5 Ordering Tips To Get The Best Starbucks Caramel Macchiato

If you've ever felt like ordering a drink at Starbucks is just too complicated, you're in luck: We've compiled all sorts of tips for making the process seamless. Take, for example, the Caramel Macchiato — a staple at the international coffee chain, with just the right balance of caramel, vanilla, espresso, and milk. There are several ways to customize this drink that take your run-of-the-mill coffee shop trip to the next level. 

Whether you want a little more sweetness, syrupy caramel, a different type of milk, or a foamy, frothy finish, the following five ordering tips are easy to relay to your barista, especially since most of them are already well-known drink customizations. Some even match nine secret menu Starbucks macchiato flavors you wish you knew sooner, like the white mocha caramel or caramel cloud. They don't cost much more, either — and with specialty drink prices creeping into the $7 to $8+ range at many shops, that's a welcome factor.

Ready to treat yourself next time you swing through the Starbucks drive-thru? Try out these ordering customizations, some of which work best for hot macchiatos, iced, or both. You won't look at your go-to drink order the same again.

Our first ordering tip involves changing up the flavor with different syrups. This is a super popular way Starbucks fans customize their drink orders. Adding white mocha syrup makes the macchiato taste like cake, and the hazelnut syrup gives it almost a candy-like flavor. You could even give your Starbuck caramel macchiato a touch of pumpkin flavor by requesting a few pumps of pumpkin syrup. Who says it has to be a holiday to enjoy this combo?

A few syrup combinations have gone viral online, too, including adding cinnamon dolce syrup for a "Cinnamon Toast Crunch" drink. Starbucks employees also love this customization, saying it closely matches the cinnamon almond milk macchiato that once graced the chain's menu. "Toffee nut instead of vanilla syrup is a good substitute!" one Redditor said.

Just about any syrup flavor would taste good in this drink, save for maybe the fruity or minty varieties. Also, depending on how sweet you like your drink, one to three pumps of extra syrup is generally advised. A grande, for instance, comes with three pumps of vanilla syrup.

Next time you hit up the drive-thru, try ordering your caramel macchiato "upside down." Instead of putting the milk on the bottom and the espresso on top, baristas will do the opposite. Adding the espresso first, then the milk and syrups, allows for a more cohesive and blended flavor. You could also ask for your drink stirred, so you don't have to mix it together yourself.

Of course, this technically cancels out the true essence of what a caramel macchiato is — a layered espresso drink. But it all comes down to personal preference and what you enjoy. If you like the taste of blended lattes or milder espresso, try this upside down ordering trick. It works for both hot and iced drinks, and even those with plant-based milks. If it's still not to your liking, ask for a straw or stirrer to mix some more.

There's little difference between a Starbucks caramel macchiato versus espresso macchiato, except that the former is slightly sweeter. But if you like you coffee extra sweet, consider taking things up a notch with a caramel drizzle. This technique is often reserved for the chain's caramel Frappuccinos, but it goes really nicely with iced caramel macchiatos, too.

Just ask your barista to line the inside of your cup with caramel sauce before pouring in the drink. Not only does this add a beautiful aesthetic touch, but it tastes absolutely decadent. You'll get a touch of sweet, syrupy caramel with every sip, instead of all the sugar settling at the bottom of the cup.

For something even more dessert-like, ask for a chocolate sauce drizzle. You'll sometimes see this with java chip or double chocolate chip Frappuccinos, but the request won't be too out-there for a seasoned barista. The chocolate caramel combination almost tastes like turtle chocolates or Rolo candies — and who doesn't want that?

For some coffee fans, plant-based milk is a non-negotiable, whether for the flavor or to avoid an upset stomach. No matter your reason, Starbucks thankfully has several milk alternatives that taste amazing with both hot and iced caramel macchiatos. Of the best and worst plant-based milks for coffee, we have to say oat, almond, and coconut win out.

While Starbucks has invented menu items that already incorporate milk alternatives — such as the iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso — you can customize just about any drink with plant-based options, including the caramel macchiato. Redditors claim almond and soy milk taste great with both the hot and iced versions, adding a nuttier, sweeter profile to the drink. 

Starbucks' soy milk also has a hint of vanilla, which pairs nicely with the vanilla syrup already in the drink. It's thicker and creamier, too, while almond milk tends to be a little more watery. Picking the right milk for you will depend on how thick you like your drinks.

This one only applies to iced caramel macchiatos, so hot coffee lovers can look away. Cold foam has taken coffee shops by storm recently, Starbucks included. A dollop of fresh foam on top of your coffee adds a frothy, creamy texture reminiscent of a hot latte, plus different flavors — like vanilla or sweet cream — perfectly meld with the flavors of the this caramel-forward coffee beverage.

You don't have to stick with the classic flavors, though. Of the 13 new Starbucks cold foam flavors we've tried, we highly recommend getting the salted caramel cold foam, which ranked first place in our review, or the brown sugar cream cold foam, which also pairs nicely with the notes of caramel and vanilla. But there's also cinnamon caramel, lavender, and even plant-based cold foam for non-dairy folks. Just ask the barista what they've got available next time.