A cortado is a Spanish-origin coffee drink made with equal parts espresso and steamed milk, typically 30ml espresso plus 30ml hot milk. It is smaller and more intense than a latte, yet smoother than a macchiato. The milk should be lightly textured and more liquid than foamy — that is what sets a cortado apart.
In a cortado, the espresso should be the dominant character. Medium-dark roast beans with chocolate and caramel notes pair beautifully with milk. Fuga Coffee's Brazil Mogiana or Rwanda Muhondo beans are ideal choices for cortado. Use an espresso grind size.
A cortado has a 1:1 espresso-to-milk ratio and is the smallest (~60ml). A flat white is 1:2 with microfoam milk (~150ml). A latte is 1:3 with more foam (~240ml). The cortado delivers the most intense coffee flavor, the flat white is creamy, and the latte is the mildest.
A cortado is a Spanish-origin espresso drink made with equal parts espresso and warm steamed milk. The name comes from the Spanish verb ‘cortar’ (to cut) — the milk cuts through the espresso’s intensity. One of the fastest-growing coffee trends in Turkey for 2025-2026, a cortado is prepared with 60ml espresso and 60ml micro-foamed milk.
The cortado strikes a perfect balance between the milky richness of a cappuccino or latte and the raw intensity of a straight espresso. A standard cortado uses a 1:1 ratio of espresso to milk — roughly 120ml total in a small glass. This compact format lets you taste the coffee through the milk, with the edge smoothed away.
To make a cortado at home, start with a quality espresso pull. Dose 18-20g of finely ground coffee and extract 60ml in 25-30 seconds. The milk should be steamed to 55-65°C — not frothy enough for latte art, but silky smooth with a micro-foam texture.
Bean selection matters for cortado. Medium-dark or dark roast profiles work best — their bold body and chocolate notes pair beautifully with milk. Brazilian Mogiana or Colombian beans, with low acidity and high sweetness, are ideal cortado candidates.
Traditionally, a cortado is served in a 120-150ml tumbler known as a Gibraltar glass. If you do not own an espresso machine, a Moka Pot can produce a close approximation — the concentrated brew from a Moka Pot, combined with warm milk, delivers a cortado-like experience.
Chocolatey, low-acidity beans like Brazil Mogiana or a Colombian single origin are ideal for cortado.
55-65°C is the sweet spot. Overheating denatures milk proteins and destroys the natural sweetness.
The magic of a cortado lies in its compact size. Use a 120ml tumbler or espresso cup.
“The cortado is the most elegant way to taste the essence of espresso without sacrificing smoothness. The coffee’s character is preserved, but the harshness is softened.”— Fuga Coffee Brewing Team
