Iced Vanilla Macchiato

3 min read MAY 04, 2022

The iced vanilla macchiato is a sweet caffeinated beverage that’s recently gained popularity. It’s available at most cafes, but we bet you’re here for an easy at-home recipe.

We’ll take you through what an iced vanilla macchiato is. We’ll also tell you what you need to make one and how to make it at home.

You’ll be enjoying your new favorite homemade drink in no time.

What This Article Covers:



What Is An Iced Vanilla Macchiato?


An iced coffee macchiato is a refreshing summer drink made up of milk and espresso. The word macchiato is Italian and means “stained”. This refers to the way the shot of espresso “marks” the drink with a splash of dark brown on top of the milk base.vanilla macchiato recipeIf you’re wondering what an iced vanilla macchiato is, we’ll take you through the differences. It’s made up of vanilla syrup, ice, frothed milk, and espresso. 

You can swap out the shot of espresso for some quality cold-brewed coffee if you’d like. We recommend the espresso though. It adds a rich caramel note to the drink.

How To Make An Iced Vanilla Macchiato


Making this drink is similar to making an iced hazelnut macchiato, only you’re using a different flavor of syrup. Vanilla gives the drink a light, aromatic flavor, whereas the hazelnut syrup is more earthy. 

This drink uses vanilla syrup as the base. It’s a little less sweet, but still delicious and refreshing.

This is why cold-brewed coffee is an excellent addition to this drink. You’ll need to start a day early if you’re going to use cold-brew in your drink, as it takes 24 hours to steep.

All the other elements in the drink take only a few minutes to prepare. Once you’ve made it a few times, it goes even quicker.french vanilla macchiatoWhat You Need To Make It At Home

You’ll need the following to make this drink at home:

  • Prepared cold-brew coffee, or a fresh shot of espresso. Our French vanilla coffee beans are perfect for this.
  • A handful of ice
  • A tablespoon of vanilla syrup
  • An electric milk-frother
  • 2% milk

You can easily substitute the milk with your favorite vegan alternative to make an iced macchiato with coconut milk or almond milk.

iced vanilla macchiato recipe

Lifeboost Coffee has a wide range of flavored beans to make your brewing experience a breeze. You won’t have to fiddle with steamers, frothers, and wands. Simply brew your favorite flavored coffee, add milk, and you’re ready to go.

Method For Making An Iced Vanilla Macchiato At Home


To start, decide whether you’re going to make an espresso iced macchiato or a cold-brew one.

You’re going to start by making your coffee of choice. Make your espresso first if that’s your choice for this drink. This gives it time to cool before adding it to the milk at the end. Cooler espresso doesn’t blend with the milk as much, so you get clean, defined layers in your cup.

If you’re making a cold brew macchiato, you can measure out a shot or two of your pre-made coffee for this step.

Start by throwing some ice cubes into your coffee cup. Pour the tablespoon of vanilla syrup on top of the ice. Feel free to add extra if you want your drink to be sweeter. 

Next, you’re going to froth your milk. This gives it a thick, creamy texture. The layer of foam can hold the espresso shot on top of it, giving you that two-toned coffee you’re looking for.

Measure out enough milk to fill two-thirds of your cup. Froth is using your electric frother. It should increase in volume as it becomes thick and frothy. You’ll know it’s done when it’s filled with bubbles.

Add the frothed milk to your cup. You’ll need to fill it about three-quarters of the way. This will make sure there’s enough space for the coffee to be added.

Top that off with your espresso or cold-brewed coffee. We recommend at least one shot for enough coffee flavor in your drink. You can add more if you’d like it to be stronger.

Well done, you’ve just made your first iced vanilla macchiato.

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