How much caffeine is in Cortado?

A single 90 ml cortado contains 79 mg of caffeine. That is equivalent to about 0.8 of a standard 240 ml cup of drip coffee (96 mg) and accounts for 20% of the FDA's 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults.

At 79 mg, the cortado sits in the middle of the espresso drink family: stronger than a single espresso (63 mg) but less than half the caffeine of a double espresso (126 mg). The small serving size concentrates the caffeine: 79 mg in 90 ml works out to roughly 88 mg per 100 ml, making it more potent by volume than most brewed coffee. For most people, this dose produces a noticeable lift in alertness within 15 to 30 minutes, peaking around 45 to 60 minutes after drinking, without the jittery edge that can come from larger energy drinks or multiple shots.

Because the cortado is an espresso-and-milk drink, the fat in the milk slows gastric emptying slightly, which may stretch the caffeine absorption over a longer period compared to a straight espresso shot. The effect is subtle but can mean a smoother onset and a slightly prolonged energy curve. Still, 79 mg is a moderate dose, and for someone who regularly consumes caffeine, it provides a functional boost without pushing near the single-dose caution threshold of 200 mg set by the European Food Safety Authority.

How long Cortado stays in your system

Caffeine is eliminated by first-order kinetics: the body clears a constant fraction per hour, described by a half-life—the time needed to remove 50% of the dose. The population-average half-life is 5.7 hours. For a 79 mg cortado, the amount remaining after 3 hours is 79 × 0.5^(3/5.7) ≈ 55 mg; at 6 hours, 38 mg; at 9 hours, 26 mg; and at 12 hours, 18 mg. These figures are averages; individual metabolism rates vary due to genetics, liver function, and whether the person smokes or takes oral contraceptives, both of which can alter the half-life significantly.

Timing matters. A cortado finished at 15:00 leaves about 30 mg of caffeine still circulating at 23:00 (8 hours later, calculated as 79 × 0.5^(8/5.7) ≈ 30 mg). That residual is similar to drinking a cup of green tea right before bed. For many people, 30 mg is enough to delay sleep onset or reduce deep sleep. The latest cup before bedtime tool can help you back-calculate a personal cutoff time based on your target bedtime and sensitivity. The caffeine half-life calculator lets you model the decay curve for any dose and time window.

Five cortados (5 × 79 mg = 395 mg) fit just under the FDA's 400 mg daily ceiling for healthy adults. However, the EFSA's guidance on single doses recommends no more than 200 mg at a time to avoid acute side effects like anxiety, palpitations, or sleep disturbance. That means two cortados (158 mg) is a safe single dose for most people, but three (237 mg) crosses the threshold. Spacing them out by at least 3–4 hours allows the body to clear a significant portion of each dose before the next one arrives, reducing the peak plasma concentration.

For sleep, the timing of the last cortado is critical. With a 5.7-hour half-life, a 79 mg dose consumed at 17:00 leaves about 38 mg at 23:00—roughly the caffeine in a can of cola. While some people can sleep with that amount, research by Drake et al. (2013) showed that 400 mg taken six hours before bed still cost participants over an hour of sleep. A more sensitive person might need to stop caffeine 8–10 hours before bedtime. The latest cup before bedtime tool can calculate a personalized cutoff based on your sleep schedule. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should note that the EFSA sets a 200 mg daily limit, so a single cortado uses 40% of that allowance. Adolescents should aim for no more than 100 mg per day, making one cortado a substantial portion. Anyone with a known sensitivity or a slow caffeine metabolism (common with certain CYP1A2 gene variants) may feel the effects of a single cortado for much longer than the average 5.7-hour half-life suggests.

Among espresso-based drinks, the cortado's 79 mg of caffeine places it squarely in the moderate range. It carries more caffeine than a single espresso (63 mg), a cappuccino (63 mg), or a macchiato (63 mg)—all of which are typically built on a single shot. It is slightly stronger than a standard latte (68 mg), which often uses a single shot diluted in a larger volume of milk. However, it falls well short of a double espresso (126 mg), an americano (126 mg), or a flat white (130 mg), all of which pack a full double shot without the milk dilution that characterizes the cortado. A mocha (95 mg) edges ahead because of the added caffeine from chocolate. This ranking makes the cortado an appealing middle ground: more kick than a single-shot drink but less intensity than a full double.

When measured against non-espresso benchmarks, the cortado holds its own. Its 79 mg is nearly identical to a 250 ml can of Red Bull (80 mg), but delivered in a 90 ml warm beverage. A 240 ml cup of drip coffee (96 mg) contains about 20% more caffeine, but the cortado's smaller volume means its caffeine concentration is more than double: 0.88 mg/ml versus 0.4 mg/ml. That concentration matters for how quickly the caffeine hits the bloodstream. A cortado's espresso base allows for rapid absorption, while the milk may smooth the curve. By contrast, a 473 ml Monster Energy (160 mg) delivers twice the caffeine but over a much larger volume and with a different absorption profile due to carbonation and additives. For someone who wants a measured boost without the sugar or volume of an energy drink, the cortado is a precise tool.

What changes the number for Cortado

The 79 mg figure represents a typical cortado made with a double espresso shot and an equal amount of steamed milk. However, the actual caffeine content can shift by 30% or more depending on how the drink is prepared. The main variables are the number of espresso shots, the coffee dose, the extraction yield, and the bean itself. A cortado built on a single shot (30 ml espresso) would deliver closer to 63 mg, while one made with a triple shot could exceed 180 mg. Even with a fixed double shot, the caffeine can range from 60 mg for a lightly roasted, coarsely ground, fast extraction to 130 mg for a dark roast, fine grind, and long pull.

• Number of shots: Many third-wave cafes use a double shot by default, but some traditional Spanish cortados are made with a single shot and a dash of milk. Always check whether the drink contains one or two shots.
• Coffee dose and extraction: A standard double espresso uses 14–18 g of ground coffee. A higher dose or a finer grind increases caffeine extraction. A ristretto (shorter, more concentrated pull) often extracts less caffeine than a normale, while a lungo can extract more.
• Bean type: Robusta beans contain roughly twice the caffeine of arabica. A cortado made with a robusta blend could easily top 150 mg, whereas a 100% arabica specialty coffee will sit in the 60–90 mg range.
• Decaf version: A decaf cortado is not caffeine-free. A decaf espresso shot typically retains 3–15 mg of caffeine, so a double-shot decaf cortado may contain 6–30 mg—enough to affect someone who is highly sensitive.

Our dataset's 79 mg is an estimate derived from published laboratory tests of double-shot espresso drinks in the 60–90 ml range, averaged across several commercial samples. It aligns with the USDA's value of 63 mg per 30 ml for a single espresso, but accounts for the real-world variation seen when a barista pulls a shot. If you need a more precise number for a specific café, the only reliable method is to ask about their espresso recipe and check if they have in-house caffeine testing. For those tracking intake closely, the side-by-side drink comparison tool lets you stack the cortado against other common drinks to see how small changes in preparation alter the caffeine load.

Where this figure comes from

The 79 mg figure is a composite estimate drawn from published caffeine analyses of espresso-based beverages. The USDA FoodData Central lists a single espresso shot (30 ml) at 63 mg, which would give a double shot 126 mg. However, independent lab tests of cortados from multiple coffee chains have returned values ranging from 60 to 130 mg, depending on the bean, dose, and extraction. Our number represents the median of these tested samples, reflecting a typical double-shot cortado made with a medium-roast arabica blend. We prioritize data that is recent (post-2020), geographically diverse, and derived from high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or similar validated methods.

We update our dataset when new, peer-reviewed analyses become available or when major coffee chains reformulate their standard recipes. The daily limit of 400 mg is based on the FDA's guidance and the EFSA's 2015 Scientific Opinion on the Safety of Caffeine, both of which conclude that 400 mg per day is safe for healthy adults. The half-life model uses a 5.7-hour average from pharmacokinetic studies, though individual variation is substantial. You can explore the full dataset and methodology on the open caffeine dataset page. For official health recommendations, see the FDA's caffeine guidance and the EFSA safety assessment.

Bottom line

A 90 ml cortado delivers 79 mg of caffeine—about 0.8 of a standard cup of drip coffee, 20% of the FDA's 400 mg daily limit, and nearly identical to a 250 ml can of Red Bull. After drinking, the caffeine level in your body halves every 5.7 hours on average: 55 mg remains at 3 hours, 38 mg at 6 hours, 26 mg at 9 hours, and 18 mg at 12 hours. For a 23:00 bedtime, finishing your cortado by 17:00 leaves roughly 38 mg at lights-out, which may still affect sleep quality in sensitive individuals.

Up to five cortados fit within the daily 400 mg ceiling, but the EFSA recommends no more than 200 mg in a single sitting—so two is a safe maximum at once. Pregnant women should cap daily intake at 200 mg, making one cortado a significant portion. The actual caffeine content can vary from 60 to 130 mg depending on the number of shots and extraction, but 79 mg is a trustworthy average for a standard double-shot cortado. Use the bedtime calculator to find your personal cutoff time.