Cortado Vs Flat White – Differences & Which One To Choose

Our journey of exploring and comparing espresso drinks continues with a comparison of two different coffee beverages.

This guide compares an espresso drink with a contended history, the Flat White and the Spanish-origin Cortado.   We will unravel their origin, ingredients, preparation, and how to prepare any of the two at home.

Without any further delay, let’s get into it.

Cortado Vs Flat White – What’s the Difference?

A Cortado is a Spanish-origin espresso drink containing equal amounts of espresso and lightly steamed milk. Flat White, on the other hand, contains 1 to 2 shots of espresso and velvety steamed whole milk. While a Cortado seeks a balanced and mild espresso flavor, Flat White aims for a velvety and smooth taste.

Now:

That’s just about the taste, these two drinks are a world apart. Below is a side-to-side comparison of a Cortado vs Flat White.

	Cortado	Flat White
Origin	Spain 🇪🇸	Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿
Ratios	1:1 Espresso and steamed milk	1/3 espresso and 2/3 milk
Number of espresso shots	1-2	1-2
Serving size	3-4 oz	5-6Oz
Caffeine content	63 mg – 126 mg	126 mg
Calories	59 when made with 2 shots	100-300
Toppings	Vanilla syrup Honey syrup	No
Taste	Strong espresso flavor. Smooth and rich.	Intense coffee flavor. Velvety smooth texture

5 Key Differences Between Cortado vs Flat white

1. Origin

Now:

While its evident that Flat White originated in Down Under, both Kiwis and Aussies claim to have invented this drink.  However, there is no hope that this battle will be adjudicated soon.

Nonetheless,

Many coffee experts say the drink originated in Australia but was perfected in New Zealand in the 1980s. In the US, the drink became mainstream after Starbucks introduced it in 2015.

On the other hand:

Cortado originated in Spain’s Basque Country before spreading to other Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. The drink is called Um pingo in Portugal and Tallat in Barcelona.

When served in a Gibraltar glass tumbler, a Cortado is called Gibraltar coffee.

2. Ingredients

First off:

Both Cortado and Flat White are espresso drinks. They are a combo of espresso and steamed milk. The only difference is the ratios and preparation.

Now:

For a Cortado, the aim is to dilute the strong espresso flavor with an equal amount of steamed milk. By the way, the word Cortado is a Spanish word that means “to cut”

In the case of this drink, the milk cuts the espresso flavors. The milk should diffuse the espresso without diminishing the flavors.

Note:

The milk is slightly steamed and has no foam to make sure the milk blends beautifully with the espresso.

A Flat White contains 1/3 espresso and 2/3 velvety steamed milk. The standard Flat White recipe is 2 shots of espresso and 4 ounces of steamed milk.

Note:

The signature feature of a Flat White is the silky texture of the micro-foamed milk. If the milk is not steamed properly you will end up with a smaller latte and cappuccino.

3. Taste

Now:

As the name suggests, a Cortado seeks to cut the espresso flavors and give the drink some texture. The steamed milk diffuses the espresso’s acidity and flavors without diminishing the flavors.

The results?

A smooth and strong drink that packs a punch compared to a Cappuccino or Latte.

For Flat White, the glory is in the micro-foamed milk. Since the amount of milk is double the espresso, the drink is smooth and creamy.

It’s said you cannot appreciate a Flat White until you taste a perfectly made cup of a Flat White.

4. Serving

Now

Typically, a Cortado is served in a 3-4 Oz glass or metal cup and it’s rare to find medium and large servings.

Despite recipe adjustments from place to place, the Cortado’s serving size has remained small.

Note:

You may also find places where a Cortado is called Gibraltar when served in a 2 or 4.5 Oz Gibraltar glass. This name originated from some coffee shops in San Francisco.

A Flat White is typically served in 5-6 Oz ceramic cups to differentiate it from a Latte, which is served in 8 to 20 Oz glass mugs. 

However, some coffee shops such as Starbucks sell bigger Cortados from 8 to 20 Oz. Starbucks also uses double ristretto shots instead of regular espresso shots.

5. Nutritional value

Now:

When it comes to nutritional value, these two drinks pack the same amounts of caffeine when prepared with two shots of espresso.

According to the USDA, an ounce of espresso contains about 63mg of caffeine, resulting in 126mg when 2 shots of espresso are used.

Since a Flat White contains more steamed milk than a Cortado, it has more calories. According to the USDA, 250ml of whole milk contains 152 calories.

Starbucks Flat Whites have between 110 and 190 calories depending on the size.

Conclusion

And that is it for the major differences between a Cortado and Flat White. Here is a quick recap of the differences.

• The Flat White originated Down Under, while the Cortado originated in Spain.
• While a Cortado contains equal parts of espresso and milk
• Flat White contains 1/3 espresso and 2/3 milk.
• The Flat White is typically 5-6 Oz while the standard Cortado serving is 3-4 Oz.
• A Flat White contains more milk than a Cortado and hence has more calories.
• A Cortado is stronger than a Flat White.

Have you made a choice yet? It should be easy.

What about trying a Cortado or a Flat White the next time you are ordering coffee, and seeing if you like it? Let us know in the comment section below, which one will be your favorite.

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