How to Make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato at Home

The bleak state of our nation's economy has many people searching for ways to save money, cut costs and be more frugal with their finances. Lean times call for hard choices, and sacrifices often need to be made to balance our household budgets. Coffee drinkers addicted to one of Starbucks most popular espresso beverages, the sinfully sweet Caramel Macchiato, might assume indulging in this guilty pleasure is a thing of the past. Thankfully it doesn't have to be so, because making your own version of a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato at home is incredibly easy, and it will taste every bit as delicious.

Saving money is not the only advantage of being an at-home barista. When the weather is cold and snowy you can sip your piping hot Caramel Macchiato clone in the comfort of your own home - wearing your bathrobe if you so desire. How convenient! Alternatively, if it's hot and humid outside, you can make yourself an Iced Caramel Macchiato and chill indoors.

Here's what you need to make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato espresso beverage at home:

1. An Espresso Machine. Prices for these vary considerably, so comparison shop to pick the one that's right for you. My Starbucks Barista espresso machine is somewhere in the middle in terms of price and features, but it has served me well for many years. One caveat: in order to brew the best espresso at home, be sure to buy a machine that is pump-driven.

2. Your favorite brand of Espresso Coffee. I like the Starbucks Espresso Roast which is available for a reasonable price at Target. Be sure to buy espresso coffee however, as regular coffee won't taste the same.

3. Small metal pitcher for frothing the milk.

4. Shot glass to measure the brewed espresso.

5. Milk. Whole milk has the best frothing capability and richest taste, but use whatever kind of milk you like and/or need to for dietary reasons.

6. A thermometer ensures that you're steaming the milk to the correct temperature. Alternatively, you can follow the rule of thumb recommended in the user guide for my Starbucks Barista espresso machine: when your pitcher becomes too hot to touch, your milk is ready.

7. Vanilla syrup. To make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato that's as close as possible to the real deal, you can buy Starbucks vanilla syrup from their website or any retail store. Starbucks vanilla syrup comes with a pump, so you can add exactly the number of pumps needed for the size of your Caramel Macchiato. However, I've found little difference in taste between it and other brands of vanilla syrup such as Torani.

8. Starbucks Caramel Sauce. This is the holy grail of caramel sauce, the crème de la crème if you will. Accept no substitutes! If you can't find the Starbucks Caramel Sauce, then you can't make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato because no others even come close to the flavor. Trust me, I've tried. Starbucks does sell small plastic bottles of their Caramel Sauce in their retail locations, but it's not always available. When I can get my hands on it, I stock up. Starbucks Caramel Sauce used to be available on their website as well, but it's inexplicably been out of stock for more than six months.

Follow these seven easy steps to make a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato at home:

1. Put vanilla syrup into your favorite coffee mug

2. Steam the milk (make sure to produce lots of froth, i.e., foam)

3. Brew espresso

4. Fill coffee mug with steamed milk

5. Add a generous dollop of foam on top

6. Pour the espresso over the foam

7. Drizzle the caramel sauce liberally over the foam