Macchiato – A Lovely Mess

For coffee aficionados seeking a strong yet balanced espresso drink, the macchiato is a delightful choice. This Italian classic, meaning “stained” or “marked” in Italian, is an artful combination of rich espresso and velvety steamed milk.

If you’re looking to create a perfectly balanced macchiato that showcases the boldness of espresso while taming its intensity with a touch of milk, this is it.

And if you’re thinking, “Is this a Starbucks caramel macchiato?” it is not. A classic macchiato is truly just hot espresso with a little foamed milk on top. The Starbucks version you may be thinking of is actually a latte macchiato with caramel.

A latte macchiato is steamed milk that is stained by espresso on top. It’s essentially the backwards version of a latte. If you want to learn to make more coffee drinks, check out our full drinks archive for more!

Related: Next up, learn the correct way to make a Latte, a Cappuccino, or an Affogato.

Ingredients

• espresso
• whole milk or a milk alternative

While whole milk will work best to create that light and airy foam a macchiato is known for, you can use other percentages of dairy milk or a non-dairy alternative if you prefer.

Directions

The foundation of any macchiato is a robust shot of espresso. Using high-quality coffee beans and a reliable espresso machine, brew a single or double shot of espresso.

The key to a well-balanced macchiato lies in a perfectly extracted shot, so ensure your equipment is well maintained and your coffee grounds are fresh.

While the espresso is brewing, start steaming your milk. The goal is to create a velvety foam.

Carefully pour your freshly brewed espresso into the prepared cup (or brew directly into the cup if your machine can do this).

The macchiato’s defining touch is the dollop of steamed milk “marking” the espresso. Gently hold back the frothy part of the milk using a spoon and pour the silky microfoam over the espresso.

The amount of milk should be minimal—just enough to soften the espresso’s intensity without overwhelming its flavor.

Tips for Success

• Choose a small espresso cup or a demitasse for your macchiato. This will help maintain the proper ratio of milk to espresso, as the macchiato is a concentrated drink. You can serve this in a standard coffee mug if that’s all you have on hand, but it will look mostly empty and will cool a little faster than a small espresso cup.
• For a traditional macchiato, use whole milk, as its creamy texture complements the espresso beautifully. However, if you prefer a dairy-free option, almond, soy, oat, or coconut milk can work as well.
• If your espresso machine doesn’t have a steaming wand to help create foam, you can simply heat the milk on the stove top and use a frothing wand or whisk to foam the milk.

The macchiato is a timeless classic that brings out the best of espresso’s boldness and the smoothness of steamed milk.

Creating this small, yet mighty coffee drink is a rewarding experience that allows you to indulge in the art of coffee-making. Enjoy your coffee break!