Cortado Recipe

Preheat and dose

Preheat the cup by filling it with hot water, then discard the water. Weigh out 18 g of espresso coffee and grind to a medium-fine espresso grind. Distribute grounds evenly in the portafilter.

Tamp and brew

Tamp the grounds level and firm with the tamper. Lock the portafilter into the machine and start extraction. Aim for a 1:2 brew ratio (about 36–40 ml espresso) over 25–30 seconds. Stop extraction when you reach ~40 ml (single or short double depending on basket).

Prepare milk

Pour 40 ml of cold whole milk into the milk pitcher. If your steam wand may spit, pour an extra 20 ml into a separate pitcher to purge and clean the wand before texturing the milk.

Texture milk

Purge the steam wand briefly into a sink or the optional pitcher. Submerge the tip just below the surface of the milk and turn on the steam. Introduce a small amount of air for 1–2 seconds to create silky microfoam, then fully submerge the tip and heat milk to 55–60°C (130–140°F). You want smooth, velvety milk with minimal visible foam. Tap the pitcher on the counter and swirl to eliminate any large bubbles.

Measure and pour

Swirl the milk so the texture is homogeneous. Pour the textured milk slowly into the center of the prepared espresso. Aim to add roughly equal parts milk to espresso so the finished volume is ~80 ml (cortado ratio typically 1:1 to 1:1.5 espresso:milk). The milk should cut the espresso, creating a uniform layered color and a thin silky foam on top. Do not overpour — the goal is a thin layer of microfoam, not cappuccino foam.

Serve immediately in a preheated 60–90 ml glass or demitasse. Optionally garnish with a tiny swirl of crema or a light dusting of cocoa if desired. After serving, purge and wipe down the steam wand and clean the portafilter.