What are the different types of single shot coffee drinks?
Drinks built on one shot of espresso include the espresso itself (about 1 oz), ristretto, macchiato (a shot with a teaspoon of milk foam) and cortado (1 oz espresso with an equal amount of steamed milk). Milky drinks such as lattes can also be made with one shot at home; cafe sizes vary.
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In this article
What counts as a single shot?
One source we opened (Home Coffee Expert) says a single espresso shot is about 1 oz and a doppio, the double, about 2 oz. The source notes Italian shots can be about 0.5 oz and chain shots up to 2 oz, so sizes differ; ask what you are getting.
Which drinks use one shot?
| Drink | What it is |
|---|---|
| Espresso | A small, strong drink made from finely ground coffee and water under pressure |
| Ristretto | A shorter, stronger shot, stopped at about 1:1 coffee to liquid |
| Macchiato | Espresso with a teaspoon of milk foam on top |
| Cortado | 1 oz espresso with an equal amount of steamed milk; the source says US versions are usually made with a double |
What about milky and long drinks?
The same article describes these by ratio rather than shot count:
- Latte: espresso with textured milk, about 1:3, thin foam.
- Flat white: a small, strong latte, about 1:2 coffee to milk.
- Cappuccino: espresso mixed with equal amounts of milk and foam (the source says this may mean 1:1:1 or 1:2:2).
- Americano: described there as a double espresso with 4 oz of hot water. You can make a smaller one with a single shot and less water.
You can make any of these with a single shot at home; the drink is just smaller and milder.
Which should you choose?
- Strongest taste: espresso or ristretto.
- A hint of milk: macchiato.
- Balanced, small and creamy: cortado.
- Longer and gentler: a single-shot latte or americano.
How much caffeine?
We did not find an official figure for one shot because it depends on the beans and grind, so check the cafe or brand. People who limit caffeine should count each shot.
Names vary
Naming differs between cafes. The source notes, for example, that US cortados are usually made with a double, so treat these definitions as typical, not fixed.
People also ask
How big is a single shot of espresso?
About 1 oz per one source; a double (doppio) is about 2 oz.
What is the difference between a macchiato and a cortado?
A macchiato is espresso with a teaspoon of milk foam; a cortado is espresso with about an equal amount of steamed milk.
Is a ristretto a single shot?
It is a shorter, more concentrated shot, stopped at about 1:1 coffee to liquid; the shot count depends on the cafe.
Sources
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