How to make a cappuccino at home (with or without a machine)

If you’re wondering how to make a cappuccino at home, the good news is that the coffee is the easy part. What makes a cappuccino is the foam: a thick, airy layer that sits higher in the cup than on a latte or flat white. Below, we cover what goes into a cappuccino, then three ways to make one, from a steam wand to a jar of instant and a frother. We haven’t tested this in person. The steps draw on published recipes and manuals from Sage UK, Nespresso UK and De’Longhi, read on 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.

What is a cappuccino?

Nespresso UK gives a simple rule of thumb: a cappuccino is a third espresso, a third hot milk and a third froth (Nespresso UK cappuccino recipe). Sage UK says the one thing that has stayed the same as the drink has changed over the years is “the delicious layer of microfoam” (Sage UK cappuccino recipe).

How deep is that foam? Sage’s recipes put a flat white at about 5mm of foam and a latte at about 1.25cm, and say a latte has less foam than a cappuccino. So a cappuccino has the deepest foam of the three. If you want the differences side by side, see our guide to latte vs cappuccino vs flat white.

Three things follow from the ratio:

• Use less milk than for a latte. With only two-thirds of the cup given to milk and foam, a cappuccino is smaller and tastes stronger than a latte made with the same shot.
• Add more air. You need enough foam to fill the top third of the cup.
• Pick a smaller cup. A cappuccino cup or glass keeps the layers in proportion. Nespresso’s recipes brew straight into a cappuccino glass.

Chocolate on top is optional. Sage’s recipe dusts chocolate powder into the espresso and again on top if you like. It also notes, with a wink, that the chocolate was traditionally used to cover up the taste of a badly made coffee.

Method 1: how to make a cappuccino at home with an espresso machine

This is the café method, and it’s how Sage’s recipe is written. It’s the best way to get a deep, glossy foam that pours rather than spoons.

1. Pull a double shot. Sage uses a dose of about 19g of freshly ground coffee and the 2-cup button. Its espresso recipe suggests 19g in and 38g out, in 20 to 30 seconds (Sage UK espresso recipe).
2. Use less milk. For a single cappuccino, Sage says to start with cold milk filling a third of the jug. That’s less than its latte recipe, which fills the jug to the bottom of the spout. You need the space, because foamed milk grows. De’Longhi’s Dedica manual says milk doubles or triples in volume when frothed.
3. Purge the wand and start shallow. Sage puts the tip about 1.5cm into the milk, opens the steam, then lowers the jug after a few seconds to add air at the surface.
4. Add air for longer than you would for a latte. This is the main difference from a latte. Keep adding air until the milk has grown enough to give you that top third of foam, then let it spin to smooth out.
5. Stop at about 60 to 65°C. Sage’s advice is “texture first, then temperature”. For plant milk, Sage suggests no more than about 55°C, because it can separate or curdle.
6. Swirl and pour. Purge and wipe the wand, swirl the jug so the foam mixes evenly, then pour slowly into the espresso. Let the foam settle on top.

On a De’Longhi Dedica, the manual’s cappuccino setting uses about 100g of milk per cup, straight from the fridge at about 5°C. It says skimmed or semi-skimmed milk gives a denser froth, and that you should make all your coffees first, then froth the milk.

Our guide on how to steam milk walks through the steam wand technique step by step, including auto wands such as the Sage Bambino Plus.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a cappuccino in a minute with no practice. Getting a thick but smooth foam takes a few goes.

Method 2: a cappuccino with a pod machine and a frother

A pod machine makes the shot, and a milk frother makes the foam. Nespresso UK’s own cappuccino recipes work this way.

For a Nespresso Original machine, Nespresso’s recipe uses:

• a 25ml ristretto for a lighter cappuccino, or a 40ml espresso for a stronger one
• 60ml of semi-skimmed milk, frothed in an Aeroccino or the machine’s milk system

For a Vertuo machine, it uses an 80ml coffee and 100ml of semi-skimmed milk.

The steps are simple. Froth the milk, brew the coffee into a cappuccino glass, then pour the frothed milk over the top. If your frother has separate settings for hot milk and froth, choose froth. On Nespresso’s Barista device, the recipe uses the cappuccino setting with 100ml of cold milk.

The key point is the pod size. Choose an espresso or ristretto, not a lungo. A long coffee leaves no room in the cup for the foam layer, and you end up with something closer to a milky americano.

If you don’t own a frother yet, our guide to the best milk frother compares jug and handheld frothers. A jug frother with a foam setting is the easiest way to get a cappuccino-depth froth from a pod machine.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who dislikes the cost per cup or the waste of capsules.

Method 3: a cappuccino with no machine (moka pot or instant)

You can make a good cappuccino without an espresso or pod machine. You need a strong, short coffee and a way to make a lot of foam.

For the coffee, use either:

• A moka pot. It makes a strong stovetop coffee that stands up to milk. Our latte guide covers the moka pot steps. For a cappuccino, use only a small amount of the brew, about the size of a double shot, so you keep the third-third-third balance.
• Strong instant. Dissolve the coffee in a small splash of hot water rather than a full mug. You want a concentrate, not a black coffee.

For the foam, heat the milk gently, then froth it with whatever you have. A handheld frother works, but so does a cafetière, a jar or a whisk. Starbucks at Home’s guides say to heat milk to about 60°C and not let it boil before frothing, and to froth until the milk roughly doubles in volume (Starbucks at Home coffee press guide). For a cappuccino, keep going a little longer so you get a thicker foam. Our guide on how to froth milk without a frother has the details for each method.

Pour the hot milk over the coffee first, holding the foam back with a spoon. Then spoon the foam on top so it fills the last third of the cup.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants the smooth, pourable foam of a café cappuccino. Hand-frothed milk tends to be stiffer and more bubbly.

Tips for better cappuccino foam

• Start with cold milk. Sage starts from cold milk, and De’Longhi’s manual lists milk that isn’t cold enough as a reason for poor froth.
• Choose your milk for the foam you want. De’Longhi says skimmed or semi-skimmed milk gives a denser froth. Whole milk gives a creamier, richer drink. For plant milk, a “barista” version made for coffee usually froths better, as De’Longhi’s Magnifica Evo manual suggests.
• Don’t overheat it. Above about 65°C for dairy, or 55°C for plant milk, the foam and flavour can suffer.
• Swirl before pouring. Sage says swirling the jug mixes the air evenly through the milk.
• Keep the wand or frother clean. De’Longhi says to clean the milk frother after every use and lists a dirty frother as a cause of no froth.

If your milk keeps ending up flatter and silkier than you wanted, you’ve probably made a flat white instead. Our guide on how to make a flat white at home covers that drink.

FAQ

What is the ratio for a cappuccino? Nespresso UK’s rule of thumb is a third espresso, a third hot milk and a third froth.

How much milk do you need for a cappuccino? Less than for a latte. Nespresso’s Original recipe uses 60ml of milk, and De’Longhi’s Dedica manual suggests about 100g per cup. Sage fills the jug only a third full for one cup.

Can you make a cappuccino without a coffee machine? Yes. Use a moka pot or strong instant for the coffee, and froth hot milk with a frother, a cafetière, a jar or a whisk.

Does a cappuccino have chocolate on top? It’s optional. Sage’s recipe dusts chocolate powder into the espresso and on top if you like.

Is a cappuccino stronger than a latte? It usually tastes stronger, because it has the same shot with less milk.

Sources

• Sage UK: cappuccino recipe
• Sage UK: latte recipe
• Sage UK: flat white recipe
• Sage UK: espresso recipe
• Nespresso UK: cappuccino recipe
• Nespresso UK: cappuccino using the Barista device
• De’Longhi Dedica EC685 instruction manual
• De’Longhi Magnifica Evo instruction manual
• Starbucks at Home: how to froth milk with a coffee press

Related

• Latte vs cappuccino vs flat white
• How to make a flat white
• How to make a mocha at home: espresso, chocolate and steamed milk
• How much caffeine is in an espresso? UK facts

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