Does Cortado have Caffeine?

A Cortado is made with Espresso and therefore does contain caffeine. Actually, it has quite a bit of caffeine as it’s made with a double-shot of Espresso.

You can certainly enjoy a decaffeinated Cortado, which barely contains caffeine. Every decaffeinated coffee has a little bit of caffeine but by far not as much as regular Espresso.

The Cortado also tastes very strong as it comes with equal amounts of Espresso to steamed milk. The coffee taste is prevalent compared to other Espresso beverages like a Latte or Cappuccino. More on that at the end of the post!

Is Cortado One Or Two Shots?

Cortados are delicious coffee drinks that combine two shots of espresso with an equal amount of steamed milk. Cortados are usually served in tall glasses, and you can even get them in different flavors like hazelnut, caramel, chocolate, etc. Not that you should, though…

The question is whether you want it one shot or two shots. If you ask someone what Cortado is, chances are he/she will say “one shot.” But there are actually two ways to make a cup of Cortado: one shot and two shots.

One Shot vs. Two Shots

A single shot of espresso is made up of just one shot of espresso. Usually, a single shot of espresso is around 30 milliliters (ml) or one fluid ounce. As you can figure out yourself, a double shot of espresso is 60 ml.

A Cortado is typically a 4 oz beverage and consists of 2 oz of coffee (double shot of espresso) and 2 oz of steamed milk. Technically, you can make it with a single shot and 1 oz of milk. That’ll end up being quite a ‘short’ amount overall.

How Much Caffeine Is In A Cortado?

Cortado is a popular coffee beverage that originally comes from Spain. It contains steamed milk and usually two shots of espresso. It’s pretty obvious that a beverage that is brewed with Espresso will contain caffeine.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that a Cortado does come with some caffeine. Actually, it’s quite a bit of caffeine!

The caffeine in a shot of espresso is typically around 40 to 80 mg, depending on the coffee. Starbucks Espresso has 75 milligrams of caffeine in an espresso shot.

So, your typical Cortado with two shots of espresso will provide you with somewhere between 80 and 160 mg of caffeine.

Compare that to a regular cup of drip coffee which has around 90 milligrams of caffeine. Now, the cup of coffee is a lot larger than a prepared Cortado.

Is Cortado Strong Coffee?

A Cortado does have a strong coffee taste. It consists of equal parts of espresso and steamed milk. This gives it a lot stronger taste compared to, for example, a latte.

At home, you’d brew the Espresso, most likely with a Moka pot. That’s the way that Espressos are often prepared in Italy or Spain.

The milk should be steamed, so you want to have a way to do that. Most Espresso makers have a steam wand to allow you to steam milk.

No matter how you prepare your Cortado, using a coffee to milk ratio of 1:1 ensures that you have a strong coffee flavor in your beverage. The milk cuts the bitterness of the coffee and makes it a very enjoyable drink.

Is Cortado Stronger Than Latte?

Coffee connoisseurs claim that a latte is best because it contains less acid and more body. However, there are some who believe that a cortado is actually better than a latte because it provides a stronger coffee flavor that balances better with steamed milk. This debate rages on among coffee drinkers everywhere.

A Latte, as well as a Cortado, is made with Espresso. Espresso is brewed with hot water and steam forced through a puck of ground coffee rather than boiling water dripping over and through the grounds.

The difference between a latte and a cortado is the ratio of steamed milk to espresso. A latte is usually made with one shot of espresso per cup of milk. A cortado is usually made with two shots of espresso combined with 2 oz of steamed milk.

The Cortado does taste stronger than a Latte. However, if your Latte consists of two espresso shots, then you end up with the same amount of caffeine as you have in a Cortado. The Latte simply has less coffee aroma as it has a lot more milk.

Technically, if you have a rather large latte with three shots of Espresso, it’s stronger than a typical serving of Cortado. It still won’t taste as strong, but you do, in fact, consume more caffeine!

The only version of a Latte that comes close in taste to a Cortado is the Piccolo Latte. It’s a lot less milk compared to a regular latte, so it does taste stronger.

Is a Cortado stronger than a Flat White?

A cortado is usually served with two shots, while a flat white is served with up to three. A cortado is made without foam, while a flat white uses a bit of milk foam on top. Latte art is a common addition to a flat white, while it is rarely seen on cortados.

A flat white is close in its taste profile to a Cortado. Both have a strong coffee flavor as their ratio of espresso to milk is more balanced compared to, for example, a Latte.

The amount of caffeine in many cases is higher with a Flat White as you do typically have more Espresso shots pulled to make the beverage.

Is a Cortado Stronger Than A Cappuccino?

A Cortado is a small coffee drink served in many European countries. It consists of espresso, steamed milk, and a tiny layer of foam. A Cappuccino is a larger version of the same drink, consisting of espresso, steamed and frothed milk, and sometimes whipped cream. Both Cortados and Cappuccinos are often served with a biscotti cookie.

The difference between a cortado, or small cup, and a cappuccino, or large cup, is the size of the servings and the ratio of espresso versus milk. A Cappuccino is typically larger than a cortado with more steamed milk and less espresso.

Depending on the size of the overall beverage, you might end up with more caffeine in your cappuccino if it contains more than two shots. Yet, your cappuccino, in nearly all cases, will taste less strong compared to a cortado as it has more milk in it!

Final Thoughts

So, does a Cortado have caffeine? Yes, it sure does!

If you enjoy drinking a Cortado, you will consume caffeine. If you want to skip the caffeine in the Cortado, then have the Barista prepare it with decaffeinated Espresso. It’ll taste the same without the caffeine content and won’t get your heart racing!

Check out the Cortado and see whether it is your favorite Espresso drink!

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