To make a flat white on the Ninja Luxe Café Pro ES701, start with a Double espresso, add a relatively small amount of steamed milk, and keep the foam fine and restrained. Ninja’s ES701 recipe guide uses the Double basket, ESPRESSO program, about 4 fl oz (120 ml) of milk, and Thin Froth as its starting recipe.
There is one detail worth knowing before you start: Ninja’s current U.S. ES701 product information describes Steamed Milk as the flat-white setting, while its ES701 inspiration recipe uses Thin Froth. Both can work. Thin Froth gives you a little more microfoam; Steamed Milk is useful when you want an even flatter, less foamy drink.
Ninja Luxe Café Pro flat white settings at a glance
| Setting | Recommended starting point |
|---|---|
| Machine | Ninja Luxe Café Pro ES701 |
| Coffee base | Double espresso |
| Basket | Double basket |
| Brew program | ESPRESSO |
| Grind | Follow Barista Assist |
| Tamping | Use integrated tamper twice |
| Milk | About 4 fl oz (120 ml) as a starting point |
| Milk type | DAIRY or PLANT-BASED to match your milk |
| Froth | Thin Froth for Ninja’s recipe; Steamed Milk for less foam |
| Strength | Default first |
How to make a flat white on the Ninja Luxe Café Pro ES701
1. Install the Double basket
Place the Double basket into the portafilter and make sure it is fully seated.
The Double basket is a good fit for a flat white because the drink needs a concentrated espresso base that remains clearly noticeable after the milk is added.
2. Select ESPRESSO
Place the portafilter in the grinding cradle and turn the center dial until ESPRESSO is selected.
Do this before grinding. The ES701 uses the selected brew and basket as part of its Barista Assist process.
3. Match the Barista Assist grind recommendation
Check the grind recommendation on the display and turn the physical grind dial until the current setting matches it.
Do not copy a specific grind number from somebody else’s machine. Different beans can require very different settings, and Barista Assist can change its recommendation as the coffee ages or after it evaluates previous shots.
If you want to understand the 1–25 grinder range or why the recommended number moves, see our Ninja Luxe Café Pro grind size guide.
4. Grind and tamp twice
Press START GRIND and allow the weight-based dosing system to finish the dose.
Leave the portafilter in the cradle and pull the integrated tamper lever fully down. Release it and repeat for a second tamp.
5. Brew the Double espresso
- Remove the tamped portafilter from the grinding cradle.
- Align it with the orange marks on the group head.
- Rotate it securely into position.
- Place your cup underneath.
- Press START BREW.
You are building the flat white around espresso, not around drip coffee, Over Ice, or Cold Brew.
6. Add about 4 fl oz of cold milk to the jug
Ninja’s ES701 flat-white recipe uses 120 ml of milk, which is approximately 4 fl oz.
Treat that as a starting point rather than an unbreakable ratio. The important characteristic of a flat white is that the espresso remains prominent and the drink does not become a large milk-heavy latte.
7. Select the correct milk type
Press MILK TYPE until the machine matches what is actually in the jug.
- Select DAIRY for dairy milk.
- Select PLANT-BASED for oat, almond, soy, or another non-dairy milk.
This matters because different types of milk respond differently to heat and aeration.
8. Choose Thin Froth or Steamed Milk
If you want to follow Ninja’s ES701 flat-white recipe, select THIN FROTH and start the automatic frothing cycle.
If you prefer an even thinner foam layer, STEAMED MILK is also a sensible option and is specifically associated with flat whites on Ninja’s U.S. ES701 product information.
Avoid Thick Froth or Extra Thick Froth for a normal flat white. Those settings produce much more foam and move the drink toward cappuccino territory.
9. Swirl and pour the milk
When frothing finishes, give the jug a gentle tap if you see any larger surface bubbles, then swirl it until the milk looks glossy and uniform.
Pour the milk into the freshly brewed espresso. A good flat white should look smooth and integrated rather than having a large, dry cap of foam sitting on top.
Thin Froth or Steamed Milk for a flat white?
This is one of the most confusing ES701 flat-white questions because Ninja’s own material is not completely consistent.
The ES701 inspiration recipe specifies Thin Froth with 120 ml of milk. Ninja’s U.S. product page, however, describes Steamed Milk as the preset for flat whites and Thin Froth as the preset for lattes.
| Setting | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Steamed Milk | Very little added foam | If you want the flattest, milk-forward texture |
| Thin Froth | Fine layer of microfoam | If you want to follow Ninja’s ES701 recipe guide |
| Thick Froth | Noticeably larger foam layer | Better suited to cappuccino |
| Extra Thick Froth | Large dry foam layer | Better suited to dry cappuccino |
There is no need to treat one of the first two settings as a malfunction. Try Thin Froth first if you want to reproduce the published ES701 recipe. If that gives you more foam than you want, use Steamed Milk on the next drink.
What should flat-white milk look like?
A flat white needs fine, glossy milk rather than a mound of stiff foam.
- The milk should look shiny rather than dry.
- Large visible bubbles should be minimal.
- Milk and foam should move together when you swirl the jug.
- The espresso should remain noticeable in both flavor and color.
- The finished drink should not have a tall cappuccino-style foam cap.
If you want to go beyond the automatic presets and learn more about microfoam and pouring technique, our Ninja Luxe Café Pro latte art guide explains milk texture, manual steaming, tapping, swirling, and pouring.
Flat white vs. latte on the Ninja Luxe Café Pro
Both drinks start with espresso and milk, but they should not taste identical.
| Flat White | Latte | |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee base | Double espresso | Espresso |
| Milk amount | Lower | Usually higher |
| Foam | Fine and restrained | Thin foam layer |
| Coffee flavor | More prominent | Milder and milkier |
| Typical feel | Compact and silky | Larger and creamier |
If your flat white tastes like a large latte, the most likely issue is simply too much milk rather than the espresso machine doing something wrong.
Flat white vs. cappuccino
The biggest difference is the amount and style of foam.
A flat white uses fine microfoam with relatively little foam volume. A cappuccino deliberately has a much more noticeable foam layer.
| Flat White | Cappuccino | |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Yes | Yes |
| Milk texture | Silky microfoam | More aerated |
| ES701 starting froth | Thin Froth or Steamed Milk | Thick Froth |
| Foam layer | Small | Larger |
| Coffee prominence | Strong | Balanced with foam |
If you select Thick Froth and end up with a large fluffy layer, you have moved closer to the texture Ninja intends for a cappuccino.
What strength should you use?
Start with the ES701’s default espresso strength.
A flat white already uses less milk than a large latte, so the espresso usually remains noticeable without immediately increasing strength.
If the finished drink still tastes too milky, reduce the milk slightly before changing several machine settings at once.
Can you use Ristretto for a stronger flat white?
Yes. The ES701 also has a Ristretto option, which produces a smaller, more concentrated espresso-style shot.
If you want a richer coffee flavor without simply increasing the overall drink size, using Ristretto as the base can be an interesting variation.
For your first flat white, however, use regular ESPRESSO so you know how Ninja’s standard recipe tastes before experimenting.
What milk works best?
Cold whole dairy milk is one of the easiest options because it produces a smooth texture while retaining enough body for the drink.
Plant-based milk can also work well. Oat milk is particularly popular for espresso drinks, and a barista-style version is often easier to texture than a standard plant milk.
- Whole milk: creamy and forgiving.
- 2% milk: slightly lighter while still easy to texture.
- Oat milk: creamy plant-based option; barista versions usually work best.
- Almond milk: lighter and can be more difficult to foam consistently.
- Soy milk: can create good foam but varies by brand.
Remember to select PLANT-BASED when using a non-dairy milk with the automatic frothing system.
Why is my flat white too foamy?
If the finished drink has a large foam cap, you are introducing more air than a flat white needs.
- Do not use Thick Froth.
- Do not use Extra Thick Froth.
- Try Thin Froth if you used a thicker setting.
- Try Steamed Milk if Thin Froth is still foamier than you prefer.
- Swirl the jug before pouring so the milk and microfoam stay integrated.
Why is there almost no foam?
If you deliberately selected Steamed Milk, a very small foam layer can be normal.
If you selected Thin Froth but the milk is completely flat, check that the correct milk type is selected, the jug contains enough milk, and the steam wand is clean.
If the machine is failing to froth normally across multiple drinks and settings, use our Ninja Luxe Café Pro frother troubleshooting guide.
Why does my flat white taste too milky?
This usually means the coffee-to-milk balance is wrong rather than the machine being faulty.
- Start near 4 fl oz of milk rather than filling a large cup.
- Use the Double basket.
- Make sure you actually selected ESPRESSO.
- Follow the Barista Assist grind recommendation.
- Reduce the milk slightly if necessary.
- Only then experiment with a stronger espresso setting or Ristretto.
Why does my flat white taste bitter?
Milk can soften espresso bitterness, but it cannot completely hide a poorly extracted or excessively dark shot.
- Check that CURRENT grind size matches RECOMMENDED.
- Do not increase espresso strength unnecessarily.
- Use reasonably fresh beans.
- Keep the basket and group head clean.
- Try a less-dark roast if your beans taste overly roasted.
Why is my flat white weak?
If the drink tastes weak but not especially milky, look at the espresso before blaming the froth setting.
- Use the Double basket rather than a smaller coffee base.
- Follow Barista Assist.
- Make sure the grounds are tamped consistently.
- Use fresh beans.
- Reduce milk if the espresso disappears in the finished drink.
Can you make latte art on a Ninja Luxe Café Pro flat white?
Yes. A flat white’s fine microfoam is well suited to simple latte art when the milk texture is glossy and pourable.
Automatic Thin Froth is the easiest starting point. If you want more control over air introduction and milk texture, the ES701 also supports manual steaming.
Do not judge the drink only by whether you can draw a heart. A flat white can taste excellent even when the pour is visually imperfect.
Do you need to froth and brew at the same time?
No. Brew the espresso and prepare the milk as part of the same workflow, then pour soon after both are ready.
Do not leave textured milk sitting for a long time before pouring because the microfoam can begin separating from the liquid milk.
Should you use a large cup?
A very large mug can encourage you to add far too much milk and turn the drink into something closer to a latte.
A smaller cup makes it easier to preserve the stronger espresso-to-milk balance associated with a flat white.
Common ES701 flat-white mistakes
- Using too much milk.
- Selecting Thick or Extra Thick Froth.
- Using drip coffee instead of espresso.
- Copying another user’s grind number instead of following Barista Assist.
- Choosing the wrong DAIRY or PLANT-BASED setting.
- Letting the milk sit until it separates before pouring.
- Changing grind, strength, milk amount, and froth setting all at once.
Quick Ninja Luxe Café Pro flat-white recipe
- Install the Double basket.
- Select ESPRESSO.
- Match the grind dial to Barista Assist.
- Grind the coffee.
- Tamp twice with the integrated tamper.
- Brew the Double espresso.
- Add about 4 fl oz (120 ml) of cold milk to the jug.
- Select the correct milk type.
- Use Thin Froth for Ninja’s recipe, or Steamed Milk if you want less foam.
- Swirl the milk and pour it over the espresso.
ES701 flat-white checklist
- Double basket installed.
- ESPRESSO selected.
- Grind recommendation matched.
- Coffee tamped twice.
- About 4 fl oz of milk as a starting amount.
- Correct DAIRY or PLANT-BASED selection.
- Thin Froth or Steamed Milk rather than Thick Froth.
- Milk glossy and integrated before pouring.
- Espresso still clearly noticeable in the finished drink.
A good Ninja Luxe Café Pro flat white is more about balance than chasing one perfect machine setting. Use a Double espresso, keep the milk quantity modest, and avoid excessive foam. Thin Froth reproduces Ninja’s published ES701 recipe, while Steamed Milk is a useful lower-foam alternative on the U.S. model. Once the espresso and milk are balanced, adjust only one variable at a time until the drink suits your taste.