How to Pour a Tulip in Latte Art: Stacked Pushes, Milk Flow, Cup Tilt, and Pull-Through

A tulip is a latte-art pattern built by stacking several rounded white layers—often heart-like pushes—before finishing with a pull-through. It is a natural progression after learning a basic heart because the same milk-flow principles are repeated several times in one cup.

Start with glossy microfoam

The milk needs to remain fluid enough to pour while containing fine, evenly distributed bubbles. Dry foam will sit on top instead of folding into clean layers, while under-aerated milk may disappear beneath the crema.

Build the brown base

Begin pouring from higher above the cup so the milk stream penetrates the crema and mixes into the espresso. Tilt the cup toward the pitcher to bring the surface closer to the spout while maintaining room for the pattern.

Make the first push

Lower the pitcher close to the surface and increase flow so a white circle appears. Instead of continuing into a full heart, stop or pull back slightly. This first layer becomes the foundation for the next push.

Stack additional layers

Move the pitcher slightly forward and repeat the push. Each new white layer should tuck into or displace the previous one. Two- and three-layer tulips are easier to control; more complex designs may use many stacked layers.

Finish with a pull-through

After the final push, lift the pitcher to create a thinner stream and draw it through the center. This turns the stacked shapes into the recognizable tulip pattern.

Watch the Technique

These demonstrations make the stacked pushes, pitcher position, cup tilt, milk flow, and final pull-through easier to see in motion.

Seven Miles Coffee Roasters: a clear step-by-step tulip demonstration showing the base, stacked pushes, and final pull-through.

European Coffee Trip: a beginner-friendly tulip tutorial that reinforces pitcher height, flow control, and stacking.

Common problems

• Layers merge: flow may be too high or pauses between pushes too small.
• White will not appear: pitcher is too high or milk is too thin.
• Pattern is stiff: milk may be over-aerated or separated.
• Tulip fills too early: brown base phase was too short.

See our published guide to steaming great milk for microfoam fundamentals. More latte-art terminology is available in the glossary.