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This Iced Caramel Macchiato is a delicious cold drink to make when you need a little caramel pick-me-up. Perfect for a hot afternoon!
(Post modified on 8/16/23.)
Usually my summer afternoon drink is iced tea or an iced mocha. However, on occasion I like to switch things up, and one of the ways I do that is to make this macchiato.
When browsing recipes for this drink I learned that caramel macchiatos were first invented by Starbuck’s Coffee in the late 1990’s, and that they remain one of their biggest sellers to this day. I also learned that this drink is not like an Italian macchiato. In fact, they would probably frown at this recipe. But I still like it.
What exactly is a macchiato anyway? Going to a coffeeshop can be so confusing–at least it is for me. Do I want to order an iced coffee, a cold-brew, an iced mocha, a cappuccino, a macchiato, or maybe a Frappuccino? Good grief! I won’t go into all the differences here, but you may visit Above Average Coffee for descriptions of all these names and more. It’s quite interesting.
My daughters like Frappuccino’s, but I prefer an iced coffee over the blended ice, which tend to give me brain-freeze! And I don’t need that. But I do like to cool off in the summer, so this recipe works great when you’re home and aren’t able or interested in driving to a coffee shop. It’s less expensive to make at home, as well! So save your hard-earned dollars and try this recipe!
More Iced Drinks to Enjoy
Ingredients for Iced Caramel Macchiato
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- dark brewed coffee (I like to make this ahead and store in the refrigerator until needed)
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- whole milk
- caramel syrup
- ice cubes
- Reddi whipped cream
About Ingredients
Coffee – My husband likes dark roast coffee, so that’s what we have at our house. We also use a Keurig coffee machine with pods and buy Peets Coffee - Major Dickason's Blend.
Whole Milk – For this recipe, use whole milk, not 2% or skim. If you want an even richer drink, try half-and-half in place of the whole milk.
Ice Cubes – Sometimes I get really motivated and pour coffee into ice cube trays to use for my iced drinks. It’s not necessary, but it will keep your drink from becoming watered down from the ice.
Caramel Syrup – I’ve used Hershey’s Caramel Syrup and also the kind that comes in a little jar, which is even more intense. Either works.
Whipped Cream – Whipped cream on top is optional, but it’s quite yummy and really makes your drinks look special, if you happen to be serving someone other than yourself. Our daughters always love a dollop of whipped cream on the drinks. And so do I!
Instructions for This Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything on the counter or table.
Making this drink is quite simple. The hardest thing is to wait for your coffee to cool off so that it doesn’t melt all of your ice cubes too fast. I encourage you to brew your coffee in the morning and then keep some in the fridge for when you need an afternoon pick-me-up.
Drizzle caramel onto the sides of two tall glasses. Add ice to each.
Prepare the Iced Coffee Drink
In a large container, stir together the cold (or room temperature) coffee, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
Add milk to the coffee mixture and stir to blend. Pour into prepared glasses.
Alternately, you may wait to add the milk until after filling glasses with the coffee. Add milk as desired and then stir to blend into the coffee for a “stained” macchiato appearance.
Top with whipped cream and drizzle with more caramel. Relax and enjoy!
This recipe will serve 2 people. See more Beverage Recipes Here.Â
Iced Caramel Macchiato
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 10 oz dark roast coffee (I like to make this ahead and store in the refrigerator until needed)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz whole milk
- 12 large ice cubes
- 4 tablespoons caramel syrup
- 1/2 cup Reddi whipped cream
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything on the counter or table.
- Prepare two tall glasses by drizzling caramel onto the sides of each. Add ice to each.
- In a large container, stir together the cold (or room temperature) dark roast coffee, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Add milk to the coffee mixture and stir to blend. Pour into prepared glasses. (Alternately, you may wait to add the milk until after filling glasses with the coffee. Add milk as desired and then stir to blend into the coffee for a "stained" macchiato appearance.)
- Top with whipped cream and drizzle with more caramel.
- Serves 2.
Nutrition
