What is a cortado?
From the Spanish cortar ("to cut"), the cortado is espresso "cut" with an equal volume of warm steamed milk — typically about 1:1. Originally Basque, popularized across Spain and Latin America, the drink is served in a 110–150 ml glass and offers the espresso's character softened just enough by milk.
You'll need
- Espresso machine
- Small milk pitcher
- 4 oz / 120 ml gibraltar glass or cortado cup
- Cold whole milk
- 18 g fresh Seelaz espresso — Shop espresso roasts
Step by step
Prep the glass
A gibraltar glass (rocks glass) is traditional in San Francisco. Spanish cortado uses a small ceramic cup. Pre-warm with hot water.
Pull a double shot
Brew 36 g espresso from 18 g of beans directly into the glass. Cortado leans on the espresso, so use a roast with character — chocolatey or nutty.
Steam minimal microfoam
50 ml cold milk. Almost no stretch (1 second max). Almost all spin. You want barely any foam — just warm, glossy, lightly textured milk.
Stop at 55–60 °C
Cooler than a cappuccino so it can be sipped immediately. Tap pitcher and swirl to integrate.
Pour low and steady
Pour the milk slowly into the espresso. Aim for a smooth, two-toned surface — a thin layer of crema bordering the lightened milk. Optional tiny heart.
Pro tips
- Cortado vs. macchiato vs. flat white: cortado is 1:1, macchiato 1:0.3, flat white 1:2.
- Some Spanish cafes serve cortado condensada — with sweetened condensed milk instead of regular.
- Latin American cortadito is similar but typically sweetened with sugar in the cup.
Best coffee for cortado:
Shop espresso roastsالخلاصة بالعربي
الكورتادو إسباني: إسبريسو مع حليب مبخر بنسبة متساوية 1:1. رغوة قليلة جدا، فقط حليب لامع. للذين يحبون نكهة الإسبريسو مع لمسة تلطيف.
