Coffee recipes · Practical home barista guide
A flat white is the drink to make when you want espresso flavor with a little silky milk—not a thick foam cap. The best ones are smooth and compact.
What matters: Texture is more important than the shape of the cup. Aim for very fine microfoam and less total milk than a typical large latte.
Serves1 drink
Active time5 minutes
Coffee baseDouble espresso
What you need
- 1 double espresso, often about 35–45 g in the cup
- About 100–150 ml cold milk
- A 5–7 oz cup and a small milk pitcher
Make it at home
- Pull the espresso into a warmed, smaller cup.
- Steam the milk with just enough air to create fine microfoam. Keep the pitcher swirling so the bubbles disappear into the liquid.
- Tap and swirl the pitcher, then pour steadily; the milk should flow as a single glossy texture.
- Taste. If it is too milky, reduce volume first rather than pushing extraction too far.
Flat white vs latte
There is no universally enforced recipe. In many cafés, a flat white is smaller and has a thinner, more integrated microfoam layer. A latte tends to be larger with a softer coffee-to-milk balance.
