The flat white recipe
for your table
Warm the cup with hot water and discard it. Sixteen centiliters is not much, and a cold cup immediately draws heat from it; this is especially noticeable with a flat white because the milk must not get hotter than sixty-five degrees.
Grind sixteen grams of beans finely, tamp the grounds evenly, and pull a double ristretto: stop at around four centiliters, earlier than for a regular double espresso. This shorter pour extracts fewer bitter compounds and remains easy to recognize beneath the milk.
Froth twelve centiliters of cold whole milk, letting the steam wand draw in air for just a few seconds so the milk increases in volume by ten to twenty percent. Then roll the milk around until it reaches sixty-five degrees, until you have a glossy mass with no loose bubbles left.
Tap the jug once on the counter, swirl the milk until it shines like wet paint, and pour it into the coffee from a few centimeters above. Lower the spout toward the surface once the cup is half full, so the foam starts to form a pattern. Serve immediately, without cocoa.
What did you think of this recipe?
One click on a star is enough. If you want to add something, we’ll read it first before it appears here.
Save this recipe
Send the flat white recipe to your own email, so you’ll have it to hand when you’re ready to make it. You’ll also receive a €5 discount code when spending €50 or more, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
The flat white originated in Australia and New Zealand, where it appeared on menus in the 1980s. Both countries claim its invention, and who made the first one has never been settled; what is certain is that it was already commonplace there before the rest of the world knew it. The name says what it is about: white from the milk and flat, because it has no tall layer of foam. It took a long time to become widespread in Europe, and the fact that it comes from that part of the world makes sense: it suits a bar where the barista controls the milk themselves instead of pressing a button.
The right glass
A flat white belongs in a cup of around sixteen centilitres, and that is not a minor detail: in a larger cup, you need to use more milk, shifting the ratio towards a caffè latte. Sixteen centilitres allows exactly four centilitres of coffee with twelve centilitres of milk, leaving a few millimetres of space at the rim. A double-walled glass keeps the milk at temperature for longer and remains warm to the touch on the outside, and because it is clear, you can see whether the foam is still glossy or is already becoming dry. More models can be found among the double-walled coffee glasses.
Luigi Bormioli Thermic Glass Cappuccino Glass 16.5 cl With Stainless Steel Saucer (2 pieces)
Nachtmann Ethno Barista Cappuccino Glass 23.5 cl (2 pieces)
Both sets together € 50,90.
The right tools
For a flat white, you need little besides the cup: a jigger to check that your double ristretto stays around four centilitres and to measure out a splash of liqueur, and a nutmeg grater for anyone who wants to grate a little dark chocolate or nutmeg over it. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you’ll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 50,85.
What splash goes into a flat white?
Without alcohol, a flat white is simply coffee with milk. If you want to add a splash, choose something that pairs well with milk: liqueur works better than spirits. Baileys and amaretto are the best-known options, and adding whiskey and cream takes you to Irish Coffee. On each drink page, you’ll find the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The same double ristretto topped with a thick layer of foam is a cappuccino; with much more milk in a larger cup, it becomes a caffè latte, and layered in a tall glass, a latte macchiato. Leave out the milk and you’re left with the espresso itself. It works cold too: pour the same shot over milk and ice for iced coffee. The foam also works with oat milk, provided you use a barista version. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Serve the flat white immediately, because the foam stays attractive for only a few minutes at most. A saucer and a small spoon are enough; there is no need to stir, because the milk and coffee are already mixed. Do not serve it with cocoa, so the difference from a cappuccino also remains visible on the table.
Good to know
The difference from a cappuccino
A cappuccino is served in a cup of a similar size, but has a thick layer of foam covering about a third of the contents and often topped with cocoa. A flat white has only a few millimeters of foam on top, with the rest of the air suspended in the milk itself. In addition, a flat white usually uses a double ristretto, so the coffee-to-milk ratio is stronger.
The difference from a caffè latte
A caffè latte is served in a cup or glass of twenty to thirty centiliters and therefore contains much more milk with the same amount of coffee, making it milder in taste. A flat white uses sixteen centiliters, so the coffee remains more prominent. A latte macchiato is something else again: the milk goes into the glass first, leaving the layers visible.
Why the milk has less foam and more texture
Frothing milk happens in two stages. First you draw air into the milk, then you roll the milk around so the bubbles become smaller. For a flat white, you draw in air for only a few seconds and continue rolling for longer. The volume then increases by ten to twenty percent instead of nearly doubling, and the bubbles become so small that they are no longer visible. This keeps the air suspended in the milk instead of forming a separate layer on top, and gives the milk a velvety-smooth texture.
Why a ristretto and not a regular espresso
A ristretto is the same coffee with less water running through it. The compounds that only dissolve later during pouring, and that are bitter, largely do not make it into the cup. What remains is thicker and sweeter, and it stands up much better to less than twelve centiliters of milk than a long pour does. A double ristretto of around four centiliters is the usual base.
The milk at the right temperature
Heat the milk to sixty to sixty-five degrees. At that temperature, the milk tastes sweetest because the lactose comes through most clearly. If you go well above seventy degrees, the milk proteins release the bubbles: the foam collapses and the milk develops a cooked taste that you can no longer get rid of. If you can no longer hold the jug, you are already too late.
Which milk foams best
Whole milk produces the most stable and creamiest foam because fat and protein hold the bubbles together. Semi-skimmed milk foams higher but more dryly, which is exactly what you do not want in a flat white. Plant-based milk can work well, but it should be a barista version: extra protein has been added so the foam does not fall apart immediately. Always start with cold milk from the refrigerator; this gives you more time to incorporate air.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a flat white?
A double ristretto of around four centiliters with twelve centiliters of steamed milk in a sixteen-centiliter cup. There is only a thin layer of microfoam on top; the rest of the air is in the milk itself. This gives it a velvety smooth taste while keeping the coffee clearly recognizable.
What is the difference between a flat white and a cappuccino?
The amount of foam and the type of coffee. A cappuccino has a thick layer of foam covering about a third of the drink and is often topped with cocoa; a flat white has only a few millimeters of glossy microfoam. In addition, a flat white is usually made with a double ristretto, so the coffee-to-milk ratio is stronger.
Which cup do you use for a flat white?
A cup of around sixteen centiliters, no larger. It fits four centiliters of coffee with twelve centiliters of milk perfectly. A double-walled glass keeps the milk at temperature for longer, stays warm to the touch on the outside and shows whether the foam is still glossy.
Why use a ristretto in a flat white?
Because less water runs through the coffee, most of the bitter compounds that only dissolve later do not make it through. This makes the pour thicker and sweeter, and it holds up better under twelve centiliters of milk than a regular or lungo espresso.
Also delicious
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Glasses in hospitality quality, delivered per set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →