Prepare the loved-by-everyone Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato at home! I’ll share the tips and the secrets on how to make this delicious treat.
Slightly sweetened milk on the bottom, ice in the middle, bittersweet espresso on top and rich caramel sauce all over the cup… Isn’t this what you are craving this summer? Get ready to make your very own Iced Caramel Macchiato!
While working at Starbucks, I learned that the #1 most loved espresso drink is the incredible Iced Caramel Macchiato and, today, I am sharing with you how to make this drink at home. The basics are pretty simple. We combine vanilla syrup with cold milk, then add some ice, fresh espresso and top it all off with buttery caramel sauce. Let’s discuss each ingredient.
VANILLA SYRUP.
You can purchase vanilla syrup in a large supermarket, or on Amazon. They even sell Starbucks Vanilla Syrup on Amazon, so that would be your best option to achieve a very authentic Starbucks taste. However, I don’t recommend buying the whole bottle if you are not planning on making Iced or Hot Caramel Macchiatos regularly. If you are just making it once, use homemade simple syrup instead, or, I also like using a little agave syrup (Yum!).
MILK.
At Starbucks we usually use 2% reduced fat milk, but you may choose to use whole milk, non-fat milk or vanilla soy milk. If you use vanilla soy milk, you may skip the vanilla syrup altogether.
ESPRESSO.
I always recommend using a macchinetta to prepare THE BEST TASTING espresso. It is a very convenient and cheap option that guarantees great results. You can shop around and find a macchinetta for as low as $7, but I am secretly dreaming about this beauty: Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker. Here is a useful video demonstrating how to make espresso using macchinetta:
If you’d like to find out a little more about espresso and what kind of coffee beans are best, check out my Hot Caramel Macchiato recipe.
Lastly,
THE CARAMEL SAUCE.
While it is possible to find Starbucks caramel sauce on EBay and sometimes in-stores, I found that this Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce is really wonderful, so I always purchase this kind.
Here is a quick overview of how to make an Iced Caramel Macchiato.
1. Add vanilla syrup to the cup. (2 tsp – 12oz cup, 3 tsp – 16oz cup, 4 tsp – 20oz cup). Of course, you can adjust the sweetness to your liking.
2. Add milk over the syrup (approx. halfway).
3. Add ice, reserving room for espresso.
4. Add espresso (1oz – 12oz cup, 2oz – 16oz cup, 3oz – 20oz cup).
5. Drizzle with caramel sauce on top and enjoy!
Let me know if you have any questions about this Iced Caramel Macchiato. I’ll be happy to answer them. Hope you’ll enjoy this deliciousness as much as I did!
MORE STARBUCKS RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:
- Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino
- Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Starbucks Peppermint White Hot Chocolate
Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato Video Tutorial
Copycat Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vanilla syrup or to taste
- 6 oz. milk
- 1 oz espresso
- caramel sauce to drizzle
- ice
Instructions
- Add vanilla syrup to the cup first, then milk, ice and espresso on top.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
COPYCAT STARBUCKS CARAMEL MACCHIATO
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Can you a achieve a similar drink with coffee instead of espresso? I don’t have an espresso maker and was thinking of using the Statbucks K-cup. I don’t drink espresso enough to invest in a maker. What are your thoughts?
Hi! I don’t think you can make a similar drink without espresso. You can make Iced Coffee with vanilla syrup, add ice, then a splash of milk or cream on top, and finally, drizzle with caramel sauce. It won’t be the same, but it will taste good. If you want the taste similar to Starbucks CM, you can buy an espresso maker under $10 on Amazon. Best wishes!
I have an espresso machine. Do you know what settings I should set it to for the correct strength or is it just trial & error?
Just follow the instructions they provided with the machine, Kim. It should work just fine.
Would you be able to do one on iced white chocolate mocha please?
Hi Katie! Yes. I’ll do it in the near future. Have a great day!
Hi, I was wondering if you know how to make this in a normal Starbucks cup with the lines? Like what lines to go to for milk, espresso, ect. On the cup?
Hi Alex! First, we put vanilla syrup (2-3-5 pumps for tall-grande-venti) into the cup, then we pour milk two the second green line. Then we put ice almost to the top, just leaving about an inch for espresso. Then add espresso (1-1-2 shots for tall-grande-venti). And to finish, just drizzle with caramel syrup. Hope this helps!
I am new to espresso making and only have a regular coffee maker. Not looking to spend a lot of money. What is your thoughts on a stove stop espresso maker?
Hi Riley! That’s exactly what I use and I LOVE it. Also, it’s one of the most popular ways to make espresso in Italy, and these people know how to make good espresso! 🙂