How do you reduce sugar in a Caramel Macchiato? Caramel Macchiatos. You know, those sweet vanilla lattes with foam and caramel sauce on top. They are the perfect drinks for when you want both caffeine and some sweetness at the same time. But exactly how much sugar is in those vanilla caramelly drinks everybody loves and how can you reduce the sugar in a caramel macchiato? These are the questions we are going to be answering in this post.
To answer that question, I have collated the sugar content data of caramel macchiatos from two of the big coffee shop chains – Starbucks and Peet’s. This includes the sugar contents for the different sizes and using the different milk options, where available. I then used this data to draw some conclusions on the best way to reduce the sugar content of a caramel macchiato.
Not all the big coffee chains have caramel macchiatos on their menus – for example, Dunkin’ does not have caramel macchiatos on their menus here in the US – neither does Scooter’s Coffee or Biggby. Collecting the data on the sugar content data of the caramel macchiatos at Starbucks and Peet’s should still give us a good idea of how to reduce the sugar content of a caramel macchiato in general.
Best Way to Reduce the Sugar Content of a Caramel Macchiato
As a general rule, the best way to reduce the sugar in a caramel macchiato is to:
- order a small size;
- order it with oat, soy or coconut milk;
- ask for sugar free vanilla syrup instead of regular vanilla syrup; and
- ask for less caramel syrup.
Before we dig in, if you are interested in the sugar content of other types of drinks at your favorite coffee chains then make sure to check out, the following posts I wrote –
- How Do You Order a Latte with Less Sugar?
- How Do You Order Mocha with Less Sugar?
- Does Matcha Contain a Lot of Sugar Matcha?
- How Much Sugar is in a Chai Tea Latte?
- How Much Sugar is in Hot Chocolate?
- Is There Any Sugar in a Cappuccino?
- Does Iced Coffee Contain a Lot of Sugar?
- Is there a lot of Sugar in Iced Tea?
STARBUCKS
How Much Sugar is in a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks?
The Starbucks website lists the sugar content data for their caramel macchiatos, made with 2% milk and based on the size ordered. However, the website doesn’t update the sugar content data based on other customizations such as the milk used.
Below then is the sugar content for Starbucks Macchiatos made with 2% milk.
| Starbucks’ Cup Size | Sugar Content of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Made With 2% Milk |
|---|---|
| Short | 15g |
| Tall | 25g |
| Grande | 33g |
| Venti | 42g |
Even though Starbucks does not provide the nutritional information for ordering a caramel macchiato latte with an alternative milk, this Starbucks document here shows that soy milk and coconut milk at Starbucks are both lower in sugar than dairy milk.
This means one way to reduce the sugar content of your Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is to order yours with soy milk or coconut milk.
Does Starbucks Add Sugar to its Caramel Macchiato?
Starbucks adds vanilla syrup and caramel sauce to their caramel macchiatos, both of which contain sugar.
How To Reduce the Sugar Content of a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
The best way to reduce the sugar content of a caramel macchiato at Starbucks is to:
- order a short size
- order with soy and coconut milk
- replace the vanilla syrup with sugar-free vanilla syrup
- ask for less caramel drizzle
If you are interested, I have written a few posts before on how to order the lowest-sugar drinks at Starbucks. You can read these posts here:
- Which Frappuccinos Contain the Least Sugar?
- 34 Best Low Sugar Drinks at Starbucks (10g of sugar or less)
- 12 Lowest Sugar Starbucks Cold Drinks You Need To Know
PEET’S
How Much Sugar is in Peet’s Caramel Macchiato?
I have collated below the data on the sugar content of a caramel macchiato at Peet’s, depending on what size is ordered as well as the milk caramel macchiato contains.
| Peet’s Cup Size | 2% Milk | Whole Milk | Non-Fat Milk | Soy Milk | Almond Milk | Oat Milk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 45g | 46g | 46g | 41g | 43g | 38g |
| Medium | 49g | 50g | 51g | 44g | 46g | 39g |
| Large | 61g | 62g | 63g | 55g | 57g | 50g |
How To Reduce the Sugar Content of A Caramel Macchiato at Peet’s?
As a general rule, the best way to reduce the sugar content of a caramel macchiato at Peet’s is to:
- order small size
- order with oat milk
- ask for the vanilla syrup to be replaced with sugar-free vanilla syrup
- see if you can have less caramel
If you are interested in what the lowest sugar drinks at Peet’s are then make sure to check out the post I have written on the topic here – Low Sugar and Zero Sugar Drinks from Peet’s.
Sugar In Caramel Macchiatos F&Q
How Much Sugar Is In A Caramel Macchiato?
A small caramel macchiato made with 2% milk can contain 25g-45g of sugar.
Do Caramel Macchiatos Have A Lot Of Sugar?
A small caramel macchiato made with 2% milk can contain 25g-45g of sugar. It is a slightly higher-sugar coffee drink due to the sugar in the vanilla syrup and caramel sauce.
Is Sugar Added To A Caramel Macchiato?
Most caramel macchiatos contain vanilla syrup and caramel sauce, both of which contain sugar.
How Many Spoons of Sugar Is In A Caramel Macchiato?
As a general rule, there are 5g-9g of sugar in a small caramel macchiato made with 2% milk.
How Many Teaspoons of Sugar Are In A Starbucks’ Caramel Macchiato?
There are 4-10.5 teaspoons of sugar in a Starbucks caramel macchiato made with 2% milk, depending on the size ordered.
Does Dunkin’ Have Caramel Macchiatos?
Dunkin’ does not have caramel macchiatos here in the US. Dunkin does have macchiatos and iced macchiatos on their US menu.
How Do You Reduce Sugar in a Caramel Macchiato? – The Final Bite
How do you reduce sugar in a Caramel Macchiato? What have we learned from the above? Well, Caramel Macchiato’s tends to be a higher-sugar coffee drink. If a “Caramel Macchiato” is your go-to drink order and you are trying to watch your sugar intake, it may be time to change orders. However, there are some ways you can reduce the sugar content of your caramel macchiato if you just can’t part with it. Order the smallest size possible, substitute with oat, soy, or coconut milk, ask for sugar-free vanilla syrups, and finally – ask for less caramel sauce. It will still be a caramel macchiato – just a lower-sugar version.
And Remember…
Ingredients and/or manufacturing processes may change. Always double-check ingredient lists and nutritional information before purchasing any food items.
WANT TO FIND MORE LOW SUGAR OPTIONS?
Do you want to learn about some other low-sugar options at your favorite coffee chains, fast food, or restaurant joints, or just while you are shopping for groceries? If you do, then check out some of my other articles below:
