Most coffee drinks are built from the same three parts: espresso shots, milk, and hot water. Change the amount of each and you get a different drink. This guide lays out the typical build for each common drink so you can order precisely or make it at home.
Cup sizes and recipes vary between cafes, so treat these as typical builds. The shot count is the number of espresso shots; the other columns describe what fills the rest of the cup.
| Drink | Espresso | Steamed milk | Hot water | Typical cup size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1 or 2 shots | No milk | No water | 1 to 2 oz (30 to 60 ml) |
| Americano | 1 or 2 shots | No milk | Poured over the shots | 6 to 8 oz (180 to 240 ml) |
| Cortado | 1 or 2 shots | Equal parts warm milk, lightly textured | No water | 3 to 4 oz (90 to 120 ml) |
| Macchiato | 1 or 2 shots | A spoonful of foam only | No water | 1 to 2 oz (30 to 60 ml) |
| Flat white | 1 or 2 shots | Velvety microfoam, less milk than a latte | No water | 5 to 6 oz (150 to 180 ml) |
| Cappuccino | 1 or 2 shots | About as much milk as espresso, topped with thick foam | No water | 5 to 6 oz (150 to 180 ml) |
| Latte | 1 or 2 shots | Most of the cup, with a thin layer of foam | No water | 8 to 12 oz (240 to 350 ml) |
Sizes are typical ranges. Ask for a single or double shot when ordering, since the shot count sets how strong the drink tastes.
Milk share is the easiest way to tell the milk drinks apart. Start with the one that has the most milk and work toward the one with the least.
the most milk, with a thin layer of foam. Mild and smooth.
less milk than a latte, with a velvety texture. Stronger coffee taste in a smaller cup.
milk and foam in roughly equal measure with the espresso. Lighter, airier mouthfeel.
equal parts espresso and warm milk. Balanced and compact.
mostly espresso with a spoonful of foam. The closest drink to straight espresso among the milk drinks.
Espresso has no milk at all, so it sits at the end of this list. Americano has no milk either; it is covered in the next section.
A flat white and a latte use the same espresso and milk, but a flat white is served in a smaller cup with less milk and a finer texture.
A macchiato is espresso marked with foam, while a latte macchiato is built the other way around: hot milk first, with espresso poured in on top. Café menus use the names differently, so check the description when you order.
An americano is one or two shots of espresso with hot water added. The espresso flavor comes through, but the drink is lighter than a shot of espresso and does not contain milk.
Drip coffee is a different category. It is brewed by pouring water through ground coffee, not by adding water to espresso. If a menu says "coffee" without a drink name, it usually means drip or filter coffee.
An iced latte uses the same espresso and milk as a hot latte, poured over ice. Because ice takes up space and melts into the drink, melted ice dilutes the drink, so the later sips taste lighter than the first.
When you order, name the drink, then the shot count, then the milk. A latte with two shots and oat milk is clear to any barista.
At home, the same ratios apply. A stronger brew stands in for espresso when you do not have an espresso machine. The milk side can be warmed in a pan or microwave and whisked or shaken in a sealed jar for foam.
Choosing a machine for these drinks? The espresso machine guide compares models by how they handle shots and milk.
Compare the cost of a drink made at home with a café price by entering your beans, milk, and cup count in the coffee cost per cup calculator.
Coffee cost per cup calculatorFree to use online tool
A latte has more milk and only a thin layer of foam. A cappuccino has about as much milk as espresso and a thick layer of foam, so it feels lighter in the mouth.
No. An americano is espresso with hot water added. Drip coffee is brewed by pouring water through ground coffee.
No. A cortado is equal parts espresso and warm milk. A macchiato is mostly espresso with a small spoonful of foam.
Yes. Two shots put more espresso in the cup, so the drink tastes stronger and contains more caffeine than the same drink made with one shot.
One or two. Most cafés use one shot for a small latte and two for a larger one, but the cup size and the café's standard decide the exact number.
It can. Ice takes up space in the cup, so a drink served iced often has less espresso and milk than the same drink served hot, unless the cafe adds a shot.