The cortado is the Spanish cousin of the flat white: a double espresso finished with an equal amount of steamed milk, served small. Drink ratios like this are universal bar convention — the NCA brewing essentials and the Specialty Coffee Association are good background — and Perfect Daily Grind’s milk texturing guide covers the silky-milk technique this drink needs. — usually around 4 ounces. It is the drink that keeps the espresso front and center while the milk softens the edges, and it is remarkably easy to make at home once you know the ratio and the cup. This guide walks through both, plus the steaming technique that makes the difference.
The direct answer: equal parts espresso and milk in a small glass
A cortado is a double espresso topped with an equal volume of steamed milk, served in a small cup or glass holding about 4 ounces. The ratio is what separates it from a latte (mostly milk), a cappuccino (frothy with thick foam), and a flat white (larger with more milk). Get the ratio right and the drink is unmistakably cortado; the technique is standard milk steaming.
The recipe: ratio and cup
Start with the two numbers that define a cortado: the espresso dose and the final cup size. A double espresso is the base, and the milk is added to roughly match its volume, bringing the total to about 4 ounces.
- Pull a double espresso into the small cup you will serve in. Use your usual dose and yield.
- Steam a small amount of milk to warm it with a fine, silky texture — not the thick foam of a cappuccino.
- Pour the milk onto the espresso until the cup is full, around equal parts.
- Serve immediately in the small glass, with the crema visible at the top.
That is the whole recipe. The ratio does the work; the cup size enforces it. If your small glass holds a little more or less than 4 ounces, adjust the milk pour to match the espresso volume rather than stretching the recipe to a larger cup.
Steaming technique for a cortado
Because the cortado is small, the milk does not need the volume a latte demands. James Hoffmann has discussed small milk drinks at home, and the NCA water guide explains why water matters even in a small cup. Steam a modest amount in the smallest pitcher you have, keeping the texture silky rather than foamy: warm the milk, add a touch of air, and stop before the foam thickens. The microfoam guide on this site — how to master microfoam — teaches the steeper-angle technique that keeps the texture tight. On a machine with a capable steam wand, the cortado is a one-minute drink.
Cortado vs flat white vs latte
| Drink | Espresso | Milk | Cup size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cortado | Double | Equal part (silky) | ~4 oz glass |
| Flat white | Double | More milk, microfoam | ~6–8 oz cup |
| Latte | Double (or single) | Mostly milk | ~10–16 oz cup |
All three use espresso and milk; the ratio and vessel set them apart. The cortado is the smallest and most espresso-forward of the trio.
When to reach for a cortado
- You want espresso character but not a straight shot — the milk softens without drowning it.
- You want a small, strong drink — it is the perfect after-dinner or mid-afternoon size.
- You are tasting a new bag of espresso — the cortado shows the coffee’s character under just a little milk.
If a latte feels like too much milk and a straight shot feels like too much coffee, the cortado is the answer in between. It also travels well as a template: once you know the ratio, the same equal-parts logic scales to cortado-style variations with milk alternatives, where a smaller volume of oat or almond milk textures faster and hides less of the espresso than a full latte would.
If you are new to short milk drinks, the cortado is also a great teacher. Because the milk is minimal, any flaw in the espresso shows clearly — a sour shot stays sour under a hint of milk, so the drink forces you to dial in honestly rather than hiding behind dairy. That makes it the perfect test for a new bag or a new machine setting: pull a cortado with the new coffee, taste it straight, and adjust the grind or yield until the small dose of milk reveals balance instead of faults. Experienced baristas use exactly this trick when they evaluate a grinder, and it works equally well in a home kitchen.
Frequently asked questions about cortado
Is a cortado 1 or 2 shots of espresso?
A cortado is usually made with a double shot as the base, topped with an equal amount of milk in a small glass. Single-shot versions exist but the double is the standard.
What are the ratios for a cortado?
The classic ratio is equal parts espresso and steamed milk, totaling about 4 ounces. Keep the cup small and the milk silky, not foamy.
Is a cortado the same as a flat white?
No. Both use a double espresso, but the cortado is smaller with equal milk, while the flat white is larger, with more milk and microfoam poured latte-style.
Is a Starbucks cortado a real cortado?
Chain versions have differed from the traditional equal-parts small glass. If you want the classic, specify double espresso with equal steamed milk, no sugar.
Make the small, strong classic
With a double shot, a little silky milk, and a 4-ounce glass, the cortado is one of the easiest espresso drinks to master at home. The Meraki espresso machine, with its dual boilers and professional steam wand, pulls the double shot and steams the small milk portion without waiting, and the accessory collection has the small cups and pitchers that finish the ritual.
