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Macchiato vs cortado: what's the difference?
A macchiato is an espresso "stained" with a spoonful of foam: almost all coffee. A cortado cuts a double shot with an equal amount of warm milk, so it is softer and about twice the size.
The differences
- Milk: a macchiato has a dash, about a spoonful; a cortado has as much milk as coffee.
- Size: a macchiato is barely bigger than an espresso; a cortado is around 120 ml.
- Shot: a macchiato is usually a single shot; a cortado a double.
Macchiato
"Stained" espresso: a shot with a spoonful of foam. In Australia it is tiny; a Starbucks caramel macchiato is a different drink.
How the café in Cuppology builds it
- Start with a hot cup.
- Pour in the espresso: 30 ml.
- Pour in the stiff foam: 20 ml.
What the café accepts as a macchiato
- Shot: espresso or ristretto
- Coffee 15–45 ml
- Milk 1–35 ml
- Milk 40–75 °C
Cortado
Spanish for "cut": a double shot cut with about the same amount of warm milk and almost no foam.
How the café in Cuppology builds it
- Start with a hot cup.
- Pour in the doppio: 58 ml.
- Pour in the steamed milk: 58 ml.
What the café accepts as a cortado
- Shot: espresso or ristretto
- Coffee 30–90 ml
- Milk 35–80 ml
- Milk per coffee 0.5–2.2×
- Foam under 8 mm
- Milk 40–75 °C
Which should you order?
Pick a macchiato if you want an espresso with just the edge softened. Pick a cortado if you want a small but properly milky coffee.