If you’re exploring the world of milk-based espresso drinks, you may be confused. Almost everyone knows what a Cappuccino is, but what the heck is a Macchiato? and what about a Latte?

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What Is A Macchiato?

Macchiato literally means “marked”, as it is an espresso “marked” with a spoonful of foamed milk on top.

Nowadays you can find countless different variations of the macchiato including the caramelly Starbucks one (1) and a “tall macc” (2) with so much milk that it is basically a miniature latte. Technically, however, a macchiato is simply an espresso with a tiny dash of milk.

Outside Italy, you might want to order an “espresso macchiato” to make sure you get the right drink.

What Is A Cappuccino?

Variations Of The Macchiato

Today, however, many of the coffee drinks called “macchiato” do not have much to do with the original recipe. Starbucks offers a “zebra macchiato” or an iced “marble mocha macchiato”/‘mɔkə/ (3) with white mocha on the bottom and an espresso shot on the top. While this might delight those with a sweet tooth, it’s far from a traditional macchiato recipe.

A common variation is the ​”latte macchiato”, an inverse macchiato: hot milk topped with espresso, usually larger and served in a tall glass.

If you want an espresso drink with more milk than a macchiato, you might enjoy a cortado¹, Latin America’s delicious contribution to milk-based espresso drinks.

What is a Cappuccino?

One of the most popular coffee drinks around the world, cappuccino is espresso topped with steamed milk and milk foam.

The name “cappuccino” comes from the Roman Catholic order of Capuchin monks. When milky coffee first appeared on café menus in 18th-century Vienna, it resembled the robes worn by these monks. It is commonly served with a dusting of shaved or powdered chocolate on top, derived from the Viennese custom of adding ground spices.

In Italy, cappuccino is exclusively a morning drink. This is a cultural quirk not observed anywhere else.

History of the Cappuccino

Although the name was first used in Vienna, Italy can take pride in inventing the modern-style cappuccino. The espresso machine was invented in Italy in the late 19th century, and cappuccinos started popping up on café menus in the 1930s.

The original Viennese milky coffee was sweetened with cinnamon or chocolate and often decorated with whipped cream. This style of sugary cappuccino was also popular in interwar Italy – possibly because the quality of the average espresso was poor enough that it needed to be masked with extra flavorings.

After the second world war, the cappuccino was streamlined. Improved technology meant pulling a delicious espresso became easier, so the need for additional sweeteners was reduced.

Slowly, cappuccino also became popularised worldwide. In Britain, this happened in the 1950s, while the US warmed up to cappuccino much later, in the eighties. Nowadays, there are only a few corners of the world left where a cup of cappuccino would not be readily found.

The certified cappuccino recipe

While many sources consider the definition of cappuccino as a 1:1:1 ratio of coffee, milk, and foam, the Istituto Nazionale di Espresso Italiano (INEI) defines Certified Italian Cappuccino as follows:

• It begins with 25 ml of espresso
• It requires 100 ml of cold milk (3 – 5 degrees C) steamed to a volume of 125 ml
• It is to be served in a white porcelain cup with a volume of 150-160 ml
• It is to be topped with a visible dome-shaped cap of milk foam

To test this, we fired up the La Pavoni and brewed several cappuccinos to the INEI’s precise specifications. They were exactly like the cappuccino we enjoyed at the Hotel Universo in Lucca on our last trip to Italy, where the barista added just a thin layer of foam on top. Sometimes, standards are delicious.

The key to the INEI cappuccino: the quality of the espresso. Where the macchiato is 75% espresso and 25% milk, the cappuccino reverses the proportions. This means that for cappuccino, espresso quality is of paramount importance.

Here’s a video by Dritan Alselda on how to achieve the perfect cappuccino at home:

Variations of the Cappuccino

Outside of Italy, it’s common for cappuccino to use coffee, milk, and foam in a 1:1:1 ratio. Variations between the ratio of milk and foamed milk are how baristas create a “dry” or a “wet” cappuccino. A wet cappuccino has more hot milk, while a dry one has more milk froth. In many places, cappuccinos are dusted with cocoa powder.

The flat white is another milk coffee drink, which lacks the traditional cap of foam and often has slightly less milk than a traditional cappuccino.

What is a Latte?

The key is in the name: “cafe latte” means “coffee milk”. As with cappuccino, it is a very globalized drink, with countless variations on the recipe. In fact, there is no single correct way to make a latte although there are awesome machines that can help you good ones. Check out top pick for the best latte machine!

In most coffee shops outside Italy, it’s typically a single espresso topped with plenty of steamed milk. As long as it contains milk, it can be a latte – even if it’s not made with coffee. Popular café drinks like Chai Latte and Matcha Latte fulfill the only criteria of being a latte, as they contain milk. In Italy, ordering a latte will just get you a glass of milk.

In case you’re curious about latte art, Steven is teaching you how to do it in the video below.

History of the Latte

Because latte doesn’t refer to one specific recipe, it’s hard to pinpoint who actually invented it. Milk coffee became popular across Europe over the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with regional variations such as Germany’s Milchkaffee and France’s café au lait, made by pouring heated milk and strong coffee out of two separate pitchers, mixed to the coffee drinker’s preference.

In the English-speaking world, the word latte came to be widely used – paradoxically, because the latte is not really a part of Italian café culture. A common recipe for making it evolved, including espresso, sweeteners and steamed milk.

In an average espresso bar in Italy, you can order a macchiato or cappuccino, but the caffè latte is seen as a breakfast drink to be made at home instead.

Related: Cafe Au Lait vs Latte

Latte recipes around the world

Generally speaking, there are two very different ways to prepare a latte: the way enjoyed in Italy, or the American technique. But there are other variations as well.

The Latte in Italy: Brew a strong pot of coffee (using an espresso machine or moka pot) and then add heated milk and usually sugar. Simple, satisfying, and requires no special equipment.

The Latte in America: Brew a shot of espresso and steam milk to a thick microfoam (not a frothy cap), about 1 part coffee to 6 parts milk. Add flavored syrup or sugar (optional), to taste. Top with latte art.

The Latte in France: The café au lait (or cafe crème) is a milky coffee usually served from a large bowl – apparently because it’s easy to then dip your croissant or breakfast baguette in the coffee (8). It is generally made with dark filter coffee, not espresso, traditionally served tableside by mixing equal parts of coffee and heated milk from two pitchers.

The Latte in South Africa: A red latte is based on rooibos tea instead of coffee.

THE BOTTOM LINE

There are many different types of coffee. but In the end, the difference between macchiato, cappuccino, and latte are all about the ratios of coffee to milk:

• Macchiato – A shot of espresso with a dollop of milk. Ratio: 90% coffee, 10% milk.
• Cappuccino – A shot of espresso with steamed milk and foam. Ratio: 1:2:2 per the INEI, also commonly 1:1:1 outside Italy.
• Latte – In Italy, coffee with heated milk. Outside Italy, espresso with lots of steamed milk. Ratio: commonly 15% coffee, 85% milk.