Cappuccino

A cappuccino is a single shot of espresso topped with milk steamed into a dense, glossy foam, served in a cup of about 150–160 ml. It’s one of the few coffee drinks with an official standard: Italy’s Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano (INEI) defines the “certified Italian cappuccino” down to the milk’s fat content and the colour of the foam. Here’s that standard, how to get close to it at home, and how a drink named after friars got its name.

The short version

• One 25 ml espresso, topped with steamed, foamed milk.
• A small cup, about 150–160 ml, not a mug.
• Cold fresh milk, steamed to about 55°C, not boiling hot.
• White on top with a brown rim, says the Italian standard.
• A morning drink in Italy; never after 11, says Il Sole 24 Ore.

What is in an Italian cappuccino?

The INEI’s rule, as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, is precise:

Part	The Italian standard
Espresso	25 ml of certified Italian espresso
Milk	Fresh cow’s milk, at least 3.2% protein and 3.5% fat
Starting temperature	Cold, 3–5°C
Finished temperature	About 55°C
Cup	150–160 ml
Look	White, with a brown rim (classic) or a brown pattern (decorated)
Foam	Tight, with very fine bubbles or none visible

The sources don’t agree on the milk volume, though:

Milk	Source
125 ml of steamed milk	Il Sole 24 Ore; La Nación
100 ml of steam-foamed milk	Islands, quoting the INEI

Beverfood quotes INEI president Paolo Nadalet calling the cappuccino one of the hardest drinks to define, “the marriage of espresso and milk”, which is why the institute wrote a sensory definition: intense aroma with notes of milk, toasted cereal, caramel, cocoa and dried fruit, and a smooth, creamy body. Beverfood says it was put to the Italian Parliament in 2007 as part of a bill to protect Italian specialities; La Nación reported the plan to certify cappuccinos made to the rules.

How do you make a cappuccino at home?

You need an espresso machine with a steam wand for the dense foam; see our espresso guide for the shot itself. Then aim for the standard:

• Use the milk cold. The standard starts at 3–5°C, so steam it straight from the fridge.
• Don’t boil it. The standard finishes at about 55°C, and La Nación stresses that a cappuccino is never served boiling hot.
• Dense, fine foam. La Nación says it must always have a thick foam, evenly mixed, with no separation from the liquid and no visible holes or bubbles.
• Pour last, cocoa last. Pour the milk onto the espresso, and add any cocoa at the end, as La Nación notes the rules allow.

When do Italians drink it?

At breakfast. Il Sole 24 Ore says that, unlike abroad, the cappuccino in Italy is kept to the morning, “never after 11”, and alongside espresso it’s the favourite breakfast drink; it also notes that the cappuccino is still mostly a drink made in bars rather than at home. John Cabot University’s guide warns that ordering one after about 11am may earn you a strange look.

Where does the name come from?

From the Capuchin friars. Nobody knows for sure how the drink began, Il Sole 24 Ore admits, and offers two legends:

Story	What it says
The friar in Vienna	Capuchin friar Marco d’Aviano, sent to Vienna by the Pope in 1683, asked for something to soften his strong coffee
The Viennese drink	A Viennese drink of coffee, whipped cream and spices was adapted in the lands around Trieste

The Viennese link is real enough in the name. In a Vienna coffee house, Vollpension explains, a Kapuziner is a small coffee with a touch of whipped cream, named because its brown colour recalls the habit of the Capuchin monks. Vienna’s everyday milk coffee is the Wiener Melange, which Vollpension describes as milder than a cappuccino.

Cappuccino vs other milk coffees

• Caffè latte: more steamed milk, less foam, a bigger cup.
• Flat white: stronger, with a thin layer of silky foam.
• Cortado: equal parts espresso and lightly steamed milk.
• Latte macchiato: steamed milk with a splash of espresso.

Explore every drink in the milk coffees chapter.