You’re in for a surprise if you’ve never heard of the caramel macchiato served upside down!

This article covers what an upside-down caramel macchiato is, the recipe for it, variations of the espresso drink, and other frequently asked questions.

What is an Upside-down Caramel Macchiato?

Starbucks has created a popular beverage that is distinct from their standard caramel macchiatos.

It looks almost like an iced caramel macchiato, except that they put whipped cream on top of your drink instead of putting a drizzle of caramel syrup on top of whipped cream as they normally do.

The name “upside-down” comes from where Starbucks usually puts caramel drizzle and then adds whipped cream, but instead, it’s flipped.

Recipe Card Of Upside-Down Caramel Macchiato

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cups of whole milk One or two espresso shots
2. 15 grams of vanilla syrup
3. 15 grams of caramel sauce Ice cubes

Upside-Down Caramel Macchiato Recipe

Step 1: Make an espresso to get things going in this dish. You have the option of using a single or double shot of espresso to make this recipe.

Step 2: Once the espresso coffee has been brewed, allow it to cool down a bit. I like to throw in an ice cube or two to speed things up.

Step 3: Take a glass of your choice and put the caramel sauce at the bottom.

Step 4: Add the cooled espresso coffee to the cup. You have the option of giving this a quick stir.

Step 5: Pour milk into the glass.

Step 6: Add enough ice cubes to chill the drink properly. For my taste, the ice cubes should fill about half of the glass.

Step 7: Drizzle the vanilla syrup on top of the drink to finish it off.

Step 8: Enjoy!

Upside Down Caramel Macchiato VS Regular Cafe Macchiato

Cafe macchiato is a coffee drink that consists of espresso, hot milk, and some foam. If you’re going to add anything else to it, make sure it’s caramel syrup.

When ordered as an upside-down macchiato, your regular macchiato will be inverted in an upside-down glass to keep your caramel syrup at the bottom of your cup.

Don’t stir—and don’t knock it over! Instead of creating a simple-looking latte, upside-down caramel macchiatos are a pretty treat.

And when we say pretty, we mean pretty delicious! This is a nice alternative if you want something sweet with a shot of caffeine.

In some cases, cafes do offer upside-down macchiatos with other toppings like chocolate sauce or whipped cream, but there’s something special about pumped vanilla syrup.

If we could add anything else to your upside-down caramel macchiato, we would make sure it’s lavender syrup.

Warm up your glass before serving a regular or upside-down caramel macchiato so that it doesn’t shatter and make a mess everywhere when inverted onto a plate.

Also, never drink from a half-full glass of upside-down caramel macchiato; that’s a bit unhygienic.

Upside Down Caramel Macchiato VS Latte

A macchiato, by definition, is a shot of espresso topped with a layer of foam, so it’s quite different from lattes.

But since they both start with a shot of espresso, some think an upside-down macchiato could be compared to a latte.

One huge difference is that the Upside-down caramel macchiato is foamy and frothy compared to our latte.

The upside-down macchiato begins with a shot of espresso but does not include steamed milk or other toppings.

The remaining ingredients, like caramel and whipped cream, are then added as final touches.

We think an upside-down macchiato shares some similarities to a latte since they both start with a shot of espresso but have very different textures and appearances.

An upside-down macchiato also has little to no foam, making it more like an iced latte than our iced vanilla-flavored latte, which has tons of foam topping all over it.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Upside Down Caramel Macchiato

1. What is the difference between an upside-down caramel macchiato and a latte?

Ans. The caramel flavor comes from the flavored drizzle that is drizzled on top. Thus, ordering an upside-down caramel macchiato is equivalent to getting a vanilla latte.

2. Is an upside-down caramel macchiato distinctive in flavor?

Ans. It does give the drinks a more consistent flavor. Because the unaltered Iced Caramel Macchiato is a layered beverage, you’ll enjoy sips where you’ll taste more milk at times and more caramel at others.

3. What is drizzle upside down?

Ans. There is nothing special about an upside-down caramel macchiato. Macchiato refers to something that is marked or soiled. Thus, if it is served upside down, it is no longer a macchiato.

4. Are you supposed to mix Macchiatos?

Ans. No, the iced caramel macchiato should not be mixed. A caramel macchiato begins with vanilla syrup, then milk, then espresso. It is finished with a crosshatched pattern of caramel drizzled on top of the beverage. Mixing the components, which is against the spirit of the drink’s design, would be a waste.

Final thoughts on the Upside-Down Macchiato 

The upside-down macchiato, also known as a magic macchiato, is exactly what it sounds like: a regular caramel macchiato flipped on its head. for those who aren’t familiar with standard coffee terminology (macchiato translates to “marked” in Italian).

A latte has two main components: espresso and steamed milk. The upside-down macchiato replaces the steamed milk with an aerated foam similar to that of your favorite craft beer.

It all starts with making a flat white, which uses less froth and higher amounts of microfoam than other coffee drinks, then topping it off with an extra layer of sweetened foam, chocolate drizzle, and cinnamon sprinkles.