Dunkin Donuts macchiato

What a Dunkin macchiato actually is

In Italy a macchiato is an espresso “marked” with a spoon of foam. At Dunkin, like at Starbucks, it is the reverse: a cup of steamed milk marked with espresso. The espresso is poured last so it floats on top in a distinct layer. The first sips are strong, then it mellows as you drink down into the milk. If you stir it, it becomes a latte.

Macchiato vs latte vs cappuccino

Drink	Milk	Foam	Espresso position	Taste
Latte	Most	Thin	Mixed in	Mild, creamy
Cappuccino	Less	Thick	Mixed in	Balanced
Macchiato	Same as latte	Thin	On top	Strongest first sip

The macchiato costs about 20 cents more than a latte at every size, purely for the layering. If you are going to stir it anyway, order the latte and save the change.

Flavors

Any swirl or shot works. Because the espresso sits on top, unsweetened shots blend better than heavy swirls, which sink to the bottom. Popular combinations:

• Caramel swirl, the classic order
• Toasted almond shot, nutty and sugar free
• Mocha swirl with a French vanilla shot
• Pumpkin swirl in fall, peppermint mocha in winter

Calories

A medium hot macchiato with whole milk is around 170 calories. Skim milk drops it to about 100. Each pump of swirl adds roughly 50 calories, and a standard medium gets three pumps, which is where the 320 calorie number comes from. Ask for one pump if you want a hint of flavor without turning it into dessert.

Is it worth it over Starbucks?

A Starbucks Grande Caramel Macchiato is about $5.45. A Dunkin medium caramel macchiato is about $5.09 and larger at 14 oz hot versus 16 oz, or 24 oz iced. Starbucks uses vanilla syrup plus caramel drizzle, Dunkin uses caramel swirl throughout. Dunkin’s is sweeter and cheaper per ounce. Starbucks has the more layered flavor.