Iced Caramel Macchiato With Cold Foam

6 min read MAY 04, 2022

The iced caramel macchiato with cold foam is a new take on the traditional caramel macchiato. The traditional caramel macchiato is a caramel-flavored espresso drink with a small amount of foam. 

This new version of it is iced, and the cold foam transforms the drinking experience.

We’ll take you through what it is, how it came to be, and how to may one at home. We’ll also give you a great coffee bean recommendation for this drink, and explain how to make it. 

It can get a bit complicated, but we’ll be sure to break it down into easy steps for you to follow.

What this article covers:



What is an Ice Caramel Macchiato With Cold Foam?


The name of the drink sounds complicated, so if you’ve caught yourself wondering “what is an iced macchiato with foam?” we’re here to help.

Contrary to popular belief, the drink isn’t caramel flavored. The drink is made of vanilla-flavored expresso, ice, and cold milk. 

The only caramel in the drink is the caramel drizzle on top.iced caramel macchiato with sweet cream foamThe drink isn’t your standard flavored espresso topped with cold milk. The bottom layer of the drink is vanilla syrup. The syrup is topped with cold milk, making the bottom three-quarters of the drink white. It’s then topped with espresso and caramel drizzle.

It’s important that the milk is on the bottom of the drink. This is what makes it a macchiato. When the coffee is on the bottom and the cold milk is on top, it becomes an iced latte. 

The cold foam refers to the fluffy whipped cold foam the drink is topped with. It has a meringue-like texture.

The drinks are different because the cold milk being on the bottom in a macchiato means the milk and espresso don’t mix. This means there are two distinct colors in the drink.

In an iced latte, the milk mixes with the espresso at the bottom of the drink. This means the whole drink is light brown in color.

Is an Iced Macchiato Made With Cold Brewed Coffee?


An iced macchiato isn’t made with cold-brewed coffee. 

It’s got a shot of espresso on top. The espresso shot is brewed hot as usual. It’s then cooled before being added to the cold milk to make the iced macchiato.cold brew macchiatoThat’s how it’s made by baristas, but you can change it up at home if you want to. There’s no reason you can’t use cold-brewed coffee if you want to.

You should stay away from using warm espresso for the drink. 

This is because the warm coffee would sink into the cold milk and mix. You wouldn’t have a beautiful two-toned coffee in that case.

This drink is similar to a basic iced espresso macchiato, but with a few extra steps.

How did the Drink Become Popular?


The drink was popularised by American coffee franchises. They released this version of the drink containing the cold foam and caramel sauce to make drinks that would be shared on social media. 

It gained popularity through being posted online, as it’s such a visually pleasing drink. It’s also delicious, creamy, and sweet. 

It’s available in caramel and cinnamon flavors. Both flavors feature a hint of lemon. It might not sound great, but it works.

They’re decadent and thick drinks. The foam is sturdy enough that it doesn’t disappear, and customers have lapped the drink up.

If you want to make a vegan option, consider making an iced coconut milk macchiato and you can enjoy it guilt-free.

How to Make an Iced Caramel Macchiato


The most difficult part of making an iced caramel macchiato with cold foam is the cold foam itself. It’s made by blending regular milk until it’s thick and creamy. This can be quite a bit of work but it’s easier if you have an electric stick blender.

The thick texture of the foamed milk prevents the coffee from mixing with it. It also brings out the natural sweetness in milk. This is enhanced by the syrups added to the drink.

You can also make an extra caramel iced macchiato coffee. Since the only caramel in the drink is the syrup on top, you’d just need to add more caramel syrup on top.

If you find the sweetness of this recipe to be a bit overwhelming, try out a salted caramel macchiato to balance out the sugar.cold foam caramel macchiatoThere are even sugar-free iced caramel macchiato recipes out there for diabetics or people on a diet.

What You’ll Need to Make it at Home


First, we need to go through what’s in a caramel macchiato iced coffee. These are the main iced caramel macchiato ingredients:

  • One tablespoon of vanilla syrup
  • One shot of espresso (or more if you’d like a drink with more caffeine in it)
  • A few blocks of ice
  • 2% milk
  • Electric milk frother
  • Caramel syrup

This drink focuses on flavor, so you need to make sure you have great, bold beans. Our Caramel Macchiato Coffee Beans are a great option for your iced macchiato with cold foam. 

cold foam caramel macchiato recipe

Using flavored beans means you can make a delicious cup of coffee in minutes, skipping all the intricacies of syrups and pulling espresso.

Method for Making an Iced Caramel Macchiato at Home


You’re going to start off by making your shot of espresso, so it can cool while you make the rest of your drink. We recommend making it using a Moka on the stovetop.

Next, pour the tablespoon of vanilla syrup into your cup of choice. Make sure it coats the whole bottom of the cup.

Now you’re going to whip the milk to make the foam. Measure the milk out so that you’ll have enough to fill about two-thirds of the cup you’re putting your drink into. 

Use your electric milk frother to froth the milk until it’s the right consistency. It should be creamy enough to hold the coffee on top. It’ll double in volume when you whip it, so you’ll have enough to add on top of the espresso shot if you want to.Making an Iced Caramel Macchiato at HomeOnce that’s done, you can pour the milk over the vanilla syrup in your cup. Fill it about three-quarters of the way. This leaves room for the shot of espresso. 

If you want to add more than one shot of espresso to your drink, you can add less milk to leave room for it.

Your espresso shot should be cooled by this stage. Pour the espresso over the milk. Try to do it slowly, so that the espresso doesn’t mix with the milk too much. 

If there’s room in your cup, add some of your leftover foam on top of the espresso. This makes your drink ultra-creamy.

Lastly, you’ll add the caramel sauce on top. 

And that’s it! You’ve got yourself an iced caramel macchiato with cold foam.

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