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
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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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This was very tasty. I didn’t have vanilla syrup so I used a little agave and a little hazelnut syrup mixed together. I had everything else and it turned out great.
Thank you
Perfect! Thanks, Debby!
Just made this and loved it! Thank you for saving me $5! I used what I had on hand (luckily I have a small espresso maker). So delish!
Awesome! Thanks, Laura!
Thank you for this!!! What is the exact espresso that Starbucks uses? I have a Keurig and want to see if I can find the espresso sold as a K pod to make this, thanks!
Hi Cassi! Starbucks is using Espresso Roast. I believe they have this option in K cups as well. Let me know if you try it!
Just to confirm, you pour the hot espresso over the ice? Or do you let the espresso cool down first (I’ve found this makes the espresso bitter).
Hi Anna! That how we do at Starbucks. You can cool your espresso if you prefer.
Can i use espresso instant instead?
I have never tried it, but I think you can. Let me know if you’ll make it, Angel!