Double Shot Caramel Macchiato: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re anything like me, you love your coffee. I don’t just love it; I can’t function properly without it. There is no type of coffee I haven’t tried already, and I have to say that the double shot caramel macchiato might be the best cup of coffee I’ve ever tasted. You can find it in Starbucks and similar coffee shops. But, how do you make it yourself?

Pour freshly steamed milk into a cup, and pour two shots of espresso over it. Add two or three pumps of vanilla syrup (depending on how sweet you like your coffee), and top it all off with a caramel drizzle (topping). Take it hot for the best experience.

It’s simple in theory, but it’s hard to get the same results as you would in a coffee shop. Don’t worry; I’m here to help. Here is everything you need to know about the Double Shot Caramel Macchiato; how to make it, how to find the proper ingredients, and how to make it just as good as the ones bought in coffee shops.

What Is a Macchiato?

Let’s start with the obvious – to make a Double Shot Caramel Macchiato you need macchiato first. However, many people don’t know what a macchiato is and what makes it different from other coffee beverages such as a latte and similar coffee types.

I have to highlight that a caramel macchiato isn’t a real macchiato – it’s closer to a latte. Don’t get me wrong, I love that stuff, but it’s not genuine macchiato; it just carries the name.

The magic of a macchiato lies in its simplicity. First, you need steamed milk and only a little. Then, you pour one or two shots of espresso over the steamed milk, depending on how strong you want your macchiato. The name means “marked,” “stained,” or “spotted” because the technique of pouring espresso over milk leaves a spot in the middle.

It’s a strong drink that keeps the caffeine effect at about the same level but makes the espresso taste a bit milder. For a cafe latte, you use much more milk (hence, the name cafe latte, meaning “milk coffee”). The difference in preparing it is that you top espresso with steamed milk and then add more milk, usually foamed.

In a Double Shot Caramel Macchiato, there’s much more milk than the usual macchiato has. Also, you add flavored syrups, sugar, and toppings, meaning it’s not even remotely what a traditional macchiato is. 

It’s still one of the tastiest coffees you’ll ever try, but it’s quite poorly named, thanks to large North American coffee chains that don’t care about traditional coffee types.

What Does “Double Shot” Mean?

I’ll keep this brief because it is quite simple. “Double shot” espresso doesn’t mean it was brewed twice or anything like that. It only means you get double the amount of espresso. If you order a double espresso, you won’t get a different type of coffee; it’ll just have double the fluid. In Italy, it’s called a “doppio.”

One shot of espresso gives you one ounce (or 0.03L) of fluid from 7-to-9 grams of ground coffee (depending on what kind of flavor you’d like). The double shot is the same but doubled. You need 14 to 18 grams of ground coffee to get two ounces of espresso.

Therefore, the Double Shot Caramel Macchiato means that it contains two shots – or two ounces – of espresso. You can order a regular Caramel Macchiato, too, but it tastes more like a milkshake than a coffee to me, as the coffee flavor gets lost in the milk, syrup, and caramel sauce.

What Ingredients Go in the Double Shot Caramel Macchiato?

You probably enjoy the Double Shot Caramel Macchiato as much as I do. However, if you want it daily, it gets too expensive to get it at well-known coffee shops quite quickly. Don’t worry; you can make it yourself, but you need the proper ingredients.

When I say proper ingredients, I don’t mean you simply need some coffee, syrup, milk, and caramel sauce. If you choose poor ingredients that don’t taste good alone, you can’t expect to brew a nice beverage.

You need ground coffee of rich, strong flavor. If you want that awesome Starbucks-type Caramel Macchiato, you can get the same coffee they’re using by ordering Starbucks ground coffee. They sell many varieties, from medium, French, and dark to espresso roast (I find the last one to be the best for the Caramel Macchiato).

Alternatively, another favorite of mine is the Lifeboost Caramel Macchiato.

Next, you need steamed milk. If you don’t have a milk steamer, warm or boiled milk will do, but it won’t be the same. I prefer low-fat milk, but you can choose whatever you like.

The vanilla syrup is the most important ingredient, so you want to get one that suits your taste the best. Some are sweeter, while some are creamier. If you want the same taste as you get in Starbucks, they sell their syrup for home use. 

I prefer Torani Vanilla Coffee Syrup Flavoring, though. It tastes a bit milder, and you get a pump, too, so you can dose it the way you like. Be careful how much you put in your drink, though. If you put too much, the beverage will not only be too sweet, but it’ll lose texture.

Last but not least, you need the caramel topping – you can’t make a Caramel Macchiato without caramel, right? Some people prefer a drizzle, some choose a syrup, while some want chunks. Whatever you choose, dose it properly. 

If you want to take my suggestion, the Starbucks Caramel Syrup works fine, but it’s too sweet. I just recently tried the Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce, and it’s perfect. The texture is smooth, and the taste of caramel is strong but not too sweet.

How to Make Double Shot Caramel Macchiato?

Now that you have all the key ingredients you need, you’re ready to make a Double Shot Caramel Macchiato on your own. Adjusting the ingredient ratio will make the beverage taste a bit different depending on what you like. 

For instance, an extra caramel drizzle will give you a bit more sweetness, while less milk will highlight the taste of coffee. That’s why I won’t get into the ratios too much, but rather the steps from brewing espresso to pouring caramel sauce in the end.

Brew the espresso

Before you start, you’ll need the espresso to make the macchiato. We’re making a Double Shot Caramel Macchiato, so you need two shots of espresso. That means 14 to 18 grams of ground coffee to get about two ounces of espresso.

Steam the milk

Steaming the milk is your next step. It doesn’t take too long to do it so that you can start just as the espresso brews. I steam around seven ounces of milk, as I found that to be the best ratio for my taste. If you don’t have a steamer, get the milk to boil and use the hot milk and foam instead.

Pour the espresso over the milk

Note that I didn’t write to pour the milk over espresso, but the other way around. It’s important because the ingredients mix differently depending on what goes into the beverage first, giving you a different taste.

Add two or three pumps of vanilla syrup

The vanilla syrup is so important for several reasons. It gives the beverage sweetness, fulfills the taste, and provides the creamy, smooth texture you’ll adore. I have a syrup pump, and each pump gives you around one ounce of syrup. Put in as much as you see fit.

Top it off with caramel sauce

Finally, pour the caramel sauce over the top of the beverage. Put in as much as you see fit, depending on your taste. I don’t stir it in after, but if you feel like it would be a good choice, go for it.

You’ll end up with a 10-12 ounce beverage. Adjusting the ratios can make it larger or smaller, but I find this amount just perfect.