Caramel Macchiato vs caramel lattes are very similar drinks with slight differences in ingredients and flavor. You might not fully understand the difference until you brew and taste them yourself. The addition of caramel makes these coffees creamier and sweeter.
So what is the difference? Caramel Macchiato mixes espresso with caramel syrup and uses less milk. At the same time, a caramel latte adds caramel sauce as a sweetener and uses foamed milk.
Caramel-dominated coffees are designed explicitly for caramel enthusiasts. If you love the rich, sweet flavor of caramel, nothing compares to the taste of a macchiato or a latte.
If you’re a coffee enthusiast who also loves caramel taste, the combination of caramel and coffee delivers an amazingly delicious taste.
Also, check the difference between an iced latte and an iced mocha.
These two drinks have specific differences that you should remember when ordering. However, you can customize your drink to achieve the perfect taste.
Infographic comparison: ingredients, taste, calories, and caffeine.
In this article, I will discuss the differences between two drinks and which drink suits your taste. But first, let’s consider what these two drinks are all about.
Espresso vs Americano vs Cappuccino vs Latte: Comparison
What is Caramel in coffee?
Caramel is a highly sweet, creamy made, thick liquid or syrup; it adds sweetness and creaminess to the coffee. If you are a fan of caramel, you can add it to many other foods. You can add ice cream and beverages.
Why is it so sweet and creamy? Because of the ingredients that it includes. Caramel has sugar, butter, heavy cream, and water.
- It is created by heating and mixing all the ingredients. It is prepared in thick liquid or hard candy form.
- You can make caramel at home to use in your favorite coffee.
- Caramel is a rich, sweet flavor with a distinct aroma. So, prepare your caramel coffee, keeping in mind the sweetness of caramel.
I suggest you prepare caramel in thick liquid form for adding to coffee; it will dissolve quickly. Caramel is a delightfully delicious and amazingly creamy substance that can be used in most homemade dishes.
Related article.
Iced Latte Vs Iced Macchiato: Why Are They Different?
What is a Caramel Latte?
A latte is already a creamier and sweeter coffee, and adding caramel makes it even sweeter and creamier. If you don’t want high calories, you should avoid caramel lattes.
However, if you love sweetness and creaminess, nothing can give you a more delicious taste.
But first let’s look at what a regular latte is.
- A regular latte is prepared with one shot of espresso and 2/3 of steamed and foamed milk. The ratio of espresso to milk is 1:3.
- A latte is steamed and foamed milk-dominated coffee. It usually serves in a 16-oz. glass, and 4 oz. consists of espresso, and the other 12 oz. comprises foamed and steamed milk.
- And adds uniqueness by making latte art at the top with foamed milk. That gives it a different appearance, which makes it a special drink.
Latte is a widely consumed drink; it tastes sweeter and more flavorful. A latte drink can be added with different flavors. Nothing is better than adding caramel.
So, liquid caramel is another flavor that we add to a latte. However, it is important to remember to pour caramel syrup into the espresso cup before adding steamed milk.
I will discuss later during brewing why caramel is added to espresso before adding steamed milk.
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What is a Caramel Macchiato?
Caramel syrup or liquid can also be added to a latte macchiato for a delicious, flavorful coffee. It is pretty similar to a cappuccino with espresso and foam at the top, with fewer calories.
- A regular Macchiato is an espresso-dominated drink that is slightly sweeter but more bitter than coffee.
- A regular Macchiato is prepared differently from a regular latte. Macchiato comes with one or two espresso shots and adds a gallop of steamed and foamed milk.
- Whereas in a latte, we pour milk into the espresso.
- In a caramel macchiato, we add vanilla syrup and drizzle caramel sauce or syrup on top of the foam. It is a sweeter and milkier coffee.
- The macchiato creates a beautiful layer of milk, espresso, and caramel. The vanilla flavor is added.
If you don’t like the vanilla taste, you can avoid it.
Some people prefer a ristretto shot in making caramel macchiato. Ristretto is the smallest espresso, giving a less intense and bitter taste in caramel macchiato.
If you don’t want a strong espresso taste, add a ristretto shot in caramel Macchiato.
A caramel Macchiato is a delicious drink to make and enjoy, even though it contains more calories than regular Macchiato.
What is the difference between a caramel macchiato and a caramel latte?
The first significant difference is that a Caramel macchiato pours vanilla syrup with caramel, while a caramel latte only adds caramel sweetener. Let’s see the difference in more detail.
Do they have different brewing methods?
The brewing process makes or breaks a coffee’s taste; perfectly managed brewing can give a delicious, mouthwatering taste.
But a slight mistake can spoil the taste. When we see a caramel latte and a caramel Macchiato, there is a specific difference in the brewing process.
- First, we make an espresso shot as we do in most coffee flavors.
- Now pour caramel syrup on top of the espresso.
- And mix espresso with caramel well before adding steamed milk.
- Add foamed milk to make a beautiful texture. The Caramel latte makes a stunning texture with the addition of caramel and steamed milk.
In contrast, we first make steamed milk and put it into a large glass, and then we pour the espresso into the drink. Now, an important part of Caramel Macchiato is adding vanilla syrup.
Lastly, we add caramel drizzle to get a more sweet, delicious coffee.
It is something close to an upside-down latte; if you don’t have any idea what it is, you must check how to make an upside-down latte.
Do they differ in the Usage of milk?
A regular Macchiato uses only a gallop of steamed milk. It is basically espresso-dominated coffee; milky adds slight sweetness and texture.
But in Caramel Macchiato, we add more milk, making it more creamy and subtle. And with adding vanilla and Caramel, the Macchiato makes a sweeter and more delicious drink.
A Caramel latte has a similar milk and espresso ratio; it only adds caramel syrups. So you don’t need to add extra milk volume or reduce the milk content.
However, you can customize your caramel latte by adding two espresso shots instead of one and reducing milk to 1/3. It will make the caramel latte more pungent and more bitter.
Similarly, in Caramel Macchiato, the volume of milk can be increased to half a cup and reducing the espresso shot will make the Macchiato less intense coffee.
Also, try brewing iced doppio espresso at home.
So while comparing the milk content between the two flavors, a caramel macchiato is made with a small volume of milk and is frothed to get steamed and slightly foamed milk.
Caramel latte vs. caramel macchiato: Taste difference?
Caramel Macchiato Taste
- Layered flavor
- First sip tastes milk-forward and sweet
- Followed by bold espresso bitterness
- Caramel drizzle sits mostly on top → sweetness hits early, then fades
Overall: Caramel Macchiato is stronger, sharper, and more complex
Caramel latte taste
- Smooth and blended
- Espresso is mixed fully with milk
- Caramel syrup is stirred in, so the sweetness is consistent
- No sharp bitterness
Overall: Caramel latte is creamier, sweeter, and more balanced
When I decide to pick any coffee, the first thing that comes to my mind is the taste of that drink. Also, I check the caffeine and calorie content to keep a balanced diet.
A Caramel latte has a smoother coffee taste but has more calories. And the caramel Macchiato is a comparatively much more intense and bitter drink.
So, both drinks taste different. The caramel latte is a milk-dominated drink with a sweeter and milder taste. Milk dilutes the bold and bitter taste of espresso.
In a caramel macchiato, the small volume of milk adds to the espresso and caramel. And caramel at the top makes it slightly sweeter but still has a bitter, solid taste.
Also, if you add extra flavor like vanilla, the taste gets smoother.
Difference in calories?
Both flavors are strong in calories; however, the caramel latte contains more calories than the caramel macchiato.
Calories vary based on milk type and size, but here’s a general comparison (12-oz, whole milk):
| Drink | Calories | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Caramel Macchiato | 250 kcal | Moderate |
| Caramel Latte | 270 kcal | Higher |
Caramel latte vs caramel macchiato: Which drink is healthier?
A drink that has more calories and caffeine is one that is less healthy. So when you decide to consume a particular coffee, check how much calories and caffeine it contains.
Both these coffee flavors contain a lot of calories. But a Caramel latte has more calories; in that case, it is less healthy than a Caramel macchiato.
But the caffeine content will increase if you prepare a Macchiato with two espresso shots. Since caramel contains many calories, it adds a lot of calories to both drinks.
However, caramel macchiato has less protein, fat, and calories than a caramel latte. So, if we compare them from a health perspective, caramel macchiato is a healthier coffee than a caramel latte.
Iced Caramel Macchiato vs Iced Caramel Latte
Both these flavors can be made with ice. When iced, the difference becomes even more noticeable.
- Iced caramel macchiato: Espresso floats on top, strong first sip, visually layered
- Iced caramel latte: Fully mixed, consistently sweet and smooth
In hot weather, an iced caramel latte feels easier to drink, while macchiato appeals to those who enjoy espresso-forward flavors.
Which drink is more favorable for Customization?
Even though both drinks can be customized, the caramel latte is a challenging coffee to customize. Because the size of the drink and all the ingredients are mixed, it becomes difficult to add anything.
But you can reduce the milk volume and add any flavor instead.
On the other hand, the Caramel Macchiato is a relatively easy drink to customize. You can add vanilla, hazelnuts, chocolate sauce, or cinnamon powder.
Also, another good option is adding whipping cream, which makes the caramel macchiato creamy and fluffy.
Now, let’s check how they differ when adding ice cubes to these flavors.
Iced caramel latte vs iced caramel macchiato: what is the difference?
When you prepare these drinks in summer, add iced cubes to make them cold drinks. Adding iced cubes may not impact the taste of coffee. It makes coffee cold and refreshing.
The iced cubes can be add at the top of the caramel latte, but all other ingredients will remain the same.
However, keep in mind to add caramel syrup into the cup of espresso and milk, and mix all the flavors before adding the ice cubes.
On the other hand, an iced latte macchiato is prepared with milk poured into a glass of iced cubes. Afterwards, espresso pours into the glass.
And lastly, caramel is added at the top. This iced drink also adds different flavors.
So, other differences will remain the same between an iced caramel latte and an iced caramel Macchiato; the only difference is that both drinks become cold with the addition of ice.
Also, check the difference between dirty chai and chai latte.
Starbucks caramel latte vs caramel macchiato
At Starbucks:
- Caramel macchiato uses vanilla syrup + caramel drizzle
- A caramel latte uses caramel syrup only
- Starbucks macchiato is intentionally layered, not stirred
Starbucks makes these drinks highly customizable. Anyone can order a customized drink according to his or her preferences. Ask a barista for a taste and flavor, and he will make a perfect drink for you.
A caramel macchiato comes with one espresso shot, vanilla syrup, caramel sauce, and steamed milk. If you order a Grande size, the barista will add two espresso shots instead of one.
Whereas a caramel latte is more of a milk drink. It includes one espresso, milk, caramel sauce, and syrup.
A barista may add less milk and put other flavors in a caramel latte if you like. Starbucks has many variations of these drinks.
Caramel latte uses caramel sauce and syrup to give a unique taste, and adding milk gives it a distinct texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Both use milk and espresso, but the preparation and flavor are different.
A caramel latte uses more milk and less coffee. It includes high milk, which dilutes the strong taste of coffee. Caramel makes coffee sweeter and creamier.
A caramel latte is better for beginners due to its smooth, sweet taste.
Yes, it tastes stronger because the espresso is not mixed into the milk.
Another interesting article.
Caffe Misto: How To Make It, And What Is It?
Conclusion: Which drink to pick?
Prefer Caramel Macchiato if:
- You enjoy strong espresso flavor
- You like layered drinks
- You want less sweetness
Pick Caramel Latte if:
- You prefer smooth, creamy coffee
- You like sweeter drinks
- You’re new to espresso
Caramel is enough to make your drink heavy, creamy, and sweet. I suggest you use only caramel in these drinks instead of adding other flavors.
Nothing much difference between a caramel macchiato and a caramel latte.
It is your preference which drinks you prefer. The sweeter and more flavorful caramel latte will.
And the caramel Macchiato has a more espresso-dominated taste, but caramel makes it sweeter, too. Always try to make both drinks before picking any flavor.