How do you make a great latte? How much milk is in a cappuccino? And what’s the difference between that and a macchiato? Many home espresso lovers are keen to create their favourite coffee shop drinks at home but aren’t quite sure how to get it right, while others are looking to discover a new milk to espresso ratio that may become a new personal indulgence.
Join us at Niche Coffee as we take a look at the coffee to milk ratios that make a great espresso-based drink.
Espresso and milk - from Italy to the rest of the world
The world’s favourite coffee brewing method comes from Italy at the dawn of the 20th Century. Luigi Bezzera was an engineer and inventor who patented the first steam-based portafilter espresso machine in 1901 - a giant leap in brewing technique for strong coffee. Coffee lovers have never looked back since.
In Italy, coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a ritual, complete with time-honoured traditions and unwritten rules that much of the world has happily ignored. When learning about the perfect milk-based coffees, considering some of the cultural essences helps us make better drinks - at least, that’s what we at Niche Coffee believe.
Take the cappuccino for example. In Italy, this is seen as a breakfast luxury, a milky drink that should never be consumed after 11am. After all, milk is extremely filling - ask for a cappuccino after dinner, for example, and you’re somewhat-insultingly suggesting that the meal itself wasn’t enough to sate your hunger.
Caffè latte (literally: coffee with milk), which we tend to dismissively call simply ‘a latte’, is considered a home-style indulgence, often given to children to make the more bitter taste of an espresso more palatable to young tastebuds. For most Italians, the idea that you might pop into a coffee shop midway through the afternoon and grab a latte (which just means ‘milk’) is… well… odd!
No, for purebred Italian coffee aficionados, coffee should typically be enjoyed unadulterated with milk - a clean and simple espresso. Or, if you want to soften it slightly, go for a macchiato - a small dash of milk in a drink that translates as ‘marked’. That’s all you’re doing there; marking the coffee with the milk.
Plus, though the tide of generational change sweeps through Italy as much as it does the rest of the world, for most traditionalists in Mediterranean Europe, milk still comes from a cow - anything else is viewed with some suspicion. Rarely will you see anyone ordering an iced vanilla oat milk latte at 4pm! That said, they do do cold coffee when appropriate (i.e. when it’s hot outside!), which is called a caffè freddo. Sadly, it has nothing to do with little chocolate frogs - though it is delicious, and you can always ask for a Caffè Freddo alla Cioccolata if you do have a hankering for Cadbury’s.
Time and taste wait for no one
We hope Chaucer won’t turn too much in his grave for the butchering of his famous quote - perhaps he can be calmed with a sweet caramel mocha! The truth is that though we might like to cling on to traditions, taste evolves. While the 20th Century Italian roots of espresso-based drinks are essential to our understanding how these drinks began, they no longer rule the coffee shops. Just as they’d have balked at the idea of drinking whatever it was 14th Century poets enjoyed (ale for breakfast, anyone?), so too have we in the UK today outgrown the need to stringently stick to Mediterranean espresso etiquette.
Coffee culture today - here and internationally - has embraced the espresso explosion, but we’re tempering it with our own tastes. Espresso to milk ratios have shifted from fixed recipes to the fluidity of personal preferences.
What does this mean? While it’s not quite ‘anything goes’, it does promote experimentation and an understanding of originality. If you enjoy an almond milk macchiato while your friend opts for a coconut-based tall latte with a splash of hazelnut syrup, that’s perfectly fine. And, with a clear understanding of the milk to espresso ratios, you can recreate these delights at home.
What the milk does - understanding why the coffee to milk ratio matters
Espresso is a powerful shot of coffee. While plenty of us enjoy the delight of tasting that strong taste on the tongue, discerning the different notes that flavour the drink, others find it a little too much on its own or enjoy how milk can bring out the sweetness. Not only that, but if you’re looking for something to drink that’s a little taller than 30ml of intensity, then adding more liquid is essential. It’s rather like the difference between a shot of Scotch or Tequila, and the more refreshing nature of a pint or a vibrant cocktail.
What does milk do to a coffee?
- It alters the texture and feel of the drink
- It softens the flavours
- It sweetens some of the bitterness
- It changes the colour and visual aesthetic
Typically we’re not adding milk poured out of a bottle straight from the fridge (which will rapidly cool your drink!) but steam it to generate both heat and foam. This will further enhance the drink, giving it a silky or creamy quality, or making the final texture airy and light.
Steamed milk and foam offers:
- A way to add milk while maintaining the temperature
- Fuller, creamier body
- Added sweetness
Steaming is essential in lattes and flat whites, providing the creamy smoothness that defines the drink, while foam introduces new textures that greatly affect the feel of the coffee in your mouth. Cappuccinos rely on foam for their look and texture, with the extra small bubbles of microfoam the key to creating artful designs on the top of your cup.
Milk to espresso ratios - the numbers
All milk-and-espresso based drinks start with the shot of espresso, representing 30ml of liquid coffee. Defining exactly what constitutes a shot is complicated and like everything else, steeped in tradition. Most coffee shops across the UK today, however, would consider 30ml of coffee a single shot, and 60ml a double - so that’s what we use when working out ratios.
Lattes
According to a 2022 survey done by The British Coffee Association, the most popular coffee shop drink in the UK is the latte, with 35% of the 5000 respondents choosing it above flat whites and cappuccinos (2nd, and 3rd, respectively). Formed by adding steamed milk to the espresso shot and then finishing it off with a light layer of foam, the latte ratio has the greatest milk to espresso shot size at 3:1 (three parts milk to one part espresso) and even 4:1 in some places, depending on taste.
One reason for this is to make the latte a larger, taller drink, whether thats to provide a long-lasting drink for a relaxed afternoon in the café, or as a substantial takeaway from the motorway services to make the next section of the M25 a little more bearable.
Single shot lattes, at a ratio of 1:3 (espresso to milk) result in a total drink size of approximately 120ml, still a little small for that long drive, leading to large lattes using double shots. 60ml of espresso to 180ml of milk, and foam on top, for a total cup approaching 250ml.
Flat Whites
A flat white ratio is 1:2, resulting in slightly shorter drinks of 90ml (single) to 180ml (double). Microfoam is then added to the top to add a silky texture.
Cappuccinos
The cappuccino is a three part drink, made of equal ratios coffee to milk to foam. This 1:1:1 process provides a flavourful drink made creamy through the added milk, and delightfully light on the tongue thanks to the thicker foam layer. Added dusted cocoa provides a tantalising aesthetic as well as a little extra subtle sweetness - though care must be taken to avoid turning the drink into a pseudo-mocha!
Macchiatos
Here, the trick is to only add a dash of milk, typically under half the amount of your espresso, along with a ‘mark’ of foam. The espresso to milk ratio is between 1:0.25 and 1:0.5 (quarter to half milk compared to espresso).
| Drink | Espresso | Steamed Milk | Foam | Ratio |
| Espresso | 1 shot (30ml) | None | None | 1:0 |
| Latte | 1 or 2 shots (30 to 60ml) | 90 to 180ml | Light layer | 1:3 to 1:4 |
| Flat White | 1 or 2 shots (30 to 60ml) | 60 to 120ml | Microfoam for texture | 1:2 |
| Cappuccino | 1 or 2 shots (30 to 60ml) | 30 to 60ml | 30 to 60ml | 1:1:1 |
| Macciato | 1 shot (30ml) | A dash (10 to 15ml) | Mark | 1:0.25 to 1:0.5 |
Customising your ratio
As with all things coffee, experimentation and adapting recipes to suit your preferred taste and personality are essential. As long as you’re grinding fresh coffee, making well-extracted espresso, and enjoying the end result, your choice of milk and foam ratios are all completely acceptable.
If you prefer a stronger coffee, reduce the milk, perhaps opting for microfoam only as a way to add some velvety texture without diluting the hit. When you’re after a creamy drink, increase the ratio of steamed milk or even try a different milk alternative to bring out a different character. Looking for something refreshing on a hot day? Create an iced latte or freddo - just be sure to consider the dilution ice will bring to the mix.
Niche tips to mastering milk-based coffees
Whether you’re looking to follow traditional Italian rituals or delight in a sumptuous modern twist, there are a few final tips that will help ensure you get the most out of your experience:
- Always use freshly ground coffee for the best espresso - Niche Zero and Niche Duo grinders provide the perfect base for a delicious drink.
- Steam milk to 60–65°C to ensure a smooth texture.
- Practice swirling and stretching the milk to control the level of foam.
- Experiment regularly and write down your process so you can replicate the best results.
Learn more about how to make the perfect milk-based coffee in our expanding knowledge base - from how to keep your coffee to the best tamping advice. With a Niche Grinder by your side, truly delicious coffee is just moments away.