How to Make a Macchiato at Home

In Italian, macchiato means 'marked' or 'stained'. A proper espresso macchiato is exactly that: an espresso with a small spoonful of milk foam on top. It's the strongest milky coffee on the menu, and one of the quickest to make at home.

What you need

• An espresso machine with a steam wand
• Espresso coffee, such as our Momentum Espresso
• A small 350ml milk jug
• A small cup, around 3 to 4oz

The recipe

1. Pull a single or double espresso into a small warmed cup. Our espresso guide has the recipe.
2. Steam a little milk in your jug until it's warm (60 to 65°C) with plenty of foam.
3. Spoon one or two teaspoons of foam onto the middle of the espresso.
4. Serve straight away, while the crema and foam are still distinct.

Macchiato vs cortado

A macchiato has just a dot of foam. A cortado has roughly equal parts espresso and warm milk, so it's smoother and a little bigger. If you've ordered a 'caramel macchiato' in a chain café, that's really a layered latte with syrup, not a traditional macchiato.

Tips

• Steam more milk than you need. It's hard to make good foam with only a tablespoon in the jug.
• Use a full-bodied, chocolatey espresso. Bright, fruity coffees can taste sharp with so little milk.

A macchiato with a splash of semi-skimmed milk is only around 15 kcal. Try different drinks in our coffee calorie calculator.

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