Flat white recipe: a small coffee with silky milk
Jack Donnell
At a glance
Make a flat white with a double espresso and silky steamed milk. Follow the six-ounce starting recipe, microfoam tips, and home equipment alternatives.
A flat white is a small espresso-and-milk drink with fine, integrated foam rather than a thick frothy cap. This starting recipe pairs a double espresso with 1/2 cup of milk for a coffee-forward cup. Cafe recipes vary in shot style and serving size.
The most useful difference to practice is the milk texture. A glossy pour that moves like liquid paint will blend with the espresso more evenly than dry foam scooped on top.
Flat white recipe
Yield: 1 drink · Prep: about 2 minutes · Cook/brew: about 3 minutes · Total: about 5 minutes
Use these quantities as home starting points and adjust to taste. Times are estimates; allow extra time for an espresso machine to warm up. US volume measures are approximate metric conversions.
Equipment
Espresso machine, steaming pitcher, steam wand or milk frother, and an 8 fl oz cup.
Ingredients
- 1 double espresso, about 2 fl oz (60 ml)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
Instructions
- Warm and measure. Warm the cup, empty it, and measure the milk into a suitable pitcher.
- Brew the espresso. Prepare a double espresso using a repeatable recipe for your machine. Do not change the shot yield just to fill the cup.
- Make fine microfoam. Steam the milk, adding only a small amount of air before circulating it. Follow the steam wand instructions and stop before the milk boils.
- Pour promptly. Swirl the milk to keep the foam integrated, then pour steadily into the espresso. Leave any stiff foam behind and serve straight away.
Tips and adjustments
Large bubbles?
Add air for less time and keep the milk moving. A handheld frother can work, but it may produce a thicker foam cap that you need to spoon aside.
Too milky?
Reduce the milk slightly on your next cup while keeping the same espresso. Record the change so you can repeat it.
Using a different coffee base?
Moka pot coffee makes a useful home variation. Its concentration and texture differ from espresso, so begin with a smaller milk pour and taste.
Common questions
Does a flat white require ristretto?
Some cafes use ristretto-style shots and others use their usual double espresso. This recipe uses a regular double; the small serving and fine milk texture are the focus.
Is it the same as a cortado?
No. A cortado commonly has a more even espresso-to-milk balance. This flat white starting recipe has more milk than espresso.
More coffee recipes
Browse all coffee recipes or return to our recipe collection.
Further reading: Espresso drink formats. The measured preparation above is a Chroma home starting version.
Illustrative stock photo: Pexels, used under the Pexels license.