The Latte Macchiato is one of Europe's most famous coffee beverages. Because the drink is served in a double-walled glass, allowing the three layers of espresso, milk, and milk foam to be visible, its appearance has become its distinguishing feature. The large milk content in the total volume of the drink makes the Latte Macchiato the perfect beginner's drink for people who would otherwise find a strong espresso concentration too intense. In this article, you will learn exactly what a Latte Macchiato is, how much caffeine and calories a Latte Macchiato contains, and how to make a Latte Macchiato.
Overview
- Latte Macchiato consists of milk foam, espresso, and plenty of milk, served in a glass so that the three layers remain visible.
- With around 60 to 80 mg of caffeine per glass, it is milder than many espresso-based classics, ideal as a beginner's drink.
- Calories depend almost entirely on the milk; for 300 ml, they range from approximately 134 to 181 kcal, depending on fat content.
- The order and temperature are crucial for preparation: first milk and milk foam, then slowly pour in the espresso.
Table of Contents
Latte Macchiato: The Basics
The term Macchiato comes from Italian and means "stained" or "marked." Originally, it referred to an espresso "marked" with a little milk (for more in-depth information, read our article on Espresso Macchiato). The Latte Macchiato later developed as a milk-heavy variation, becoming particularly popular in Germany and Austria from the 1990s onwards.
While it plays a minor role in Italy, it became a lifestyle drink in German-speaking countries. With the rise of the specialty coffee movement, the Latte Macchiato is also experiencing a comeback, though often under the name Caffè Latte, or simply "Latte."
Appearance plays a significant role in the Latte Macchiato. The characteristic Latte Macchiato glass clearly displays the three layers. In modern cafés, double-walled glasses are often used for Latte Macchiato to insulate heat and keep the layering visible longer.
What is a Latte Macchiato?
A Latte Macchiato is a coffee beverage made from a lot of liquid milk foam, fine-pored milk foam, and an espresso. The order is crucial: first the milk foam goes into the glass, then the espresso is slowly poured in so that it settles between the milk and the foam.
Typical ratio:
- one shot of espresso, which is 18 to 25 ml of espresso
- 250 to 300 ml of liquid milk foam
- 1 to 2 cm of fine-pored milk foam
This creates a mild, milky drink with a gentle espresso note. In modern variations, Latte Macchiatos are adorned with Latte Art. However, this is only possible if the order of ingredients is reversed, meaning the espresso shot first, followed by the milk foam. In this variation, it is usually referred to as Caffè Latte and often prepared in a large cup.
How to spell Latte Macchiato correctly?
Lat·te Mac·chi·a·to, the [ˈlate makˈkjaːto]: Common spelling errors include Late Macchiato (Latte means milk in German and is spelled with a double-T), Latte Machiato (Macchiato is spelled with a double-C), or Latte Macciato or Latte Maciato (a double-C is followed by an h). Typical typos are Latte Macchaito (a swap of the letters i and a) or Lattemacchiato (without a space). Many insist on the Italian plural, Latte Macchiati. However, in German usage, one may also order two or more Latte Macchiato (without an -s plural).
How many calories does a Latte Macchiato have?
The calories in a Latte Macchiato depend almost exclusively on the milk. Espresso itself contains hardly any calories.
For a drink volume of 300 ml (25 ml espresso, 275 ml milk), you can estimate between 134 kcal and 181 kcal, depending on the fat content of the milk. Latte Macchiato calories without sugar:
- With low-fat or lactose-free milk with a fat content of 1.5%, you can expect about 134 kcal. However, these types of milk are not well suited for Latte Art designs in your cup.
- With fresh whole milk or long-life milk with 3.8% fat, you will reach 181 kcal.
- Even with oat milk, the fat content matters; in Barista editions, it is usually higher than in regular oat milk, approximately 176 kcal.
Remember: for a coffee beverage with milk, pay attention to the fat content of the milk. The higher it is, the more Latte Macchiato calories you consume.
How much caffeine does a Latte Macchiato have?
A Latte Macchiato contains approximately 60 to 80 mg. The exact caffeine content of the Latte Macchiato depends on the following factors:
- The coffee bean: Robusta beans contain significantly more caffeine than Arabica beans. There are also differences among various varieties. For example, the Laurina variety has significantly less caffeine and is therefore often used as a decaf alternative.
- The amount of espresso used: A Latte Macchiato is normally prepared with one shot of espresso. The amount of espresso results from the quantity of freshly ground coffee used as input and the extraction amount as output.
But what do 60 to 80 mg of caffeine actually mean? For context: The European agency EFSA states 400 mg of caffeine per day as a guideline for healthy adults who are not pregnant or highly sensitive to caffeine. This corresponds to five Latte Macchiatos per day.
Caffeine can significantly affect sleep. To regulate one's caffeine consumption, looking at half-lives helps for orientation. This is the time it takes for an average adult to metabolize half of the caffeine in their body. For caffeine, it is 4 to 6 hours. Therefore, it is often recommended to stop caffeine consumption 6 to 8 hours before sleep.
→ Learn in our caffeine article how much caffeine other coffee beverages contain and how caffeine affects the body and health.
What is the difference between Latte Macchiato and Cappuccino?
When comparing Latte Macchiato vs. Cappuccino, it's about the amount of milk, the order of ingredients, and the vessels in which the coffee beverages are served.
Milk quantity
A Latte Macchiato has significantly more milk (200 to 250 ml) than a typical Cappuccino, which contains 130 to 160 ml.
Order of preparation
As with most coffee beverages with milk, for a Cappuccino, the espresso goes into the cup first, followed by the milk or milk foam. For a Latte Macchiato, it's the other way around: the espresso is extracted into the glass filled with milk foam, thus forming the characteristic layering of the drink with white milk foam, the caramel-colored mixture of milk and coffee, and the dark espresso at the bottom of the glass.
Milk foam
Whether fluffy milk foam or fine-pored milk foam with Latte Art: both are possible with a Cappuccino, but not with a Latte Macchiato, because the espresso is extracted into the glass only after the milk foam.
→ Learn in our ultimate milk guide why fresh whole milk is best for milk foam.
Vessel shape
The Latte Macchiato is usually prepared in a Latte Macchiato glass to showcase the characteristic layers of milk foam, milk coffee, and espresso. In contrast, the Cappuccino is normally served in a cup.
Tip: For your Latte Macchiato, use a double-walled, heat-resistant glass.
How to make a Latte Macchiato?
A classic Latte Macchiato recipe essentially consists only of milk, milk foam, and espresso. However, it is important to pay attention to the correct temperature and order, as well as the right milk ratio.
Ingredients for a Latte Macchiato
- 200 to 250 ml fresh whole milk with 3.5–3.9% fat content
- 9 to 12 g finely ground coffee
- for a dark roasted coffee, choose an extraction ratio of 1:2, e.g., 12 g coffee as input and 24 g extracted espresso in the Latte Macchiato glass
- for a light roasted coffee, we recommend an extraction ratio of 1:2.5, e.g., 12 g coffee as input and approximately 30 g extracted espresso in the Latte Macchiato glass
- tall Latte Macchiato glass
The typical Latte Macchiato milk ratio is about 1 to 8 or 1 to 10, for example, 24 g espresso to 240 ml milk.
Step-by-step guide for a Latte Macchiato with a portafilter machine
- Heat fresh whole milk to approximately 60°C and froth. You can estimate the temperature by touching the milk pitcher with your flat hand; it should become unpleasantly hot.
- Pour the warmed, fine-pored foam into the glass, where liquid milk foam will settle at the bottom and stable milk foam at the top.
- Extract an espresso into a mini milk pitcher.
- Slowly pour the espresso through the milk foam into the milk, creating the typical three layers.
Step-by-step guide for a Latte Macchiato with an automatic coffee machine
With an automatic coffee machine, the process is usually automatic. Many machines dispense milk first, then espresso, creating the layers directly in the glass. However, the following points should still be observed:
- If you use light-roasted coffee beans, the brewing temperature should be set to at least 93°C to keep the acidity in check.
- If the espresso tastes too bitter, adjust the grind setting coarser. If the espresso tastes too sour, adjust the grind setting finer.
- The biggest leverage for a delicious Latte Macchiato with an automatic coffee machine is regular cleaning.
Which coffee beans for Latte Macchiato?
Basically, all coffee beans roasted for espresso are suitable. A Latte Macchiato forgives many roasting errors, which are masked by the large amount of milk. If the Latte Macchiato still tastes too bitter, we recommend lighter coffee roasts instead of sugar or syrup. Because the lighter a coffee is roasted, the less bitterness and the more the natural sweetness of the coffee bean comes to the fore.
Latte Macchiato with oat milk
For a Latte Macchiato with oat milk, you can essentially follow the standard Latte Macchiato recipe (see above). Important for oat milk: Not every oat milk froths equally well. For stable milk foam, you should use a Barista oat milk. This contains adjusted fat and protein content, allowing for fine-pored foam to form.
What's different in taste? A Latte Macchiato with oat milk often tastes slightly sweet and a little less creamy than the version with fresh whole milk. The natural cereal note harmonizes particularly well with chocolatey espresso beans, as found in many coffees from Brazil.
The Latte Macchiato calories of oat milk in the Barista Edition are only slightly lower compared to fresh whole milk with 3.8% fat content.
Conclusion
The Latte Macchiato is one of the most well-known coffee beverages. Its characteristic layering, accentuated by being served in a Latte Macchiato glass, its high milk content, and its gentle espresso flavor make it an ideal entry-level drink into the world of coffee. At the same time, it offers sufficient scope for quality, whether in the choice of coffee beans, the correct extraction ratio, or the decision between a portafilter machine and an automatic coffee machine.
For both cow's milk drinkers and oat milk lovers, a latte macchiato can be a treat if the right temperature is chosen, a balanced milk ratio is found, and a clean espresso extraction is achieved. Those who want to calculate calories should consider the quantity and fat content of the milk.
A well-made latte macchiato tastes balanced and mild with clear layering in the glass. As a caffè latte variant, it can also be enjoyed with latte art.
