Milk drink ratios
Pick a café drink and your cup size to get the espresso, steamed-milk, and foam split. The difference between a latte, a cappuccino, and a flat white is all in these numbers.
Drink
Roughly equal espresso, milk, and foam.
Espresso
1 shot
≈ 30 ml
Steamed milk
59 ml
≈ 2 oz
Foam
59 ml
airy, spooned
These are guide ratios, not laws. The real difference between these drinks is the foam-to-milk balance and the cup size, not the number of shots. Adjust milk to taste and to your cup.
Make it at home
Great milk drinks come down to two things: a real espresso base and well-textured milk.
Want the full breakdown? Cappuccino vs latte vs flat white.
Common questions
What is the difference between a latte, cappuccino, and flat white?
It comes down to the milk-and-foam balance, not the espresso. A cappuccino is roughly equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and airy foam in a small cup. A latte is mostly steamed milk with a thin foam cap in a larger cup. A flat white is a smaller drink with a double shot and silky microfoam, so it tastes stronger and more velvety than a latte.
How much milk goes in a cappuccino?
A traditional cappuccino is close to equal thirds: about a shot of espresso, an equal amount of steamed milk, and an equal amount of foam, usually in a 5–6 oz cup. That high proportion of airy foam is what makes a cappuccino lighter and drier than a latte of the same size.
What is a cortado?
A cortado is espresso 'cut' with a nearly equal amount of warm steamed milk and very little foam, served in a small 4 oz glass. It sits between a macchiato and a flat white: milkier than a macchiato, but far stronger and less foamy than a cappuccino or latte.
What is microfoam?
Microfoam is milk steamed to a glossy, paint-like texture with tiny, barely visible bubbles, rather than the stiff, airy bubbles of old-school foam. It is what lets you pour latte art and gives flat whites and lattes their silky body. Dry, airy foam is the traditional choice for a cappuccino.
Can I make these drinks without an espresso machine?
You can get close. A moka pot or a strong AeroPress shot gives you an espresso-adjacent base, and a handheld or automatic frother can texture the milk. It will not be true café espresso, but for a home latte or cappuccino the ratios here still apply — start from the shot and build the milk to your cup.