Cortado vs Cappuccino: What’s The Real Difference?
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There are many unique names for all the coffee drinks out there, and it can get confusing. What is a cortado? Or a cappuccino?
Both cortado and cappuccino are made with deliciously roasted espresso, dialed in for the perfect shot every morning. Today, I am going to shed some light on these common coffee drinks and help you decide which of these drinks you will love.
Cortado vs Cappuccino
A cortado contains equal parts of espresso and lightly steamed milk. Cappuccino, on the other hand, is made with equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk. A cappuccino has a thick layer of milk foam on top whereas a cortado has little to no foam and it’s stronger than a cappuccino.
Key Takeaways:
- Cortado is a creamy drink that consists of a 1:1 ratio of steamed milk to a brewed double shot of espresso.
- A cappuccino is a foamy espresso drink made with 1-2 shots of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam.
- The cortado has a more robust, intense coffee flavor because it contains less milk than the cappuccino.
- A cortado and a cappuccino are both made with a single or double shot of espresso. Each shot of espresso contains 68mg of caffeine.
- A cortado is definitely the stronger coffee drink when compared to a cappuccino.
In this article, I am going to compare cortado and cappuccino in terms of their taste, texture, preparation method, caffeine content & more. So stick around till the end.
Cortado, Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?
A cortado and a cappuccino may seem similar but they do have important differences. Both of these delightful drinks contain espresso and freshly steamed milk & milk foam.
What sets them apart is the amount of foam on top of each drink. In addition, a cortado is traditionally a smaller drink compared to a cappuccino.
- Ingredients: 1/2 Espresso, 1/2 steamed milk.
- Taste: Bold, robust, creamy, velvety.
- Strength: Strong.
- Caffeine: Depends on the number of shots of espresso. (1 shot of espresso = 68mg caffeine)
- Ingredients: 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, 1/3 foamed milk.
- Taste: Foamy, stronger coffee flavor.
- Strength: Medium-Strong.
- Caffeine: Depends on the number of shots of espresso. (1 shot of espresso = 68mg caffeine)
What is a Cortado?
The cortado hails from Spain. In Spanish, ‘cortado’ means “to cut.” This refers to how an equal amount of steamed milk ‘cuts’ the acidity of the espresso. They’re generally served in 5-7 fl oz cups.
This creamy drink consists of a 1:1 ratio of steamed milk to a brewed double shot of espresso.
Traditionally the Cortado does not have texturized milk, though some baristas like to add a small amount on top to create latte art.
A cortado is 3-4.5 ounces, with 2 ounces of espresso and 1-2 ounces of steamed milk, topped with little to no foam.
So this is a relatively small drink, usually served in a rather small glass (usually with a 4.5-ounce capacity–half the size of an average coffee).
Since cortado doesn’t contain that much milk so as you can imagine, the taste of the Espresso remains quite strong, while the milk adds a hint of sweetness.
What is a Cappuccino?
A cappuccino is a foamy espresso drink made with 1-2 shots of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam.
It’s one part espresso, one part steamed milk, and one part foam.
There are a lot of variations on the cappuccino, from very frothy milk with stiff peaks to adding chocolate powder.
Although the traditional size of a cappuccino is small, it can be ordered in short, tall, grande, and venti sizes.
What makes a cappuccino different from a cortado is the milk. The milk for a cappuccino is frothed more, making for lighter foam. Foam is made by introducing air into the milk, expanding the milk.
Cortado vs Cappuccino: Taste
The Cortado is a small, warm coffee drink from Spain, made with half espresso and half milk.
The milk is steamed but not very foamy. This less-frothed milk gives the drink a smooth, velvety texture and a nice balance between the espresso and milk.
This silky drink is stronger than a cappuccino but still less acidic than an espresso.
The cortado has a more robust, intense coffee flavor because it contains less milk than the cappuccino.
A cappuccino, on the other hand, is made with 1 part espresso, 1 part steamed milk, and 1 part milk foam.
This composition gives cappuccino a foamy, frothy texture and bold coffee taste.
When you steam the milk for a cortado, it’s basically lightly steamed because there’s no froth or foam. On the flip side, the milk steamed for the cappuccino has that frothy, foamy texture to it.
Caffeine Content in Cortado & Cappuccino
A cortado and a cappuccino are both made with a single or double shot of espresso. Each shot of espresso contains 68mg of caffeine.
So the amount of caffeine in either of these drinks will depend on the number of shots of espresso used to make that drink.
The main difference between the two is that one has more milk than the other. Since they both have the same amount of espresso, they will also have the same general caffeine content.
The taste will vary greatly, however, due to the milk content.
Cortado & Cappuccino. Which is Stronger?
A cortado is definitely the stronger coffee drink when compared to a cappuccino.
If you are looking for a bolder, stronger taste, you should order a cortado, as it contains less milk.
But for a strong caffeine boost with a mellower flavor, a cappuccino is what you are looking for.
While both drinks are milky, the Cortado has a more pronounced, stronger coffee taste and slight bitterness with hints of sweetness from the milk.
Cappuccino has a moderately strong coffee flavor and is sweeter and foamier due to the presence of milk & a good volume of froth.
Which is Healthier?
This question really comes down to the milk and fat content. Both the cortado and the cappuccino are usually made with 1-2 shots of espresso, which is virtually calorie-free anyway.
However, as mentioned above, the amount of milk contained in each coffee is vastly different.
Most cafés will default to using whole or 2% milk. For a cortado, that means you are looking at between 16 and 36 calories versus the 70+ calories you can expect from a 6-ounce cappuccino.
However, a cortado remains the healthier option. Even if you opt for different substitutes, the volume difference between these two coffee beverages is going to render the cortado the more health-conscious choice.
How To Make Cortado At Home
Pull 1-2 shots of espresso.
Grind coffee beans and use an espresso machine to extract 1-2 shots of espresso into a small cup that holds at least 4 ounces. A Gibraltar glass is the perfect size for a cortado at 4.5 ounces.
Steam milk.
Froth 4 ounces of lightly textured milk (the same as you would for a latte)—but you’ll only use 2.
Pour milk into espresso.
Into your cup with espresso, pour in 2 ounces of milk.
Cortados can be served with any type of milk, although whole milk is what’s usually used.
They are usually made with steamed or lightly textured milk, you can top it off with little foam if you like.
Check out this video and follow along with the recipe to make a delicious cup of cortado at home.
How To Make Cappuccino At Home
Pull 1-2 shots of espresso.
Prepare 1-2 shots of espresso in a large cup (ideally, a cappuccino cup).
Froth the milk.
Place the milk into either a glass measuring cup or a small metal pitcher.
Insert the steam wand into the container with the milk and engage the steam wand on your espresso machine.
Once the milk has foamed to double its size, turn the steam wand off.
Top the espresso with foamed milk right after foaming.
That’s it. Your cappuccino is ready to be served and enjoyed.
Below is a recipe video that I have included to help you make your foamy cup of cappuccino right at home.
Conclusion
So there you have it, regardless of which coffee you opt for, you are looking at a milky concoction with a healthy helping of espresso at the bottom.
The short and sweet version of the difference between these coffees is that the cortado is smaller with a stronger coffee flavor, and the cappuccino is going to be slightly larger with a lot more milk foam on top.
If you want to learn more about the differences between other coffee beverages then go ahead and click on any of the following articles.
Amit Gupta
Hi, my name is Amit Gupta, and I am the owner and contributor at Cafeish. My obsession with coffee started when I received my first French press as a gift almost ten years ago. Since then, my love of coffee – and the number of coffee gadgets I own – has grown considerably.
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