Last verified 17 September 2026
Copycat Caramel Macchiato Recipe
How to build the 7 Brew Caramel Macchiato at home — 4 ingredients, 9 minutes, 281 calories a serving, and roughly $2.97 cheaper per drink than the $5.20 you would pay at the window. This is the recipe I keep coming back to when I am not standing in line.
What you are aiming for — a Caramel Macchiato off the board. The stand's Medium is 281 calories; this version comes in at 281.
A Caramel Macchiato is a macchiato build. The defining move in a macchiato is pouring the espresso through the foam, not into the milk. Stir it and you have made a latte. Get the foam stiff enough to hold the shot and it layers itself.
At a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 4 minutes |
| Total time | 9 minutes |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Yield | 1 drink (16 oz) |
| Calories (per serving) | 281 kcal |
| Sugar | 24 g |
| Caffeine | 158 mg |
| Home cost | $2.23 |
| Stand price (Medium) | $5.20 |
| You save | $2.97 (57%) |
Ingredients
- 2 shots espresso (60 ml)
- 240 ml whole milk
- 2 tbsp caramel syrup and 1 tsp vanilla syrup
- a caramel drizzle over the foam
Equipment
- Espresso machine or moka pot
- Milk frother
- Tall 16 oz glass
- Spoon
How to make it
- Froth 240 ml of whole milk to 60 °C and pour it into a tall glass, leaving about 2 cm of headspace.
- Let the foam rise for 30 seconds so it sets into a firm lid — that is what the espresso has to sit on.
- Pull 2 shots of espresso (60 ml) into a separate small cup.
- Pour the espresso very slowly over the back of a spoon onto the centre of the foam. Done right it punches through and marks the top instead of mixing in.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp caramel syrup and 1 tsp vanilla syrup over the surface in a cross-hatch, then add a caramel drizzle over the foam.
- Do not stir before the first sip — the point is the bitter-then-sweet gradient.
Tips that actually matter
- Froth stiffer than you think — it has to carry the espresso.
- Pour the espresso over the back of a spoon; it breaks the fall and keeps the layers.
- Drizzle the caramel in a cross-hatch so every sip gets some.
Variations
- Iced caramel macchiato: ice, milk, then espresso poured over the top.
- Salted caramel version: a pinch of flaky salt in the drizzle.
- Add 1 tsp of hazelnut for a nutty caramel macchiato.
What it costs to make at home
| Component | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| 2 shots espresso (60 ml) | $0.55 |
| 240 ml whole milk | $0.48 |
| 2 tbsp caramel syrup and 1 tsp vanilla syrup | $0.35 |
| a caramel drizzle over the foam | $0.35 |
| Total per serving | $2.23 |
| Stand price (Medium 24 oz) | $5.20 |
| Saving per drink | $2.97 |
Costs assume supermarket prices and a syrup bottle amortised over roughly 25 drinks. The first drink is more expensive than $2.23 because you are buying the bottle; by the fifth drink you are clearly ahead.
How this recipe compares
Across all 46 copycat recipes on this site, this one is the 33rd fastest at 9 minutes and the 19th lightest at 281 calories — 21 calories below the 302-calorie average.
Same technique (macchiato)
More Coffee Classics recipes
Verified · prices & nutrition are estimates — confirm at your stand