Flat White & Cortado Recipe

Time12m

Serves2

Make Flat White & Cortado Recipe in just 12m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

1
Dose & tamp
Weigh 18 g of freshly roasted coffee and grind to a fine espresso setting. Distribute evenly in the portafilter and tamp with even pressure to create a flat puck.
2
Brew
Lock the portafilter into a preheated espresso machine and start extraction. Aim for a 36 ml (approximately 1.2 oz) espresso yield in about 25–30 seconds. For a cortado, pull a double shot (36 ml). For a flat white, also use a double shot (36 ml). Adjust time and grind to reach target yield.

3
Measure milk
For two servings total: measure 240 ml whole milk for the flat white and 60 ml whole or 2% milk reserved for the cortado, or if making drinks one at a time use 120 ml for a flat white and 60 ml for a cortado. This recipe is scaled for making both: 240 ml (flat white) + 60 ml (cortado).
4
Purge steam wand
Purge the steam wand briefly to remove condensation, then wipe with a clean cloth.
5
Steam milk for flat white
Pour 240 ml cold whole milk into a pitcher. Submerge the steam wand tip just below the surface and start steaming to introduce a small amount of microfoam. Keep the tip near the surface briefly (3–5 seconds) to create velvety microfoam, then lower the pitcher so the wand is deeper to heat the milk to 58–62°C (136–144°F). The texture should be glossy, with very fine, silky microfoam and no large bubbles.
6
Steam milk for cortado
Pour 60 ml cold milk into a smaller pitcher. Steam with less stretching: keep the wand tip just below the surface for 1–2 seconds to create very thin microfoam, then heat to about 54–60°C (130–140°F). The milk should be smoother and slightly thicker in body than for latte but with minimal foam.
7
Wipe & purge
Wipe the steam wand with a damp cloth and purge again after steaming each milk portion.

8
Serve cortado
Place the double-shot (36 ml) espresso into a small 4–5 oz (120–150 ml) glass. Immediately pour the 60 ml steamed milk into the espresso, using a steady pour—aim for a roughly 1:1 to 1:2 ratio of espresso to milk by volume. The cortado should be smooth, with little to no visible foam and a silky texture.
9
Serve flat white
Place a double-shot (36 ml) espresso into a 5–6 oz (150–180 ml) cup. Immediately pour 120–150 ml of the steamed whole milk (from the flat white pitcher) into the espresso with a lower, more continuous pour to integrate crema and milk, creating a velvety surface. You can finish with simple latte art if desired. The flat white should have a thin, even microfoam layer about 2–3 mm thick.
10
Taste & adjust
Taste each drink and adjust future extractions and milk texture as needed: finer grind or longer extraction for a stronger espresso; slightly lower steaming temperature or more/less aeration for milk texture adjustments.