Latte recipe: for a 12 oz cup, pull a double shot from 18 g of coffee to about 36 g of espresso, then add about 8 fl oz of steamed milk.
Every drink starts with the same shot
Walk into most cafes and the base of nearly every milk drink is a double shot of espresso: about 18 g of coffee brewed into about 36 g of liquid. What changes from drink to drink is how much milk goes on top and how much air is whipped into that milk.
Steaming milk does two things. It heats it, and it stretches it by folding in air. A little air gives you microfoam, milk with tiny bubbles that looks glossy and pours like wet paint. A lot of air gives you thick, dry foam that sits on top like a cap. Those two textures are most of the difference between a latte and a cappuccino.
One honest caveat before the table. These names are traditions, not laws. Cup sizes vary widely between cafes and between countries, and a large chain's 16 oz cappuccino is a very different drink from a classic 6 oz one. The numbers below are typical starting points.
Espresso drinks compared
| Drink | Espresso | Milk | Foam | Typical cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macchiato | Single or double | None, or a splash | A spoonful on top | 2 to 3 oz |
| Cortado | Double | About equal to the espresso | Very little | 4 to 4.5 oz |
| Flat white | Double | Steamed, about 3 to 4 oz | Thin, velvety layer | 5 to 6 oz |
| Cappuccino | Double | Steamed, about 2 to 3 oz | Thick, about a third of the cup | 5 to 6 oz classic, up to 12 oz in many cafes |
| Latte | Double | Steamed, about 6 to 12 oz | Thin layer, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch | 8 to 16 oz, often 12 |
| Americano | Double | None | None | 8 to 12 oz with hot water |
Read the table from top to bottom and the drinks get milkier. A macchiato tastes mostly like espresso. A latte tastes mostly like warm milk with coffee running through it.
What sets each drink apart
Latte
The biggest and mildest of the group. A double shot topped with steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam. Because there is so much milk, a latte is the easiest drink to flavor with syrup and the most forgiving if your shot is not perfect.
Cappuccino
The classic rule is thirds: one part espresso, one part steamed milk, one part foam. The foam makes it feel lighter and airier than a latte, and the coffee tastes stronger because there is less liquid milk to dilute it. Some cafes make a "wet" cappuccino with more milk and less foam, or a "dry" one that is almost all foam.
Flat white
A smaller, stronger cousin of the latte. The milk is steamed with very little air, so the foam layer is thin and silky and blends into the drink instead of sitting on top. Some cafes use ristretto shots, shorter and sweeter, to keep the coffee forward.
Cortado
Espresso "cut" with roughly the same amount of warm milk. It is served small, often in a glass, with little or no foam. If a flat white still feels too milky, try a cortado.
Macchiato
Macchiato means "marked" or "stained" in Italian. A traditional espresso macchiato is a shot marked with a small spoonful of milk foam. It is not the tall, layered caramel drink that large chains sell under the same name. That drink is closer to a latte with the espresso poured in last.
Americano
Espresso diluted with hot water to roughly the strength of drip coffee, with a different texture and flavor. Pour the espresso over the water instead and some cafes call it a long black, which keeps more of the crema on top.
How to make each one at home
With a machine, pull a double shot of about 36 g from 18 g of coffee for every drink below. Without a machine, use 2 to 3 oz of moka pot coffee or a strong AeroPress concentrate in its place. It will not be identical, but it works well under milk. Our guide to what espresso is covers both routes in detail.
Steaming and frothing the milk
- Steam wand. Start with cold milk in a cold pitcher. Keep the tip just under the surface for a few seconds to add air, listening for a gentle tearing sound, then sink it a little deeper to spin the milk until the pitcher is too hot to hold comfortably, about 140 to 150°F.
- Jar. Fill a microwave safe jar no more than a third full, shake hard with the lid on for 30 to 60 seconds, then microwave uncovered for about 30 seconds.
- French press. Pour warm milk into a clean press and pump the plunger quickly 15 to 20 times.
- Handheld frother. Works on warmed milk in a tall mug. Easy to control how much foam you make.
Whichever method you use, tap the container on the counter and swirl it to break big bubbles. Whole milk foams most easily. Among plant milks, barista style oat milk usually behaves best.
Building each drink
- Latte: double shot in a 12 oz cup, then about 8 fl oz of steamed milk, holding back the foam with a spoon until the end.
- Cappuccino: double shot in a 6 oz cup, then 2 to 3 oz of milk with plenty of foam. Spoon extra foam on top if needed.
- Flat white: double shot in a 5 to 6 oz cup, then 3 to 4 oz of milk steamed with very little air, poured close to the surface.
- Cortado: double shot in a small glass, then an equal amount of warm milk, about 2 oz.
- Macchiato: single or double shot in a small cup, topped with one or two spoonfuls of foam.
- Americano: 6 to 8 oz of hot water in a mug, then the double shot on top. Adjust the water to taste.
Want it cold? Any of these can be iced, but foam does not survive ice well. Iced versions are usually espresso, cold milk and ice. See our guide to the iced latte vs iced coffee for the full recipe.