and froth milk. We’ve used this machine almost every day since we got it seven months ago and we love it! It comes in three colors.
• Stovetop Espresso – This is the cheapest way to make espresso at home. It’s more labor intensive and you will also need a way to grind your beans for best results. But, this is a classic method that works great when done well.
• Breville Barista Touch – We bought this for a good friend as a wedding gift once and they said they love it. It’s a higher end machine that you will need some barista skills to operate, but it’s an excellent home espresso maker.
• Nespresso Vertuo – For those who want an espresso maker that uses pods, this is my favorite. Depending what pod you use, it can make espresso or coffee.