The macchiato was among the first beverages on the menu when Starbucks first began serving beverages in its cafés in the late 1980s. A traditional Italian beverage whose name means “marked,” it came in just two varieties. The Espresso Macchiato was hot espresso marked with a dollop of creamy foam—with one shot for a solo, two shots for a doppio. And the Latte Macchiato was its opposite, a beverage that began with steamed whole milk with espresso shots poured slowly on top.
A decade later, Caramel Macchiato made its debut. This time it was marked not once, but twice: first with espresso, then with caramel sauce in its signature crosshatch, double-circle design. Others would follow, like the nutty, sweet Coconutmilk Mocha Macchiato, and horchata-inspired Cinnamon Almondmilk Mocha Macchiato.
Starting March 5, Starbucks stores in the United States and Canada are offering a new take on a classic beverage with the introduction of Cloud Macchiato. Available in two flavors, Caramel and Cinnamon, Starbucks Cloud Macchiato beverages feature whipped cold milk foam that has a light, fluffy and silky-smooth texture.
The newest addition to the Starbucks Menu draws inspiration from the leche merengada, or “meringue milk,” a summer drink from the cafés of Barcelona, Spain that dates back centuries. To create the Cloud Macchiato, Starbucks in-house product development team created a special recipe for Cloud powder, using egg whites as a key ingredient to create a layer of fluffy Cloud foam
“The original Spanish beverage combines cinnamon and lemon zest, with a frothy texture which inspired us to reinvent the beverage as a macchiato,” says Erin Marinan, from Starbucks research and development team. “The texture of the Cloud Macchiato is luxurious and by adding espresso and our Starbucks signature caramel cross-hatch, we’re making it ours and opening up even more ways we can bring new beverage experiences to our customers.”
Beautiful layers are one of the hallmarks of a macchiato, and the Cloud Macchiato’s fluffy foam, espresso and caramel make for a visually stunning beverage with a balanced, consistent flavor from start to finish.
Iced Caramel Cloud Macchiato
The beverage begins with whipped cloud cold foam with a hint of vanilla syrup, followed by bold espresso and topped with a crosshatch of caramel drizzle. Also available hot.
Iced Cinnamon Cloud Macchiato
Layers of whipped cloud cold foam with a hint of cinnamon lemon syrup, followed by espresso and finished with caramel drizzle crosshatch and a dusting of cinnamon. Also available hot.
