Does A Cortado Have Foam? | Coffee Clarity

Cortado Basics: Espresso Cut With Milk

The cortado got its name from the Spanish verb cortar, meaning “to cut.” In coffee terms, it refers to cutting espresso’s sharpness with milk. The typical formula pairs espresso and steamed milk in roughly equal parts.

This isn’t a latte in disguise. The distinction comes down to milk texture and foam. The milk in a cortado is heated gently, producing microfoam rather than full froth.

Across coffee cultures, the cortado typically measures 3–4 ounces (90–120 ml) total. Baristas often pull a double espresso shot and pair it with an equal dose of warm milk.

Does A True Cortado Have Foam?

Yes, but only in the tiniest measure. A true cortado doesn’t sport a thick foam blanket; it features a thin layer of microfoam (very fine bubbles) as a finishing touch. Baristas call this residual foam.

Too much foam drifts it toward cappuccino territory. That’s one reason many coffee shops avoid latte art on cortados — the texture is meant to remain smooth, not frothy.

But because “foam” can mean many things, here’s a quick glossary:

• Macrofoam / Dry Foam: Big bubbles, stiff peaks (e.g., cappuccino).
• Microfoam: Very small, uniform bubbles. Silky, wet, and smooth.
• Residual Foam: Tiny leftover layer atop steamed milk in espresso drinks like cortado.

Why Keep Foam Minimal In A Cortado?

Here are a few reasons:

1. Flavor integrity: The espresso should remain in focus. Large foam layers can dilute intensity.
2. Texture balance: The milk’s silky layer smooths the cup without turning it fluffy.
3. Temperature harmony: Heavy foam can cool the drink too fast or add excess bulk.
4. Visual simplicity: The cortado appearance is meant to be neat — espresso and milk, no dramatic art.

Making A Cortado At Home: Foam Tips

Want to brew one yourself? Here’s a simplified workflow:

• Pull a double espresso shot in a small cup.
• Pour cold milk into your steaming pitcher.
• Purge the steam wand to eliminate water residue.
• Place the wand tip just below the milk surface, off-center, to start a gentle whirlpool.
• Introduce air very briefly (1–2 seconds) to create microfoam.
• Submerge the wand deeper to heat milk to 60–65 °C (140–150 °F).
• Pour milk into espresso gently, holding back most foam, then allow a thin veil to top the drink.

Practice helps. The difference between daily foam and a thin blanket is subtle but meaningful.

Cortado Versus Other Milk-Espresso Drinks

It’s helpful to see how foam varies across coffee styles:

In short: cappuccinos feature a thick foam head; flat whites use microfoam but more milk volume; cortados scale foam to nearly invisible levels.

Some Regional Variations

Not all cortados follow one playbook. Here are a few variants:

• Cuban Cortadito — uses sweetened condensed milk instead of fresh milk, sometimes yielding more visible foam.
• Gibraltar / Piccolo — served in thicker Libbey glassware, sometimes with a slightly larger microfoam layer.

When You Might See Extra Foam

Sometimes baristas or cafes accidentally treat a cortado like a mini-latte, topping it with more foam. This often happens with inexperienced steaming or when staff misinterpret the drink style.

Another possibility: using milk that froths easily (e.g. certain non-dairy milks) can lead to unintended foam. The barista must control aeration carefully.

Quick Checklist: Is It a Real Cortado?

• Espresso to milk ratio is about 1:1
• Milk steamed with only minimal aeration
• Foam layer is very thin (under a pinky finger height)
• No thick froth or latte art on top

Final Thoughts On Cortado Foam

If you order a cortado expecting cappuccino-style foam, you’ll be disappointed. The essence of a cortado lies in restraint — letting espresso shine through with a gentle milk veil. That subtle microfoam makes all the difference.

Curious to see how foam behaves in other drinks like cappuccino or flat white? You can dive deeper into milk texture science at the Wikipedia: Microfoam page.