How to make a cortado: Explained in 3 steps

In this blog, you’ll discover what a cortado really is, how to make it yourself, and how it compares to other coffee specialties.

That way, next time you can order one with full confidence at your go-to coffee bar.

What is a cortado?

A cortado is a small coffee drink of about 60ml, made with a single espresso and a little steamed (plant-based) milk.

The cortado originates from Spain. Its name comes from the Spanish verb cortar, which means “to cut.” The milk, in a way, “cuts” the espresso, softening its flavor.

In a cortado, milk and espresso are in a 1:1 ratio. This makes it a great alternative to a cappuccino if you prefer something stronger, or to a flat white if you only want one shot of espresso.

You drink a cortado from a smaller cup than you would use for a cappuccino. We recommend using an espresso cup with a 60ml capacity.

All in all, a cortado is a smaller cup of coffee with less milk, but just as delicious.

How to make a cortado

You too can make a delicious cortado at home! The original recipe is simple: espresso, milk, and a thin layer of foam.

Here’s how to make a cortado:

1. Brew an espresso
Pull an espresso just the way you’re used to.

As a base recipe, we always use: grind 18 grams of coffee into your portafilter basket. Extract until you reach about 37 grams in 25–30 seconds.

• Is the coffee running through too quickly? Grind finer.
• Too slow? Grind coarser.

Don’t forget to place two cups under the portafilter to split your double shot—you’ll only need one espresso. You can also use a small espresso pitcher for this.

Need more guidance? Check out our full guide on making espresso.

2. Steam the milk
Grab the smallest milk frothing jug you have and steam your milk.

Make sure not to stretch the milk too much for your cortado. In other words: don’t add too much air while frothing.

This gives you a silky, creamy texture instead of the thicker foam you’d use for a cappuccino.

3. Combine
Pour the milk slowly into your espresso until the cup is full.

And voila, that's how you make a cortado at home!

Cortado vs Cappuccino

The main difference between a cortado and a cappuccino is the amount of milk.

A cappuccino contains more milk and milk foam than a cortado. It’s made up of ⅓ espresso, ⅓ milk, and ⅓ foam.

This means that, including the foam, a cappuccino contains twice as much milk as a cortado.

As a result, the flavor of the espresso is much more pronounced in a cortado than in a cappuccino.

So, if you ever have specialty coffee beans at home that get lost in a cappuccino but are too strong to drink as straight espresso, you can always turn them into a cortado.

In terms of espresso and caffeine content, a cortado coffee and a cappuccino are the same.

Cortado vs cappuccino:

Cortado vs Flat White

In terms of flavour, a flat white is closer to a cortado than a cappuccino. That’s because a flat white contains double the amount of espresso.

You make a flat white with a double espresso and 120 ml of milk.

The flat white originates from Australia/New Zealand and has become increasingly popular worldwide.

It’s made with ⅓ espresso and ⅔ milk, topped with a thin layer of foam. When steaming milk for a flat white, aim for a texture that isn’t too stiff—similar to the microfoam you’d want for a cortado.

Cortado vs flat white:

Also fun to try: make a flat white with a double ristretto. This gives a sweeter flavor.

Double ristretto: 18 grams of coffee, 22–25 seconds, 18 grams of liquid coffee.

Espresso Macchiato vs Cortado

An espresso macchiato is similar to a cortado, but instead of milk, milk foam is used to make this drink.

Macchiato means “stained” in Italian. You prepare an espresso with just a small “stain” of milk foam on top.

Do you find an espresso too strong, but a cortado coffee too milky? Then the espresso macchiato is the perfect middle ground for you.

Espresso macchiato vs cortado: