Homemade Gingerbread Latte
Few things are cozier than a perfectly crafted mug of holiday coffee, and this gingerbread latte certainly does fit the bill. Just like with my peppermint mocha, homemade pumpkin latte, and eggnog latte, no need to spend the cash at the local coffee shop, because this recipe tastes exactly like a copycat Starbucks gingerbread latte you're used to!
This latte is spicy, sweet, and pretty much exactly like a gingerbread cookie in a mug! Enjoy it for the month of December or honestly, anytime. Let's get brewing!
What does the gingerbread latte taste like?
It's a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet, and so warm and comforting you'll think you're in a picture print by Currier and Ives. And if you really want to get the whole Starbucks vibe going at home, you can pick yourself up a red coffee mug and serve it up that way with some indie pop Christmas music playing in the background (I recommend this album or this one or this one-I can keep going).
What ingredients do I need?
The nice thing about this gingerbread latte is that there is no fussing with making a syrup-you just warm everything up with the coffee or espresso!
For the ultimate in gingerbread flavor, you'll need:
- Molasses
- Maple syrup
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
These are the spices and sweeteners that you'll see in most gingerbread cookie recipes, so if you want to transfer that flavor to coffee, you'll need them here too! For the latte part, you'll need either strongly brewed coffee or espresso, as well as milk of your choice. We prefer whole milk, but oat milk is also an excellent choice if you avoid dairy.
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How do I make a gingerbread latte?
This is super simple! First, stir the molasses, maple syrup, spices, and vanilla into the coffee, and divide it between two mugs.
Then, warm the milk and make it frothy. You can use an electric milk frother, a manual frother, or pour the milk into a jar and shake it up! Pour the milk over the coffee, and serve warm.
How can I steam milk at home?
If you don't have a steam wand at home (which most folks don't), the best way to fake steamed milk is to warm it either in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat. You're looking to get it to right around 150ºF for the best frothing!
Can I make a vegan gingerbread latte?
Absolutely! The only non-vegan ingredient in this recipe is the milk, so use the plant-based milk of your choice, and you'll be in vegan gingerbread latte heaven!
Wholefully Protip
We like oat milk here because it has a similar creaminess to whole dairy and a mild flavor.
Can you make a gingerbread latte for a crowd?
Making gingerbread coffee for a crowd couldn't be easier. We recommend making the ginger-spiced coffee and stashing it in a carafe, and then filling each cup with the coffee and frothed milk as you go. Top each mug with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon before serving for a truly magical treat!
Happy holidays, my friends! Enjoy.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Gingerbread Latte
Ingredients
- ½ cup strongly-brewed coffee or two shots of espresso
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl or measure cup, combine ½ cup strongly-brewed coffee, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Whisk together until well-combined. Pour evenly between two coffee mugs.
- Heat ¾ cup milk until just steaming in a small saucepan (or in a microwave). Froth by either using an electric frother or by placing the milk in a heat-proof jar with a tight-fitting lid and shaking. Pour the milk evenly between the two mugs. Spoon on the frothy milk on top.
Gingerbread latte is my favorite drink at Starbucks right now so I was exited to try this recipe, but this was not it. Had a really yucky aftertaste.
Hi Tisha! I'm sorry to hear you didn't care for the recipe. None of the ingredients should leave a bad aftertaste. The only thing I can think of as a possibility would be if you used blackstrap molasses instead of regular molasses. That could leave a strong, unpleasant aftertaste in a recipe like this.
Thanks for sharing! Can I make it with a non-dairy milk?
This looks so good! Does it separate very quickly?
Thanks so much for this post. One of my fav coffee treats. Since Nescafe discontinued their gingerbread latte sachets I've been trying in vain to find a substitute. I couldn't stand it any longer and thought there's got to be a recipe to make it at home. And this hit the nail on the head. Love it! No more yearning for gingerbread latte..
This gingerbread latte is definitely going to be making an appearance on my Christmas to make list! It looks SO delicious. Pinned!
Yes! I needed this in my life. I always say I become a coffee addict once a year and that is when Starbucks releases their gingerbread lattes but this year I have vetoed my gingerbread latte love because of how much sugar is in them. This is the perfect alternative! Pinned!
This looks awesome! Ginger bread stout is my favorite beer, so I think I would love this haha!
Like you, I stretch out my Christmas festivities over several months. I love gingerbread lattes, especially the smell of all those lovely spices. Thanks for the recipe!
I don't think you really need to worry about backlash, to be honest. In my family, we celebrate "candletime" in November (we light candles before dinner and sip on our beverage of choice and talk about our day -- it is warm and happy and beats the darkness), then Thanksgiving, then Advent, and we don't do Christmas until Christmas. Then we celebrate all 12 days of it. Then New Year. 🙂 I just stay out of stores and avoid the commercial pressure. Seeing something like this blog, which is a record of how another family chooses to celebrate, is not pressure at all. It's fun, and part of the reason I read here. You do you!
YUM! How can we not start celebrating Christmas early this year with the arctic blast and snow in the midwest!? Don't get me wrong, I'm sharing my excitement with Thanksgiving right now, but I can't help but take out Christmas lights and dishes etc! It's just so joyful and winter wonderland-y.
Enjoy the snowfall in IN!
Yummmmmy! Oh course it's a balmy 75• in Atlanta. It was hard enough to acknowledge Halloween!?
No hate for sharing Christmas stuff here. I don't do any decorating until after Thanksgiving, but it's never to early to start getting ready! Love the looks of this recipe!
I'm firmly in the 'it's too early for Christmas' camp, even after Thanksgiving is too early for me because in our family Christmas doesn't start until after the birthdays in December after we start to think about Christmas! I know what you mean about the stress of putting it all into 30 days but for me, the early Christmas starts, the more stress there seems to be about buying things and less about taking time out to rest and have fun. I'm always in the mood for Christmas music recommendations though so thanks for that!
Ah that looks wonderful! So sweet and comforting. Wish I had a mug of it right here 🙂