Espresso Recipe

An iced cortado is a 5 oz Spanish-style espresso drink: a double shot of espresso poured over equal parts cold milk and a small amount of ice. It’s stronger than an iced latte, smoother than straight espresso, and faster to make than almost any other iced coffee — about 3 minutes. The Reddit thread “Is an iced cortado a thing?” sums up the confusion. Yes, it is. Spain’s most popular café drink (the cortado, “cut” with milk) translates beautifully to ice — it just gets ordered less often because the cup is small and most US chains don’t put it on the menu. At home, it’s the perfect post-lunch espresso drink. ...

An iced flat white is two ristretto shots poured over cold whole milk and ice — no foam, no syrup. Starbucks made it famous, but you can pull a sharper, sweeter version at home in 4 minutes. The drink is defined by what it isn’t: not a latte (less milk, no foam), not an iced macchiato (no layering, no caramel), not an Americano (no water). It’s pure ristretto and milk. ...

An iced americano is a double espresso poured over cold water and ice — clean, bold, and more complex than regular iced coffee. It takes 3 minutes to make at home and tastes sharper and brighter than anything from a drive-through. The key detail most home recipes get wrong: cold water goes in first, then espresso on top. This preserves the crema as a thin aromatic layer on the surface instead of dissolving it on impact with ice. ...

A caramel macchiato is espresso poured over vanilla-flavored steamed milk, finished with a caramel drizzle. Unlike most espresso drinks where espresso goes in first, the caramel macchiato is assembled upside-down — milk and vanilla go in first, espresso goes on top — which is what creates the distinctive layered look and the name (“macchiato” means the milk is “marked” by the espresso). It’s one of the most popular espresso drinks in the world, largely thanks to Starbucks. But the homemade version is better: fresher espresso, real vanilla, and you control the sweetness. ...