BREW GUIDE / Espresso drinks

Cappuccino

Make a more pronounced yet supple foam layer than a latte without piling dry foam onto thin milk.

English edition updated 2026-11-10 · Editorial reference recipe; adjust for your equipment and coffee.

Coffee amount30 g brewed espressoWater / ingredients100 g cold milk; no extra waterTiming referenceCombine immediately after steamingGrind starting pointUse the espresso guide

Cappuccino equipment and finished serving

Jump to the steps ↓

Equipment and measurements

Espresso machine and steam wand, suitable pitcher, thermometer, scale and roughly 180 ml cup.

Amounts marked as brewed espresso describe beverage weight, not dry grounds. Keep water, milk, ice and other additions as separate measurements; final volume varies with the method.

How to make it

Prepare about 30 g espresso and weigh 100 g cold milk. If the machine requires a larger minimum milk amount, use its recommended volume and pour only what this cup needs.
Technique note
Do not force coffee, liquid milk and foam into exact measured thirds. Foam volume changes; fixed cup size, milk weight and espresso make comparisons more useful.
Purge the wand according to instructions, then introduce air near the surface. Aim for more foam development than the latte while watching that bubbles remain fine.
Technique note
Too much initial air may not be repairable by later swirling. If the pitcher rapidly fills with large bubbles, stop and examine positioning and fill level.
Move the tip slightly deeper and maintain circulation. Start around a 55–60°C target, stop steam before lifting the pitcher and clean the wand as instructed.
Technique note
A small quantity heats quickly. Do not keep steaming milk that is already at the target temperature just to create more volume.
Swirl so milk and foam move together, then pour into espresso. Leave a soft upper layer rather than emptying thin milk first and spooning a dry foam block on top.
Technique note
The drink should combine coffee with soft foam. Integration before pouring matters more than decorating the surface with powder.

What to adjust first

Dry, stiff foam: review excessive aeration and integration. A watery drink: check cup size and milk dose rather than adding more foam. Large unstable bubbles: stabilize steaming technique.

More foam does not require hotter milk

The change from latte to cappuccino here is air introduction and foam integration, not a longer heating session. Stop at the chosen temperature rather than repeatedly reheating the same pitcher to chase volume.

Try this comparison next time

Keep cold milk amount and stopping temperature fixed while changing only the early aeration interval. Compare whether the milk still pours continuously and the surface remains soft.

What to write down

Note cup capacity, cold milk amount, aeration interval and stopping temperature. Use the same milk when comparing with a latte so ingredient differences do not obscure technique.

Further reading: source guidance for this method. Our quantities and troubleshooting notes are editorial starting points, not a claim to reproduce a brand recipe or a first-hand test.

Keep learning

Espresso: a starting recipe · Hot latte

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