The difference between a cortado and a flat white is foam and size: a cortado is espresso with an equal splash of warm milk and almost no foam, while a flat white adds a little more steamed milk and a thin layer of silky microfoam. Both are small, strong, coffee-forward drinks, the flat white is just slightly bigger and creamier.
These two get confused more than any other pair, because they are so close. The gap comes down to milk texture and a couple of ounces. Here is exactly how they differ in size, foam, taste, and caffeine.
Want to make these at home? Both need good espresso and well-textured milk. See the best espresso beans and best milk frothers, or pick up an all-rounder like Lavazza Super Crema.
Cortado vs Flat White: At a Glance
| Feature | Cortado | Flat White |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ~4 oz | ~6 oz |
| Espresso | 1-2 shots | 2 shots (often ristretto) |
| Milk | Equal to espresso | Slightly more, textured |
| Foam | Little to none | Thin microfoam |
| Texture | Smooth, light | Silky, velvety |
| Origin | Spain | Australia / New Zealand |
What Is a Cortado?
A cortado is espresso “cut” with an equal amount of lightly steamed milk, served small (about 4 oz) with little to no foam. It is a Spanish drink built to soften the espresso’s intensity while keeping the coffee firmly in front. For the full rundown, see our cortado vs latte guide.
What Is a Flat White?
A flat white is espresso (often a double ristretto) topped with steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam, served around 6 oz. It originated in Australia and New Zealand. The defining feature is the milk texture: a glossy, paint-like microfoam folded right through the drink, which gives it a velvety mouthfeel. See flat white vs latte for how it compares to the bigger milk drinks.
How They Are Made: Foam and Size
Both are espresso plus a small amount of milk, so the difference is texture and a couple of ounces. A cortado uses lightly steamed milk with barely any foam, poured to roughly match the espresso. A flat white uses microfoam, milk steamed to a glossy, velvety texture, and a touch more of it. Getting that microfoam is the skill; our how to froth and steam milk guide walks through it.
Taste and Texture
Both taste strong and coffee-forward, far more so than a latte. The cortado is lighter and cleaner, almost like a softened espresso. The flat white is creamier and rounder thanks to the microfoam, which coats the tongue. If you want the purest coffee taste, go cortado; if you want that silky texture, go flat white.
Size and Milk Content
| Cortado | Flat White | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical size | 4 oz | 6 oz |
| Milk volume | ~2 oz | ~4 oz |
| Foam | Minimal | Thin microfoam |
| Calories (whole milk) | ~40 | ~110 |
Caffeine: Nearly Identical
Caffeine depends on the espresso, not the milk. A cortado and a flat white made with the same number of shots have effectively the same caffeine. Flat whites are often made with a double shot by default, so a standard flat white may edge out a single-shot cortado, but matched shot-for-shot they are equal.
How They Relate to Other Espresso Drinks
Cortado and flat white are the two smallest milk drinks, sitting below the cappuccino and well below the latte. The difference between all of them is simply milk volume and foam, our types of coffee drinks guide maps the whole family.
Which Should You Order?
- Order a cortado if you want the smallest, cleanest, most coffee-forward milk drink.
- Order a flat white if you want that velvety microfoam texture and a slightly larger, creamier cup.
Can You Make Both at Home?
Yes, and they use almost the same ingredients. Pull your espresso, then steam your milk: lightly for a cortado, into glossy microfoam for a flat white. The flat white is the more technique-dependent of the two because the microfoam has to be right. A good milk frother gets you most of the way there.
The Bottom Line
A cortado and a flat white are close cousins, both small, strong, and coffee-led. The cortado is smaller with barely any foam; the flat white is slightly larger with silky microfoam and a creamier feel. Choose the cortado for the cleanest coffee taste and the flat white for texture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cortado vs Flat White
A cortado is about 4 oz of espresso with an equal splash of lightly steamed milk and almost no foam. A flat white is about 6 oz of espresso with a bit more steamed milk and a thin layer of silky microfoam. The flat white is slightly larger and creamier.
Both are strong and coffee-forward. The cortado uses slightly less milk so it can taste a touch cleaner and more intense, but flat whites often use a double shot, which evens things out. Matched shot-for-shot they are very close.
The flat white. It is defined by its thin layer of velvety microfoam. A cortado has minimal foam, just lightly steamed milk.
Almost, but the key difference is texture. A flat white uses microfoam steamed to a glossy, velvety consistency, while a cortado uses lightly steamed milk with little foam. The flat white is also a couple of ounces larger.
You can approximate one with a strong moka-pot or AeroPress brew and milk frothed to a fine microfoam with a good handheld frother. The microfoam texture is the hard part to nail without a steam wand.
Explore more in our coffee drinks hub.
Hey there! I’m Austin and I love coffee. In fact, I drink about 5 americanos a day. I started BrewingCoffees because I wanted to share my love of coffee with the world. Before starting BrewingCoffees, I worked as a Barista for 7 years.
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