Learn how to make a flat white, one of the most popular coffee drinks in Australia and New Zealand.


What Is a Flat White? How to Make a Flat White Coffee

A flat white is an Australian coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk. It differs from Italian espresso drinks like the cappuccino in that the milk is much less frothy; the flat white instead involves espresso topped with a layer of velvety microfoam. Ideal for showing off a barista's latte art, the top layer of foam is flat and far less foamy than an Italian cappuccino, macchiato, or latte. Likely developed sometime around the 1960s, the flat white became very popular in third-wave American specialty coffee shops due to its velvety texture.

There are a few differences between these similar-looking coffee drinks.

- __Amount of milk__: Much like a [cortado](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cortado-coffee-guide), a flat white is made with less milk than a caffè latte. Its proportions of warm milk and espresso are typically similar to a cappuccino, although the amount of coffee and milk can vary between coffee shops. 
- __How it’s served__: A flat white is typically served in a small ceramic cup. New Zealanders serve their flat whites in tulip cups, which are also smaller than those used for lattes.
- __Type of froth__: At first glance, a flat white may look like a small latte, but the distinctive feature of the flat white is its flat, thin layer of microfoam. Because the foam bubbles are small, the milk foam can blend easily with the crema of the espresso, making for a rich, velvety mouthfeel. 

Learn how to make a flat white, one of the most popular coffee drinks in Australia and New Zealand.


A flat white is an Australian coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk. It differs from Italian espresso drinks like the cappuccino in that the milk is much less frothy; the flat white instead involves espresso topped with a layer of velvety microfoam. Ideal for showing off a barista&#39;s latte art, the top layer of foam is flat and far less foamy than an Italian cappuccino, macchiato, or latte. Likely developed sometime around the 1960s, the flat white became very popular in third-wave American specialty coffee shops due to its velvety texture.

What Is a Flat White Coffee? 

There are a few differences between these similar-looking coffee drinks.<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Amount of milk: Much like a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cortado-coffee-guide' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cortado-coffee-guide","linkCopy":"cortado","category":null}'>cortado</a>, a flat white is made with less milk than a caffè latte. Its proportions of warm milk and espresso are typically similar to a cappuccino, although the amount of coffee and milk can vary between coffee shops. </li><li class="">How it’s served: A flat white is typically served in a small ceramic cup. New Zealanders serve their flat whites in tulip cups, which are also smaller than those used for lattes. </li><li class="">Type of froth: At first glance, a flat white may look like a small latte, but the distinctive feature of the flat white is its flat, thin layer of microfoam. Because the foam bubbles are small, the milk foam can blend easily with the crema of the espresso, making for a rich, velvety mouthfeel. </li></ul>

Flat White vs. Latte: What’s the Difference?

Simple Flat White Coffee Recipe

Learn how to make a flat white, one of the most popular coffee drinks in Australia and New Zealand.