Coffee Drink
Espresso Macchiato: Recipe, Milk Amount and Latte Differences
An espresso macchiato is espresso with a small mark of milk or soft foam. It keeps the shot concentrated while adding a little milk sweetness and texture; a latte macchiato is a much larger, milk-first drink.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- 75 mg referenceGeneric USDA espresso, 36 gThe espresso supplies the caffeine.
- Calories
- Estimated 6 kcal36 g espresso + 5 g whole milkIngredient estimate for the served portion, without sugar or syrup.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 1 double-espresso macchiato; 41 g (1.4 oz) served
- Made with
- Espresso with a small mark of textured milk
- Sugar
- Estimated 0.3 g total. Naturally present in the small whole-milk portion; no added sugar.
- Preparation
- About 5 minutes with equipment ready
Nutrition counts the textured milk actually served, including its foam, using generic USDA ingredient values. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Choose an espresso macchiato for a little milk softness while keeping the shot short and concentrated.
- 2A cortado is the next step if you want more milk through the coffee.
- 3Say espresso macchiato when ordering to distinguish it from a large sweetened macchiato.
On This Page11 Sections
How Much Milk Goes Into a Macchiato?
A small mark of milk or foam, rather than a glassful. Breville's macchiato method prepares 100 ml (3.4 US fl oz) milk but serves only two teaspoons of textured milk foam. Nespresso's classic version lists a larger frothing quantity and spoons foam over the espresso.
Measure the milk that reaches the cup separately from the frothing stock:
| Measurement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Milk in the pitcher or frother | Enough milk for the equipment to work |
| Milk spooned onto the espresso | The much smaller portion you drink |
| Foam volume | Milk plus trapped air; its weight varies with texture |
How to Make an Espresso Macchiato
Recipe
Espresso Macchiato
- Makes:
- 1 serving, 41 g (1.4 oz)
- Time:
- About 5 minutes with equipment ready
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee, ground for espresso, to yield 36 g espresso
- 5 g textured whole milk, including foam, to serve; prepare it from 120 ml (4 US fl oz) cold whole milk or your frother’s minimum fill
Equipment
- Espresso machine with steam wand, or espresso machine and heated milk frother
- Grinder and tamper
- Scale reading to 0.1 g
- Milk pitcher suited to the starting milk quantity
- Thermometer
- Teaspoon
- 90 ml (3 US fl oz) demitasse
Method
- Prepare. Warm a 90 ml (3 US fl oz) demitasse. Put 120 ml (4 US fl oz) cold whole milk in a suitable pitcher, or use your frother’s minimum fill. Most milk will not be served.
- Brew. Distribute 18 g ground coffee evenly in the basket, tamp level, then extract 36 g espresso into the demitasse. Adjust the grind for your beans and machine.
- Texture. Steam to 60–65°C (140–149°F), adding a little air for soft foam, or use the frother’s hot-foam setting. Wipe and purge the steam wand after use. Swirl to integrate.
- Mark. Tare the espresso cup on the scale. Spoon in textured milk and foam until the added mass reaches 5 g. Serve promptly.
Estimated nutrition: 6 kcal · 0.3 g total sugar. Per macchiato, counting only the 5 g whole-milk topping served.
Use a dose suitable for your double basket and aim for a balanced extraction. The espresso brewing guide covers extraction in detail.
Macchiato vs. Latte Macchiato and Cortado
Espresso macchiato is the small coffee-first drink. The word macchiato alone can be ambiguous on a menu, especially where a larger flavored version is familiar.
For the French café order, see café noisette: espresso with a small addition of milk. It can overlap with an espresso macchiato; the name usually refers to the drink's color, not added hazelnut flavor.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Drink | What changes | Choose it when… |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso macchiato | Espresso first, then a small mark of textured milk | You want most of the espresso's character |
| Latte macchiato | Frothed milk first, then espresso poured into it | You want a milk-led drink, often served in a tall glass |
| Caramel macchiato | A sweetened milk-coffee preparation | You want vanilla and caramel rather than a plain espresso drink |
| Cortado | More milk, commonly near equal espresso and milk volumes | You want a fuller milk balance in a small glass |
| Latte | Espresso first, then a larger pour of steamed milk | You want a gentler, milk-forward cup |
| Piccolo latte | A small latte-style glass with a single espresso portion | You want silky milk through the drink, not just a mark |
For the reverse milk-first style, Nespresso’s latte macchiato recipe (PDF) adds espresso to hot milk and finishes with more froth.
The Starbucks at Home caramel recipe combines espresso, milk, vanilla syrup and caramel sauce. Its name does not mean the plain espresso macchiato needs caramel or added sugar. For a wider comparison, see small milk coffees explained.
What Does an Espresso Macchiato Taste Like?
An espresso macchiato stays close to straight espresso. The small milk mark adds a soft, lightly sweet mouthful at the surface, while the coffee underneath keeps its concentrated flavor and lingering finish. Cocoa, fruit or roast bitterness comes from the espresso, with much less milk to soften it than in a cortado.
I prefer a soft milk mark with a little liquid beneath the foam because it rounds the sip without covering the espresso’s character.
Macchiato Caffeine, Calories and Serving Size
This recipe has an estimated 6 kcal and 0.3 g total sugar for 36 g espresso plus 5 g whole milk, without syrup or added sugar.
The generic caffeine reference is 75 mg for this 36 g espresso portion. Beans, dose and brewing affect the actual caffeine.
Serving calculation and source assumptions
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Served ingredient | Amount | Estimated energy |
|---|---|---|
| Brewed espresso | 36 g | 3.24 kcal |
| Whole milk in the textured portion | 5 g | 3.05 kcal |
| Total, rounded | 41 g | 6 kcal |
The calculation uses USDA espresso, FDC 171891, at 9 kcal per 100 g, and whole milk, FDC 171265, at 61 kcal and 5.05 g sugar per 100 g. The weighed topping uses a whole-milk proxy; steaming and drainage can change it slightly. Only the 5 g served milk is counted, not all 120 ml frothing stock.
For caffeine, the same generic USDA espresso record gives 212 mg per 100 g. At a reference portion of 36 g, that is 76.32 mg, shown here as a 75 mg reference.
With the same espresso, a macchiato and latte have essentially the same total caffeine; extra milk changes concentration and taste. A small double macchiato can therefore contain more caffeine than a large latte made from less coffee.
What Macchiato Means When You Order
Macchiato means marked or stained in Italian: the small milk addition marks the espresso.
For a clear café order, ask for “an espresso macchiato, please: a small espresso with a little milk foam.” Add single or double if you have a preference.
Long macchiato can mean a larger coffee base with a small milk mark. Flinders Lane Café describes double espresso over a little hot water, then foam; its topped-up version fills the glass with steamed milk. Ask for the espresso portion, whether water is added and the milk fill you want.
Both Breville and Nespresso describe the milk as a mark on the espresso.
Espresso Macchiato Variations
- Single: use the appropriate single-shot recipe for your equipment, then add a smaller milk mark to taste. A single basket and half of a double extraction are different workflows.
- Wetter: spoon a little more liquid milk with the foam. State the amount when calculating nutrition rather than assuming every macchiato matches this recipe.
- Plant milk: choose a product intended for coffee, follow its heating directions and serve the same 5 g textured topping. Recalculate calories from its label; foam stability and taste vary by product.
- Decaf: use decaffeinated espresso. This reduces caffeine but does not necessarily remove it completely.
Without a steam wand, a milk frother can prepare the small topping. A capsule machine can provide the coffee base using its own espresso setting. For a moka-pot variation, follow the moka-pot method, then add the 5 g milk mark to a small portion of the prepared coffee. Its extraction and caffeine basis differ from espresso.
Macchiato Troubleshooting
| Problem | First adjustment |
|---|---|
| It tastes like a small latte | Check the milk actually served; leave the frothing stock behind |
| The coffee is sour, harsh or hollow | Taste the espresso alone and adjust extraction before adding milk |
| The foam is stiff and dry | Introduce less air; use soft textured milk soon after steaming |
| The topping disappears quickly | Swirl freshly textured milk and serve promptly; product choice also matters |
| The cup overflows | Leave headroom for crema and foam; a cup's capacity is not its serving target |
For detailed extraction corrections, use the espresso dial-in guide. A little liquid milk beneath the foam is normal.
Common Questions
Is a macchiato sweet?
Can I stir a macchiato?
Is an iced caramel macchiato the same drink?
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
7 references
External links open in a new tab
Preparation & naming
- Macchiato preparation and milk foamBreville · Published two-teaspoon topping and 60–65°C milk guidance; our served mass is an editorial choice.(opens in a new tab)
- Classic espresso macchiatoNespresso · Frothing stock versus foam spooned onto espresso, and the meaning of the name.(opens in a new tab)
- Caramel macchiato ingredientsStarbucks at Home · The larger milk, vanilla and caramel recipe used for the naming comparison.(opens in a new tab)
- Milk-first latte macchiato (PDF)PDFNespresso · Espresso added to hot milk, supporting the reverse naming comparison.(opens in a new tab)