How to Make an Iced Caramel Macchiato

So you want an iced caramel macchiato to beat the heat during the dog days of summer? Why not skip the long lines, the trip to the cafe, and the hassle of changing out of your pyjamas and make your iced caramel macchiato instead? Trust us. It’s worth it.

Extra notes:

For the Homemade Vanilla Syrup

• Two cups water
• One cup of granulated sugar
• One cup of dark brown sugar, packed
• One vanilla bean
• ⅛ teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract

For the Homemade Caramel Sauce

• One cup of granulated sugar
• One cup of dark brown sugar
• One cup water
• One cup of warm whole milk
• Two tablespoons of salted butter

For the Cold Brew Coffee Ice Cubes

• 475 ml of fresh cold brew coffee

How to Make an Iced Caramel Macchiato at Home

So, let’s address the burning question we know is on the tip of everyone’s tongue: Isn’t a caramel macchiato just a traditional macchiato with caramel? No, and no.

You see, aeons ago, in 1996, a particular siren-themed coffee shop—I’m looking at you, Starbucks—put the caramel macchiato on the map. Unbeknownst to much of the latte-loving public, this new-fangled coffee craze was worlds apart from your classic latte macchiato. And it’s a far cry from an espresso macchiato, too.

So, what’s a caramel macchiato? An espresso-based drink with a bit of milk, a little vanilla syrup, ice cubes, and caramel sauce—measured from the heart.

To make this caramel macchiato, you’ll need to use the best espresso beans and a great espresso machine.

Home Grounds has included recipes for cold brew ice cubes, vanilla syrup, and a creamy, fudgy caramel sauce for the most delicious results. But, if you need your morning coffee, like, now, then store-bought versions of vanilla syrup and caramel sauce will work just well.

Step 1: Make Your Cold Brew Ice Cubes

Add 475 ml of cold brew to an ice cube tray to make these ice cubes. Then, put the tray into the freezer to chill.

Step 2: Make Your Caramel Sauce

In a saucepan, combine one cup of granulated sugar, one cup of brown sugar, and one cup of water. Cover it with a lid, and allow it to come to a boil at medium-high heat.

Once the water is boiling, remove the lid and cook the caramel until it turns a deep golden brown. You’re looking for a deep, caramel aroma.

Then, slowly stir in one cup of warm milk with a whisk. Be patient and gentle with this step, as your milk can boil up, and your caramel may separate if you add the milk in too quickly. Also, hot, melted sugar can make for some not-nice burns, so put on oven mitts if you’d like.

Next, return your caramel-and-milk mixture to the heat, and let it meld together at a slight boil. Continue gently whisking until it thickens up to a sauce-like consistency.

Lastly, take your sauce off the heat. Cut your two tablespoons of salted butter into cubes and slowly whisk it into your sauce. You’re looking to create a fudgy, creamy consistency.

Once everything is well-incorporated, and the mixture is cool, transfer it into a separate container.

Also, since this step involves a lot of whisking, why not save yourself the arm workout and try a double-balloon whisk? In short, this whisk looks like a regular balloon whisk with a small stainless steel cage and ball bearing inside. The theory goes that as you whisk your ingredients, the extra heft of the ball bearing inside the inner cage helps to aerate your mixture faster.

For even better results, gently whisk the sauce from side to side, not in circles or with a beating motion. Why? The side-to-side motion of a whisk applies more sheer force to one layer of the mixture, which helps the rest of the mixture combine evenly.

Step 3: Make Your Vanilla Syrup

To make the vanilla syrup, combine two cups of water, one cup of granulated sugar, one cup of brown sugar, and a vanilla bean in a saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil and then reduce it to a low simmer.

Oversee this mixture and wait until all the sugars fully dissolve into the solution. Feel free to whisk everything together to help it along gently.

Once all the sugars have dissolved, take this vanilla syrup off the heat, remove the vanilla bean, and let it cool. Then, transfer the mixture into a separate container.

Step 4: Mix Your Vanilla Syrup into Cold Whole Milk

Take a 600 ml glass and mix in three tablespoons of vanilla syrup with 235 ml of cold, whole milk. Gently stir to combine.

Step 5: Grind Your Beans and Brew Your Espresso

Next, grind enough coffee beans to make three shots of espresso. Since we’re making three or 135 ml of fresh espresso shots, you’ll want to grind 21-24 grams of coffee.

To do this, prep your double-shot portafilter as you usually would for a regular doppio. Then, once you’ve pulled those shots, immediately pour them into your milk-and-vanilla syrup, prep your third shot, and pour that in.

Step 6: Assemble Your Iced Caramel Macchiato

Place your cold brew coffee ice cubes with vanilla syrup and milk into the glass. Then, gently stir to combine the espresso, vanilla syrup, milk, and ice cubes.

Finally, drizzle your caramel sauce on top. And at long last, your iced caramel macchiato is ready to enjoy.

Related: Do you like vanilla-flavored drinks? Here’s where you can learn to make Starbucks vanilla iced latte at home. Or if you want a custardy coffee, try this Starbucks copycat caramel brulee latte!

Final Thoughts

Phew, that was a long recipe, wasn’t it? But, as with everything else, all good things take time. So, why not treat yourself this weekend and whip up this delicious iced caramel macchiato at home? You deserve it.

Did you make this recipe? If you did, do tell us about it. We’d love to hear from you in the comments and in our Facebook group.