What Is a Cortado? Ratio, Size & Taste

The milk softens acidity and adds sweetness, but the coffee stays audible. A well-made shot finishes short and clean, with no bitterness.

The same coffee as a latte tastes creamy and mild, with origin notes barely perceptible. That difference is the cortado's whole argument.

Cortado comes from the Spanish verb cortar, to cut. The warm milk cuts the espresso's acidity and bitterness, but because the ratio is roughly 1:1 the coffee flavour stays clear. It is typically made with a double ristretto or a regular double shot in a small glass.

Milk is steamed with minimal foam, so the texture is silky rather than airy. Because the drink is small, a thin shot still shows through, which is why technique matters.

Some cafés serve a 5 oz version with a slightly longer shot and 2.5 oz of milk, which keeps the ratio. A 6 oz drink with 4 oz of milk is a flat white, whatever the menu calls it.

For technique, see what is a flat white. For all three drinks side by side, see flat white vs cappuccino vs cortado.

A cortado shows the espresso in its most transparent form while removing its harshest edges. Built on the same double shot (a doppio), both have the same caffeine (roughly 120–150mg); the cortado only tastes stronger because the flavor is more concentrated. The caffeine calculator estimates your daily total.

Full breakdown: latte vs cortado.

Traditionally the 4.5 oz Gibraltar; a 4 oz ceramic demitasse also works. Be wary of an 8 oz cup, which usually means extra milk and a diluted drink.

The aim is milk that softens the espresso's acidity and bitterness without hiding its flavour. Steam the milk with only a brief stretch so it stays smooth and warm rather than foamy, and pour it gently into the espresso so the two blend. A thin layer of foam on top is fine, but a cortado should not have a thick cap.

Cafés vary: some serve cortados slightly larger, with a little more milk. If you prefer a stronger drink, ask for it with a ristretto base.

1. 1

   Warm. A 4–4.5 oz glass with hot water, then pull a double shot (about 18g in, 36g out, 26–30 seconds) into it.26–30 seconds

2. 2

   Steam. 60 ml (2 oz) of cold whole milk to 58–62°C (136–144°F) with fine microfoam and under 0.5 cm of foam.

3. 3

   Pour. At a controlled angle so the milk blends into the espresso rather than sitting on top.

4. 4

   Check. For a small, unified drink with a thin layer of crema.

Steaming only 50–60 ml of milk is harder than steaming for a latte, because it heats in a few seconds and there is little room for a whirlpool. Use the smallest pitcher you have, start with very cold milk, and stop as soon as the pitcher feels warm. Many home baristas steam a little more milk than they need and pour off the rest; that is fine, and easier than trying to steam a tiny amount perfectly.

Because the drink is half espresso, shot quality matters. A balanced medium roast works best; very light roasts can taste sour against small amounts of milk. Our dial-in guide helps you get the shot right first.

Serve it straight away; the small volume cools quickly, and a cortado is best drunk warm rather than hot.

The steaming technique is the same one used for a larger drink, just with less milk. If you want to practise on a bigger canvas first, our latte recipe and cappuccino recipe walk through the milk step in more detail.

• Use a scale for a double shot and tune yield with dialing in.
• Steam in a small pitcher and stop at about 60-65 C.
• Pre-warm the glass, often a 4-5 oz Gibraltar-style tumbler.
• Pre-infusion and stable temperature make a shot sweeter, which helps in a short drink.
• Try oat milk if you want a non-dairy version; barista blends texture best.
• Compare with flat white, cappuccino and cortado.

If you like cortados, try a piccolo or a flat white next; both are close relatives with slightly different ratios. Our latte vs cortado guide compares the cortado with the most common larger milk drink.

In Spain, a cortado is often ordered after lunch, when a large milky coffee would feel heavy. Ask for "cortado" in most specialty cafés worldwide and you will get the equal-parts version described here.