Cortado and Flat White Recipe: How to Make Both at Home

The cortado and the flat white are two of the most misunderstood drinks in coffee. They’re often confused, occasionally listed as the same thing, and wildly inconsistent from café to café. Here’s the definitive breakdown — including exactly how to make both at home.

Cortado vs. Flat White: The Key Differences

Let’s get this straight before anything else:

The one-sentence summary: A cortado is about cutting (literally — “cortar” in Spanish means “to cut”) the espresso’s intensity with a small amount of milk. A flat white is about surrounding espresso with silky microfoam for a smoother, creamier experience.

The Cortado Recipe

What You Need

• Espresso machine with steam wand
• Double portafilter basket
• Small glass (4–5 oz / Gibraltar glass ideal)
• Milk (whole milk recommended)
• Scale (optional but helpful)

Ingredients

• 2 shots espresso (2 oz / 60ml) pulled as a standard double
• 2–3 oz whole milk (60–90ml)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pull your espresso Pull a standard double shot — aim for 18–20g of ground coffee yielding about 36–40ml (2 shots). Extraction time should be 25–30 seconds. Use a slightly darker roast if you have it — the milk should enhance the coffee, not hide it.

Step 2: Steam your milk (small, hot) For a cortado, steam only 2–3 oz of milk. This is less milk than you’d normally steam, which can be tricky on some machines. Use a small steaming pitcher (12 oz or smaller).

Technique:

• Submerge the steam tip just below the surface
• Keep the tip off-center so milk spins in a vortex
• Introduce very little air in the first 2–3 seconds — just a brief “hissing” sound
• Then sink the tip deeper and heat the milk to 140–150°F (60–65°C)
• A cortado has minimal foam — the texture should be silky but not thick

Step 3: Pour Pour the steamed milk directly into the espresso. Because the ratio is close to 1:1, you should still taste the espresso prominently. The milk softens the edges.

Step 4: Taste and adjust A good cortado tastes intense, slightly sweet from the milk, with the full coffee character still present. If it tastes watery, your milk was too much or your espresso too weak. If it’s harsh and bitter, your espresso was over-extracted.

Cortado Tips

• Gibraltar glass — Many specialty coffee shops serve cortados in a 4.5 oz glass called a Gibraltar (made by Libbey). It’s not required, but the right glass makes the drink feel complete.
• Don’t use too much milk — A cortado starts becoming a mini-latte once you exceed 3 oz of milk. Keep the ratio close to 1:1.
• Temperature matters — A cortado is meant to be drunk quickly, at a proper temperature. Don’t let it sit.
• Ristretto shot — Some baristas use a ristretto (shorter, more concentrated shot) for a sweeter, more intense cortado. Try pulling 14–16ml per shot instead of 18–20ml.

The Flat White Recipe

What You Need

• Espresso machine with steam wand
• Double portafilter basket
• Small tulip-shaped cup (5–6 oz)
• Whole milk (crucial for proper microfoam)
• Scale (recommended)
• Thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

• Double ristretto (or double espresso) — 1.5–2 oz (45–60ml)
• 3–4 oz whole milk (90–120ml) steamed to silky microfoam

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pull a ristretto or strong double A flat white is traditionally made with a double ristretto — a shorter, more concentrated pull using the same coffee dose. Aim for 14–18g of coffee yielding 25–30ml total (instead of the usual 36–40ml).

If you’re not ready to pull ristrettos, a standard double shot works — the flat white will be slightly less intense but still good.

Step 2: Steam milk to microfoam This is where the flat white lives or dies. The microfoam must be velvety, glossy, and free of large bubbles.

How to steam milk for a flat white:

• Use 3–4 oz of whole milk in a small pitcher
• Position the steam tip just below the surface, slightly off-center
• Create a brief stretching phase: let the tip barely touch the surface for 3–5 seconds, incorporating a small amount of air. You should hear a light “tsss” sound, not a loud screeching.
• Drop the tip deeper into the milk immediately after — this is where you build the vortex that integrates the foam
• Heat to 140–150°F (60–65°C). A flat white should not be scalded — it kills the microfoam texture
• Stop and tap the pitcher on the counter, then swirl to integrate any remaining foam

Good microfoam should look like wet paint — glossy, with no visible bubbles. It should pour slowly and feel heavier than regular steamed milk.

Step 3: Pour Tilt the cup and pour the milk from a low height, starting slowly. The goal is to push the microfoam through the espresso, not float it on top.

A basic heart or leaf pattern will appear if your foam is right — even without formal latte art training. If you see a blob of white milk surrounded by espresso, your foam had too many large bubbles.

Step 4: Taste A flat white should taste: smooth, creamy, intensely coffeed, and slightly sweet from the milk. The espresso dominates but the microfoam softens and integrates it. It should not taste like a thin latte.

Flat White Tips

• Size is key — A flat white should be 5–6 oz max. If you’re making it in a large mug, it becomes a latte. The small size is not optional.
• Whole milk is not optional — The fat in whole milk is what creates proper microfoam. Skim milk makes mediocre foam. Oat milk (barista edition) works if dairy-free.
• Ristretto makes a difference — The stronger, sweeter extraction of a ristretto complements the silky milk better than a standard shot. Worth learning.
• The right cup — A small tulip cup (also called a flat white cup, usually 5–6 oz) keeps the drink at the right ratio. Using a 12 oz mug defeats the purpose.

Comparing Them Side by Side

If you make both and taste them back to back:

Cortado: You’ll notice the espresso immediately. The milk is there, but it’s clearly a supporting role. Bolder, more intense.

Flat White: The milk and espresso are more integrated. It feels smoother, creamier. The espresso is prominent but the milk wraps around it more.

Which is better? It depends entirely on how coffee-forward you want your drink. For espresso lovers who also enjoy milk: flat white. For espresso purists who want minimal dilution: cortado.

Milk Alternatives

Both drinks work with milk alternatives, but with some trade-offs:

Oat milk (Barista Edition) — Best non-dairy option for both. Good foam, neutral flavor. Oatly Barista and Minor Figures are top choices.

Soy milk — Foams reasonably well but can have beany flavor notes that compete with the coffee.

Almond milk — Thin texture, doesn’t foam well. Works better in iced versions than hot.

Coconut milk — Can work, but the flavor is dominant. Some people love it, others find it overwhelming.

Troubleshooting

Cortado tastes too harsh — Espresso was over-extracted. Check your grind size and extraction time (aim for 25–30 seconds). Alternatively, use slightly less milk.

Cortado tastes watery — Too much milk, or weak espresso. Reduce milk to 2 oz and ensure you’re pulling a real double shot.

Flat white foam is bubbly and separated — You introduced too much air during steaming. The “stretching” phase should be very brief — just 2–4 seconds. Practice with water first.

Flat white tastes like a latte — Your cup is too big, or you used too much milk. A flat white should be 5–6 oz total including the espresso.

Microfoam won’t form — Low-fat milk or milk alternatives don’t foam as well. Use whole dairy milk or a barista-edition plant milk.

Quick Reference

For the milk steaming technique in more detail, read our guide to steaming milk and latte art. If you’re looking for a wider overview of espresso-based drinks, see classic espresso drink recipes.