Flat White vs Latte: Strength, Milk and Size

Flat White vs Latte: Quick Comparison

This table sums up how the two drinks differ.

Factor	Flat White	Latte
Espresso	Usually a double shot or ristretto	Single or double shot
Milk	About 3 to 4 ounces steamed milk	About 6 to 10 ounces steamed milk
Foam	Very thin, velvety microfoam	Thin to medium layer of microfoam
Typical size	5 to 6 ounces	8 to 12 ounces or more
Coffee to milk ratio	About 1 to 2	About 1 to 4 or more
Taste	Strong, rich, coffee forward	Mild, creamy, milky
Texture	Silky, dense	Smooth, lighter
Calories (whole milk)	Lower, about 100 to 130	Higher, about 150 to 200 for 12 ounces
Caffeine	Often higher per ounce with a double shot	Same per shot, diluted by milk

What Is a Flat White?

A flat white is a small espresso drink made with a double shot, often a ristretto, topped with steamed milk that has been stretched into a thin layer of glossy microfoam. The foam sits nearly "flat" with the surface of the cup, which gives the drink its name. It is usually served in a 5 to 6 ounce ceramic cup.

Because the milk is textured into very fine bubbles and there is less of it, the espresso flavor stays at the front while the milk adds sweetness and a velvety mouthfeel. Many baristas pour latte art on top.

What Is a Latte?

A latte, or caffè latte, is espresso combined with a generous amount of steamed milk and a thin to medium layer of microfoam, served in a larger glass or mug. The extra milk mellows the coffee into a creamy, sweet tasting drink. Lattes are the most common base for flavored café drinks.

Where Did the Flat White Come From?

The flat white comes from Australia and New Zealand, where it became popular in the 1980s. Both countries claim to have invented it. Cafés there wanted a drink between a cappuccino and a latte, with strong coffee and smooth milk but without the thick foam of a cappuccino. The flat white spread to the UK and then to the United States in the 2010s, helped by specialty cafés and coffee chains adding it to their menus.

Which Is Stronger, a Flat White or a Latte?

A flat white tastes stronger because it has less milk and usually a double shot. If a latte also uses a double shot, the caffeine is the same, about 120 to 150 milligrams, but the flat white concentrates it in a smaller cup. Some cafés use ristretto shots in flat whites, which are shorter and sweeter but contain similar caffeine.

Flat White vs Latte: Taste and Texture

A flat white tastes rich, bold and coffee forward with a dense, silky texture, while a latte tastes milder, sweeter and creamier with a lighter body. The microfoam in a flat white is folded through the drink, so every sip has the same velvety feel. A latte's larger volume of milk softens the espresso so it sits in the background.

How Is the Milk Different?

The milk for a flat white is steamed with very little air, just enough to create a thin layer of fine microfoam, often described as wet paint. Latte milk is steamed with slightly more air, giving a little more foam, and there is much more of it. Cappuccino milk, by contrast, has much more air and a thick foam cap. Getting flat white milk right takes practice, because the goal is silky texture with almost no visible bubbles.

Flat White vs Latte vs Cappuccino

From strongest to mildest, the three drinks rank flat white, cappuccino, latte by milk volume, though a cappuccino feels lighter because of its thick foam. A flat white has less milk and very thin foam. A cappuccino has equal parts espresso, steamed milk and thick foam. A latte has the most milk and thin foam. Our guide to cappuccino vs latte explains those two in detail.

Calories in a Flat White vs a Latte

A flat white usually has fewer calories than a latte because it uses less milk. With whole milk, a flat white may have around 100 to 130 calories, while a 12 ounce latte may have around 150 to 200. Oat, almond or skim milk lowers calories, while syrups add more.

Cup Sizes for Each Drink

Serve a flat white in a 5 to 6 ounce ceramic cup and a latte in a 10 to 16 ounce glass or mug. A small, wide cup helps you pour latte art on a flat white. Double wall glasses also work well for both. Our guides to the best espresso cups and best coffee mug cover sizes.

How to Make a Flat White at Home

To make a flat white, pull a double shot or double ristretto into a 6 ounce cup and steam about 4 ounces of cold whole milk with just a few seconds of air, then pour it in close to the surface for a thin, velvety top.

1. Pull a double shot or a double ristretto of about 1.5 ounces.
2. Steam the milk. Add air for only 2 to 3 seconds, then sink the wand slightly to swirl the milk until glossy.
3. Heat to about 130 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, a little cooler than a latte, for extra sweetness.
4. Pour low and steady so the microfoam blends into the espresso, finishing with a small heart or tulip.

How to Make a Latte at Home

To make a latte, pull a single or double shot into a 12 ounce glass or mug and steam 6 to 8 ounces of milk with a little air for smooth microfoam, then pour it into the espresso.

1. Pull the espresso.
2. Steam the milk to about 140 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, adding air for a few seconds.
3. Pour steadily, finishing with a thin layer of foam or latte art.

Without a steam wand, use a handheld or electric frother, but froth gently for a flat white so the foam stays thin. Our guide on how to froth milk at home covers every method, and a milk frothing pitcher helps you pour.

Best Milk for Flat Whites and Lattes

Whole milk makes the silkiest microfoam for both drinks thanks to its balance of fat and protein. Barista style oat milk is the best plant option, steaming smooth and sweet. Soy foams well but can curdle in very hot or acidic coffee. Skim milk makes stiff foam that is better for cappuccinos than flat whites.

Best Coffee for Flat Whites and Lattes

Medium to medium dark roast espresso is best for flat whites because the coffee flavor is front and center, and sweetness matters. Lattes can take a darker roast that cuts through more milk. Our guide to the best coffee beans for espresso lists blends for both.

What Is a Ristretto Shot?

A ristretto is a "restricted" espresso shot made with the same amount of coffee but about half the water, usually around 0.75 to 1 ounce from a double basket. It extracts the sweetest, most syrupy part of the shot and leaves out some of the bitter compounds that come later. Many cafés use double ristrettos in flat whites because they taste sweet and intense under a small amount of milk. To pull one at home, grind slightly finer or stop the shot early, aiming for about 1 to 1.5 times the dose in espresso.

Common Mistakes When Making a Flat White

The most common mistake is adding too much air, which turns a flat white into a small cappuccino. Keep aeration short and focus on swirling the milk. Another is overheating the milk; above about 150 degrees Fahrenheit it loses sweetness and silkiness. Using too large a cup also dilutes the drink into a latte. Finally, letting steamed milk sit before pouring causes the foam to separate, so pour right away and swirl the pitcher first.

Can You Order a Flat White at a Chain?

Yes. Many coffee chains offer a flat white, often made with ristretto shots and whole milk. Chain flat whites may be larger than the traditional 6 ounces, closer to a small latte, so ask for the smallest size if you want the classic strength. In Australia and New Zealand, you will get the traditional small version.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose a flat white if you want strong coffee flavor softened by silky milk in a small cup. Choose a latte if you want a larger, creamier and milder drink, or a base for flavored syrups.

• Coffee forward and silky: flat white.
• Large and creamy: latte.
• Fewer calories: flat white.
• Flavored drinks: latte.

Keep Your Machine Clean

Milk residue in steam wands and frothers sours quickly and affects taste. Purge and wipe the wand after each use, clean frothers daily and descale on schedule; our guide on how to clean a coffee maker explains the basics. Browse more drink guides in our coffee guides section.

FAQs About Flat White vs Latte

Is a flat white stronger than a latte?

Yes, it tastes stronger because it has less milk, usually with a double shot. Caffeine per shot is the same.

Why is it called a flat white?

The thin layer of microfoam sits flat with the rim of the cup, unlike the domed foam of a cappuccino.

Is a flat white just a small latte?

Not exactly. A flat white uses less milk, thinner and silkier foam and often a double ristretto, giving a stronger, denser drink.

Which has fewer calories?

A flat white usually has fewer calories because it contains less milk.

Can I make a flat white with oat milk?

Yes. Barista style oat milk steams into smooth microfoam that works well in a flat white.

What temperature should flat white milk be?

About 130 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, slightly cooler than a latte, which keeps the milk sweet and silky.

Can I make a flat white without an espresso machine?

You can make a close version with strong coffee from a moka pot or AeroPress and milk heated and gently frothed with a handheld frother. Keep the foam thin and the cup small so the coffee flavor stays strong.

Bottom Line

In flat white vs latte, the flat white is a small, strong, velvety drink that puts espresso first, and the latte is a larger, creamier drink that puts milk first. Both use the same espresso, so choose by how much milk and strength you want.