Macchiato vs. Latte: Differences Between a Macchiato and Latte

A macchiato is an espresso drink made with a shot of espresso and steamed milk. Macchiato is an Italian word meaning "marked," which may refer to the small "mark" of milk in an espresso macchiato. The ratio of milk to coffee in a traditional macchiato is one part milk and two parts espresso. In real-life practice, the precise coffee-to-milk ratio will depend upon the quirks of your local coffee shop or particular barista. Regional differences also come into play; a macchiato in Italy may taste different than one from an American coffee house.

Coffee drinkers who own an espresso machine can make macchiatos at home, where they can choose the exact amount of milk they want in their beverage. You can also amp up the drink by using a double shot of espresso, or you can sweeten it with a thin layer of flavored syrup. Chocolate syrup and caramel syrup appear in many popular coffee drinks.

A latte is a coffee beverage that contains an espresso shot, steamed milk, and a layer of milk foam on top. This foamed milk is the main difference between a macchiato and a latte; macchiatos only have steamed milk. Ultimately, a caffè latte contains a ratio of two parts milk per one part coffee. A traditional latte has roughly five millimeters of foam at the top of the beverage. If you reduce this foam to only two millimeters, the beverage is called a flat white.

At major coffee chains, lattes often come with the option of adding flavored syrups such as mocha and caramel. They may even come topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It’s relatively simple to make lattes at home using your own coffee beans and espresso machine.

The phrase “caffe macchiato” roughly means "marked coffee" in Italian, and the phrase “caffè latte” roughly means "milk coffee." A macchiato has less milk than a latte. The only milk in a macchiato is steamed, hot milk. A latte has more hot steamed milk with an additional frothed milk topping and sometimes a dollop of cream.

While the traditional macchiato is most popular in Italy, lattes are famously popular in France, where they may be sold as a café latte or café au lait. French lattes almost always feature a double shot of espresso.

Many types of coffee drinks use similar ingredients to macchiatos and lattes. If you're seeking a cup of coffee that combines an espresso flavor with the richness of milk, you have several options.

1. 1. Macchiato: An espresso macchiato, also known as caffè macchiato or simply macchiato, is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk. An espresso macchiato features one or two shots of espresso with a spot of milk foam. A macchiato is typically served in an espresso cup and contains twice as much coffee as it does milk.
2. 2. Caffè latte: Caffè latte, or latte for short, is an Italian espresso drink made with steamed milk—“latte” is Italian for milk. A caffè latte is one-third espresso (typically one or two shots) and two-thirds steamed milk, topped with a layer of foam.
3. 3. Flat white: A flat white is an Australian coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk. The flat white involves espresso topped with a layer of velvety microfoam. Ideal for showing off a barista's latte art, the top layer of foam is flat and far less foamy than an Italian cappuccino, macchiato, or latte.
4. 4. Cappuccino: A cappuccino is a milk and coffee drink made using an espresso machine. A traditional cappuccino contains 25 milliliters of espresso coffee and 100 milliliters of steam-foamed milk. Some cappuccino recipes call for equal parts espresso, hot milk, and foam.
5. 5. Cortado: A cortado is an espresso drink made with one to two shots of espresso and a roughly equal amount of steamed milk. “Cortar” is a Spanish verb meaning "to cut," as in, the coffee is cut with hot milk. Compared to popular Italian coffee drinks, a cortado contains more milk than a macchiato and less than a cappuccino. The milk is also steamed and not overly frothed, which results in a different texture than most Italian coffee beverages.

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