How Many Shots in a Cappuccino

Is a cappuccino one shot or two?

The cappuccino is one of our most popular coffee drinks.

It’s rich, it’s frothy, it’s also (fun fact) named after capuchin monkeys. 🙊

But how much actual coffee does our foam-topped friend contain? We’re asking the question you want to know: how many shots in a cappuccino?

The Answer

There is one scrummy shot of espresso in a cappuccino. They contain espresso coffee, steamed milk and creamy froth in equal amounts. This means you get the same amount of coffee (and caffeine) whether you are sipping a cappuccino or taking on a single espresso shot.

This, friends, is the case for most cappuccinos. Want to up the ante? Ask your barista for a double shot the next time you order. Although, some coffee shops make cappuccinos with two shots as standard.

Want more info? We’re on it.

What is a cappuccino?

Time to rewind.

*rewinding imaginary video tape*

Okay, let’s take a step back and work out what a cappuccino actually is. Because, although you may have sipped it and loved it and got its froth around your face, you might not know what this coffee drink actually is. What exactly does it include?

Signor Cappuccino is all about balance. Why? Because this coffee drink contains equal parts coffee, steamed milk and foam. Plus some chocolate sprinkled on top. This means your cappuccino has a 1:1:1 ratio, and is generally 150-180ml (5-6 oz) in size.

The froth is a major, major part of your cappuccino drink. Its crowning glory. The thing that sets it apart from its coffee shop chums. Order a cappuccino, and you can expect a large, fluffy froth topping your drink. It’ll taste airy and sweet, perfectly complementing the velvet-smooth coffee beneath.

You know what? We think it might actually be Cloud Nine! ☁☁☁

How many shots in a large cappuccino?

So, we know that regular cappuccinos contain one espresso shot. But what happens if you go large? How many shots in a large cappuccino?

There is a bit of discrepancy here. Some coffeeholics think you should get two shots (2 oz) in a large cappuccino, while others say it should contain the same as a regular-sized one. Often, you will only get one shot in a large cappuccino unless you specifically ask for two. Want more of a coffee hit? Go large – but be sure to ask for that double shot! ☕☕

Cappuccino Caffeine Contents

Cappuccinos are big and frothy and milk-moustache milky. All that milk… doesn’t it mean cappuccino caffeine content is pretty low?

Hmmm, nah, that’s not quite how it works. More milk might take the strength of coffee taste down a notch, but it doesn’t alter the caffeine content.

Assuming you’ve ordered a regular drink, your cappuccino contains one shot of espresso. This gives you approximately 63 milligrams of caffeine, which means a standard cappuccino also contains about 63 milligrams of caffeine (because milk has zilch caffeine).

Most human beans can cope just fine with 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. This is the same as about two-and-a-half cups of filter coffee, four mugs of instant or… six cappuccinos. Just remember that it’s not just about the caffeine. Because cappuccinos include milk, they also contain calories. Which needs us nicely on to…

Cappuccino Calories

How many shots in a cappuccino. Tick. How much caffeine in a cappuccino. Tick. How many calories in a cappuccino? Let’s get this one ticked, too!

Answering the first question was easy (one or two), but the cappuccino calories question is a tad more hazy. This is because the amount of milk baristas add to cappuccinos varies a bit. And milk, as you know, is the part that brings calories to a cappuccino. Well, most of them – the espresso contains a few.

But let’s take some ballpark figures. On average, a regular cappuccino contains 80 calories. Why? It’s because semi-skimmed milk has 50 calories per 100ml, and cappuccinos contain about 150ml of milk. So (*grabs a calculator*) you’ve got 75 calories overall. The espresso contains just three little calories, giving you a grand total of 80.

Unless you use full-fat milk or a dairy-free alternative. Or go for a large. Or dribble a few calories-worth of cappuccino down your T-shirt…

Now you know how many shots in a cappuccino (plus some other stuff), why not find out how to create café-standard coffee at home?

Check out our easy guide!