The 30-second answer
- ☕ They all start with an espresso: what changes is the amount of milk and the thickness of the foam.
- 🥛 From strongest to mildest: macchiato (60-90 ml), cortado (120 ml), flat white (160 ml), cappuccino (180 ml), latte (250-350 ml).
- ⚖️ Espresso-to-milk ratio: about 1:1 for a cortado, 1:2 for a flat white and cappuccino, 1:5 or more for a latte.
- 🎯 Our advice: a smooth, chocolatey coffee (Brazil, Colombia, Mexico) for large milky drinks.
Updated 5 October 2026 · Reading time: 9 min
In Morocco, everyone knows the nousnous (literally "half-half": half coffee, half milk, served in a glass) and the café crème of café terraces. But on coffee shop menus in Casablanca, Rabat or Marrakech, the names keep multiplying: cortado, flat white, macchiato… They look alike, yet each has its own balance. This guide compares the main milk coffee drinks to help you order, or recreate them at home.
The basics: espresso, milk and foam
An "Italian-style" milk coffee combines three elements: an espresso, steamed milk and a layer of milk foam. Every drink in this guide uses these three ingredients; only the proportions change.
- Espresso: 25 to 30 ml for a single, 50 to 60 ml for a double. It provides the flavour and intensity.
- Steamed milk: heated to around 60-65 °C, it softens the coffee and adds natural sweetness. Above 70 °C, it loses its sweetness and takes on a cooked taste.
- Foam: thick and airy for a cappuccino, fine and silky ("microfoam") for a flat white or latte.
The more milk, the more the coffee taste fades. The thicker the foam, the lighter the drink feels in the mouth. Remember these two rules: they explain almost all the differences.
7 milk coffees explained
Here are the seven drinks you'll come across most often, from strongest to milkiest.
1. Macchiato (or espresso macchiato)
"Macchiato" means "stained" in Italian. It's a single espresso stained with a spoonful of milk foam, served in a 60 to 90 ml cup. The coffee taste clearly dominates: it's the ideal option if you find espresso a little too direct.
2. Noisette
This is the French version of the macchiato: an espresso with a dash of milk, which gives it a hazelnut colour ("noisette" in French). It's the same size, about 60 ml. Depending on the café, the milk is cold, hot or lightly frothed.
3. Cortado
From Spain, the cortado ("cut") combines an espresso with a roughly equal amount of hot milk and very little foam. It's served in a small glass of about 120 ml. It's milder than a macchiato but keeps plenty of character.
4. Flat white
Born in Australia and New Zealand, the flat white uses a double espresso (often a ristretto) and milk with very fine foam, just a few millimetres deep. It's served in a 150 to 180 ml cup. The result: a velvety texture and coffee that still comes through despite the milk.
5. Cappuccino
The Italian classic follows the rule of thirds: one third espresso, one third hot milk, one third thick foam. The cup holds about 150 to 180 ml. The generous foam gives it its lightness, and it's sometimes dusted with cocoa.
6. Latte (caffè latte)
The milkiest drink of all: a single or double espresso, lots of hot milk and a thin layer of foam about 1 cm deep. It's served in a large cup or glass of 250 to 350 ml. Not to be confused with the latte macchiato, a glass of milk "stained" with espresso poured on top, which forms pretty layers.
7. Café crème
A star of French and Moroccan cafés, the café crème is a long espresso topped up with frothy hot milk. It's served in a 150 to 200 ml cup. Longer and less dense than a cappuccino, it remains a breakfast classic. In Morocco, the nousnous is a close cousin, served in a glass, often half and half.
Milk coffee comparison table
This table sums up the usual proportions. They vary from one café to another, but the order of magnitude stays the same.
| Drink | Espresso | Milk / foam | Total volume | Coffee taste |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macchiato | 1 single (25-30 ml) | 1 tbsp of foam | 60-90 ml | Very pronounced |
| Noisette | 1 single | A dash of milk | ≈ 60 ml | Very pronounced |
| Cortado | 1 single or double | Equal parts hot milk, little foam | ≈ 120 ml | Pronounced |
| Flat white | 1 double (ristretto) | Milk + fine microfoam (5 mm) | 150-180 ml | Pronounced, velvety |
| Cappuccino | 1 single or double | 1/3 milk, 1/3 thick foam | 150-180 ml | Balanced |
| Café crème | 1 long espresso | Frothy hot milk | 150-200 ml | Balanced, mild |
| Latte | 1 single or double | Lots of milk, 1 cm of foam | 250-350 ml | Mild, milky |
A simple rule of thumb: the cortado and the flat white are the two closest drinks. The difference lies in the volume, slightly larger for the flat white, and its silkier foam. The cappuccino, meanwhile, is recognisable by its dome of foam.
Which one suits your taste?
Choose by the intensity you want: the more you like the taste of coffee, the shorter the drink should be. Here are our pointers.
- You like espresso but find it a bit strong: macchiato or noisette.
- You want a coffee-milk balance, without foam: cortado.
- You want smoothness without losing the coffee: flat white.
- You love airy foam: cappuccino.
- You want a large, mild drink to sip: latte or café crème.
When it comes to caffeine, the amount depends on the number of espresso shots, not the milk. A latte made with a single espresso contains as much caffeine as a macchiato, about 60 to 80 mg with an arabica. A flat white, often made with a double, contains more. To learn more: Coffee and health: what we really know.
To make them at home, you don't need professional equipment. An espresso machine with a steam wand is ideal, but a manual frother or even a sealed jar shaken vigorously already gives a good result. All our step-by-step recipes are in Café crème, latte, cappuccino: homemade recipes. And if you're still unsure about equipment, read Coffee machines in Morocco: which one to choose?.
Good to know: we don't sell coffee machines, only 100% arabica coffee, whole bean or ground for your machine. This guide is here to help you choose and brew your coffee well.
Which coffee for your milk drinks?
For milky drinks, choose a rounded, chocolatey, low-acid coffee: it cuts through the milk without turning sour. Very fruity, bright coffees show their best when drunk black.
Milk softens bitterness, but it also accentuates acidity when it's pronounced. A Brazilian or Colombian coffee keeps a clear coffee flavour, even in a large latte. Our coffees are all 100% arabica and medium roast: developed enough to stand up to milk, without the burnt taste of very dark roasts. More details in Coffee roast levels: light, medium or dark?.
For an espresso machine, choose the "Ground for Espresso Machine" grind, or "Whole Bean" if you have a grinder or a bean-to-cup machine (Which coffee for a bean-to-cup machine?). With a moka pot, the "Ground for Moka Pot" grind makes coffee strong enough for a good homemade milk coffee.
PERFECT WITH MILK
Brazil Santos Coffee
Smooth, low in acidity and lightly chocolatey, Brazil Santos keeps a real coffee taste in a latte or café crème. A safe choice for the whole family.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cortado and a flat white?
A cortado mixes an espresso with the same amount of hot milk, with almost no foam, in a glass of about 120 ml. A flat white is slightly larger (150-180 ml), often uses a double espresso and has a fine, velvety foam.
What is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?
A cappuccino contains as much foam as milk, for about 180 ml. A latte is larger (250-350 ml), with much more milk and only a thin layer of foam: so it's milder.
Are a macchiato and a latte macchiato the same thing?
No. A macchiato is an espresso stained with a little foam, served in a small cup. A latte macchiato is a tall glass of hot milk into which an espresso is poured, forming layers.
Which milk coffee has the most caffeine?
The one with the most espresso. A flat white made with a double espresso contains more caffeine than a latte made with a single, even though the latte is larger.
Which coffee should I buy in Morocco to make lattes at home?
A smooth, chocolatey arabica, such as Brazil Santos, Colombia Excelso ORGANIC or Mexico Altura ORGANIC, ground for espresso machines or as whole beans. They keep their flavour under the milk.
Our coffees for milk drinks
Related articles
- Espresso: the guide to a perfect shot
- Café crème, latte, cappuccino: homemade recipes
- Coffee machines in Morocco: which one to choose?
- Moka pot: how to make great coffee
- Coffee roast levels: light, medium or dark?
In short: all milk coffees start with an espresso. From macchiato to latte, the share of milk increases and the coffee gets milder. Go short for flavour, long for smoothness, and choose a rounded, chocolatey arabica so the coffee still comes through.
Our 100% arabica coffees are craft-roasted in France in small batches and delivered anywhere in Morocco in 2 to 5 days. Free delivery from 350 DH, cash on delivery.
