What Makes These Gingerbread Latte Cookies Taste Like Your Coffee Shop Favorite
What makes these taste like an actual gingerbread latte? It comes down to three things I tested a few times:
- Warm molasses + gingerbread spices for that classic cozy base.
- Espresso powder to echo the latte flavor without overpowering the spice.
- Brown-butter brown sugar glaze that mimics the caramel sweetness of steamed latte foam.
The result is a soft, lightly crackled molasses cookie that smells like a coffee shop in December and tastes even better dunked in an actual latte. They stay soft for days and the glaze sets beautifully for holiday gifting.
Looking for more Christmas cookies? Try espresso martini cookies, chai oatmeal cream pies, or soft gingerbread man cookies next.
My Best Tips After Testing This Recipe
- Use room-temperature butter (about 69°F) so they stay thick and don’t spread.
- Measure the flour correctly by weighing it (best option) or using the spoon and level method.
- Don’t skip rolling the dough in coarse sugar it helps form the crackly tops.
- Don’t over bake the cookies for soft, chewy centers.
- Cool them completely before glaze or the glaze will melt off.
Ingredients You’ll Need (+ Why They Matter)
- Flour (all-purpose or GF): gives structure. GF All-purpose flour works too.
- Baking soda: creates lift.
- Ginger + cinnamon + cloves: the classic trio for gingerbread depth.
- Butter: room temperature so it creams fluffy and aerates the dough.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens and helps with crackly tops.
- Egg: binds and adds tenderness.
- Molasses: the star of gingerbread cookies that makes them rich and adds flavor depth.
- For the Brown Butter Brown Sugar Glaze: butter, brown sugar, milk, and powdered sugar.
Do you love brown butter? Try my brown butter chocolate chip cookies, Christmas crack cookies, or brown butter pistachio cookies next.
How to Make Gingerbread Latte Cookies
Step 1. Whisk the dry ingredients: to ensure it’s evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step 2. Make the cookie dough: cream the butter and sugar, add the wet ingredients, then beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Step 3. Roll in coarse sugar: cover each dough ball in sugar. I tested this with and without and the sugar-rolled dough had much more crinkly tops.
Step 4. Bake: drop on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 ish minutes, until the tops start to crack. Don’t overbake!
Step 5. Make the icing: brown the butter, whisk in the brown sugar and milk until the sugar dissolves then remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar.
Step 6. Drizzle the cookies: use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cookies or dunk one half of the cookies into the glaze.
Variations to Try
- Stronger Latte Flavor: add ½ teaspoon espresso powder to the glaze.
- Chai Gingerbread Latte: replace the cinnamon with chai spice or use the homemade chai spice from my taylor swift chai cookies.
- Mini cookies: scoop into 1-tablespoon balls and bake for less time for coffee-dipping cookies (like my mini Christmas cookies!).
Gingerbread Latte Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2-3 Tablespoons espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup molasses unsulphured
Brown Sugar Brown Butter Glaze
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 Tablespoons milk any kind
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients (2 min): Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, espresso, and salt in a medium bowl.2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2-3 Tablespoons espresso powder
- Cream the butter and sugar (3 min): In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cups granulated sugar
- Add the wet ingredients (2 min): Add the egg and molasses and beat 1–2 minutes, until fluffy.1 large egg, 1/4 cup molasses
- Mix in the dry ingredients (1 minute): Add dry ingredients on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop and bake (11 min): Using a large cookie scoop (or scant ¼-cup), scoop the dough and roll in coarse sugar. Drop them 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake 11–13 minutes, until puffed with cracks forming on the tops. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze (5 min): Brown butter over low heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and milk. Continue to stir while it bubbles, settles, and the brown sugar dissovles. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. Let it cool slightly to thicken.6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Glaze the cookies: Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Leave as is or dust with powdered sugar, espresso powder, or sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gingerbread Cookie FAQs
Yes, you’ll still have a classic iced gingerbread cookie! No need to adjust any other ratios.
Measure your flour correctly (too much can dry them out) and don’t overbake them. Store in an airtight container for moisture.
Molasses is the key to soft, chewy and rich gingerbread cookies. I use Grandma’s unsulphured dark molasses.
Your butter may have been too warm or under mixed. Or you may have skipped rolling them in sugar (it absorbs surface moisture, drying the outside faster, creating cracks).
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