You have heard of a Starbucks Flat White? I bet you want to learn how to recreate this recipe. You can soon make your own flat white coffee that will taste just like it does when you go to a fancy coffee house.
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What is a Flat White Coffee?
Before we get into how Starbucks makes their special coffee drink. Let’s talk about what a flat white really is. The origin of the flat white with its velvety texture can be thought of either as a happy accident, or someone that stumbled onto the right coffee to milk ratio for so many of us.
A Starbucks flat white is a super-strong espresso topped with creamy milk froth. So, I know you must wonder, what is a super-strong espresso? It is a ristretto. A ristretto is much like an espresso, but it has even less water.
Alan Preston from New Zealand claims he invented this drink in the 1970s when he was making a cappuccino and he could not get the milk to rise, so he called it a flat white. So you could think of this as a failed cappuccino, it’s basically a cappuccino that has no foam.
How did it really get started? We will never know, but what you can enjoy is a coffee with milk that has a layer of foam on top. You can read more about the history of the flat white. Learn more about an espresso vs a ristretto at Go Coffee Go.
Starbucks has been introducing new drinks regularly now. It seems like every time you look at the menu are one or two new drinks. It’s fun to try the new drinks, but sometimes you just crave a classic. That’s the flat white; it’s a classic drink that’s easy to make at home.
What Makes a Starbucks Flat White Extra Special?
There’s something warm and cozy about this classic coffee drink. It’s reminiscent of a chilly night with a fire going and being wrapped in a blanket. It gives you a case of the warm fuzzies and makes you nostalgic for the past all at once.
If that’s what you’re looking for in a coffee drink, then flat white is your answer. It’s a Starbucks classic and it’s made up of only two key ingredients. But don’t let the two ingredients for you, it packs a punch.
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Ingredients
All you really need is espresso and milk. Sugar is optional if you want to sweeten it.
Making a Flat White
Although it seems easy enough, the key to the flat white is the consistency of the milk. You need absolutely frothy milk to pour over the piping hot espresso.
What is the secret? It’s all about the equipment!
If you don’t have an espresso machine, making extra strong coffee won’t quite cut it. You are going to need to push steam through your coffee maker. Personally, I love the inexpensive Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker, for about 25 bucks you can make espresso at home.
You could also use Mr. Coffee 4-Cup Steam Espresso System with Milk Frother. This is a fairly inexpensive dependable espresso maker. You can also try espresso powder, Medaglia D’Oro Instant Espresso Coffee, 2 Oz.
Espresso is different because the water goes through the coffee as steam, not just water dripping through like many of our favorite coffee makers. It is the steam pushing through the coffee that gives it its signature taste. For lattes, I think a super-strong coffee is ok. But if you want this coffee flavor, you need to step up your toolkit.
Let’s talk about the froth now. One way to make milk nice and frothy is to simply heat milk, place it in a jar with a lid and shake it. If you want to get fancy you can buy a milk frother, I personally love this handheld model: MatchaDNA Handheld Electric Milk Frother (Silver Handheld)
How to Make Flat White Coffee
- Prepare two shots of espresso and pour them into a glass over the sugar (if desired).
- Steam the milk and then froth the milk for at least a minute to get it foamy.
- Pour the hot frothy foamed milk over the espresso.
So what’s next? Armed with your knowledge of how to make a flat white coffee, you can learn how to pour the milk and make some of your own latte art. Who doesn’t want to make some fancy latte art dot work with foamed milk?
Do you love Starbucks? Try these copycat recipes!
- Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe
- Vanilla Frappe Recipe
- Fruit and Cheese Box
- Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
- Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
- Eggnog Latte
- Starbucks Mocha
Yummy Coffee Drink Recipes
- Dunkin Iced Coffee
- Mocha Iced Coffee
- Caramel Cappuccino
- Chick Fil A Frosted Coffee
- McDonald’s Peppermint Mocha
Be sure to check out more Starbucks copycat recipes and the coffee drink recipes right here on CopyKat.com!
How to Make a Starbucks Flat White
Ingredients
- 3 ounces espresso 2 shots
- 1 cup milk steamed
- sugar to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare your shots of espresso and pour them into a glass over the sugar (if desired). Steam your milk and then using a frother, froth the milk for at least a minute.
- The key to making this drink is a microfoam. Pour the hot frothy foamed milk over the espresso and enjoy!
Tom
Very well explained!
Amy
I have a stovetop espresso maker, but am always a little unsure if I’m doing it correctly. I’ve understood that you have to fill it completely up to the air valve with water, and the basket filled completely with finely ground coffee. But this makes substantially more than 3 oz of espresso/ coffee. Do you just toss the rest???
Stephanie
You can save it, I don’t know what size your espresso maker is.
pat
skim milk froths better than whole mlk or 1,2,3 % and the best skim milk comes from a big box store.been doing this for ages a good kind of coffee to use is something that is real cheap usually on bottom shelf of coffee display /$`1.69 a full 16 ounce bag,,, looks to have cuban or rican name and you can make that in a pour over pot.. nothing fancy or expensive here
Abby
I tried this recipe and it is delicious! I just filled a cup up with 1/2 cup milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Then I frothed 2 shots of espresso into the milk and sugar. It worked great, but I would recommend warming the milk before you put it in the cup if you want it hot. Overall, GREAT recipe.
Saron
If you are lazy like me, you can buy the cans of double shot espresso and then make this (I do have an espresso machine, but for speed, I keep a few cans of double shot espresso.
Stephanie
That is brilliant!
Julie Mullica
Is there a particular type of coffee you are supposed to use?
Stephanie
So you could purchase some of their coffee, but I think most dark roast coffee works well.
Alabama Terri
How much sugar and did you use whole milk?
Stephanie
So you can steam 1 cup of milk, add as much as you like. I personally do not like sugar in my coffee, so none would be perfect for me.
Rochelle
Wow! I’m impressed! I tried this and it tastes just like Starbucks! I bought the espresso cups and brewed 4 oz on ‘strong’, heated my milk in glass Pyrex measuring cup, and frothed it with handheld immersion blender. Thanks for the recipe!! I’m my own new barista!
handheld milk frother
This is awesome. I needed this kind of tips. My wait is finally over. I was looking for this on the internet and found it on your website. It helped me a lot.