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This gingerbread latte recipe brings together creamy espresso with spiced gingerbread sweetness and frothed milk. The trick? That gingerbread simple syrup. You can keep it on hand to turn "just a morning coffee" into a seasonal hug in a mug at a moment's notice.
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You know it's officially that season when you hear subversive Christmas music blasting through the kitchen that smells like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hot drink. My faves are the Cookin Soul MF Doom Xmas Album and Otto Von Schirach's 12 Ratchet Days of Christmas.
This latte and vegan Christmas cookies? A freaking power couple. Or for your non-caffeinated elves, some vegan eggnog and a plate of gingerbread donuts for dunking.
Starbucks? Bah Humbug. You'll forget all your favorite coffee shops and think of making yourself a home coffee station instead.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this Gingerbread Latte recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan Christmas recipes, this one's proudly cruelty-free. We're talking vegan FTA like Santa's elves unionized for animal rights.
⚡ Fast AF: Blink twice and you've made it. Seriously. Before Mariah Carey even hits the chorus, you'll have this gingerbread latte ready to ruin your tolerance for mediocre coffee forever.
🛒 Simple Ingredients: If you can find a grocery store, you can make this, obvi. You probably already even own everything you'll need.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the vegan recipes I share, hundreds of recipe testers across the globe tried this, loved it, and didn't set anything on fire (that we know of).
👎 Get My Worst Recipes (that everyone hates)
😳 Get the low down on everyone's least fave recipes I have ever made. ✌️Don't stress: I'm also gonna share with you my best ones too.
☕️ Gingerbread Latte Ingredients
Gingerbread Simple Syrup
The is the main thing about making this "gingerbread-related." My gingerbread simple syrup recipe has both fresh and ground ginger so your latte actually tastes like GINGERbread.
Espresso
Of course use your personal favorite espresso to make this with. Call me basic, but Starbucks' Espresso Roast (or Blonde Espresso Roast) works great and Trader Joe's has some solid hits too. Got a Nespresso machine? Bianco Doppio or Melozio pods are my daughter's favorites to make this with, and she basically lives on espresso alone.
Milk of Your Choice
Soy milk froths the best of all plant milks, though oat milk brings that creamy good stuff too. Use unsweetened if you want the gingerbread syrup to pop out. Almond milk? Bless her heart, not the perfect pick. She tries, but she curdles fast when heated, even with a barista blend in my experience.
Gingerbread Cookies
Totally optional as a topping for fun, my vegan gingerbread cookie recipe's a great addition if you want the full festive latte experience.
Torched Marshmallows
Grab those Trader Joe's or Dandies vegan marshmallows and toast with a kitchen torch or under a broiler until golden-brown. Again, these are optional, but who doesn't want toasted marshmallows on their Christmas coffee?
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯 Variations
Iced Gingerbread Latte
For all my hot-coffee-hating baddies, chill those espresso shots and pour them over ice before adding cold frothed oat milk. To avoid the drink from watering down, replace your ice with frozen brewed coffee in an ice cube tray so the melt in your iced coffee just adds flavor instead of turning your holiday latte into a swamp from Shrek The Third.
Mexican Hot Gingerbread Mocha
Add cacao, a dusting of cinnamon, and a pinch of ancho or chipotle.
📖 How to make Gingerbread Latte
Alright coffee lovers, grab your favorite mug and your caffeine courage. We're about to make your kitchen smell like Santa had to start picking up shifts as a barista on the side to support his "snow habit".
Step One
Espresso Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself:
Brew 4 espresso shots and set them aside to cool slightly before using.
✅ This is for making two mugs. Of course, you can increase or decrease the shots as your caffeine tolerance permits.
Step Two
Sip Sip Sippin' on Some Syzurp:
Pour the homemade gingerbread syrup into 2 large mugs. Divide the espresso between the two mugs and stir.
Step Three
Hot Milk Summer:
In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat for about 3 minutes until it begins to steam but does not boil. Either use a handheld frother or the frother on your espresso machine to create a thick foam.
✅If you are using the frother built into your espresso machine, you don't need to heat it separately in a pan. Just let the machine do the work for you.
Step Four
Sweet Foam Alabama:
Slowly pour the frothed milk into the mug with the espresso mixture, keeping the foam back with a spoon.
Step Five
Foam Alone 2, Lost in New York:
Optionally, torch marshmallows on top using a kitchen torch.
Step Six
Better Latte Than Never:
Optionally, garnish with gingerbread cookies, nutmeg, and/or a cinnamon stick before serving. Not foamy enough? Maybe hit it with a spoonful of cool vegan whipped cream on top too!
💡Serving Ideas
If you're going to survive all of these frigid winter months, serve yourself your homemade gingerbread lattes with some of my popular baked recipes.
Some things to consider dunking are my vegan pumpkin donuts, vegan apple cider donuts, and twisted Korean donuts.
Eggless chocolate chip cookies and vegan oatmeal cookies are an easier option if you don't want to fry things. The bitter shot of espresso, the molassesy gingerbread, the melty chocolate, major flavor bombbb.
👉 Top tips
- Use Freshly Brewed Espresso, Not Yesterday's Sad Shots: Yesterday's espresso is today's depresso. Pull fresh shots with beans that you actually think taste good.
- Don't Scald the Milk: If using a hand frother, warm your milk just until it's steaming.
- Taste Before You Crown It: Take a sip before you start going wild with toppings. Maybe you want it sweeter, maybe you like your gingerbread lattes stronger. Either way, adjust now so you don't end up hate-drinking your own creation later.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
The easiest way is to start with your standard syrup dose and taste before pouring the milk. You can always add more syrup or tone it down with extra milk.
For suresies! Just make sure it's a super strong coffee (less water, more grounds) so it holds up to all that syrup and milk energy this holiday season.
✌️You'll love these vegan gingerbread recipes too
Homemade Gingerbread Latte Recipe
Equipment
- Espresso machine
- Handheld frother (optional)
Ingredients
Gingerbread Latte
- ¼ cup gingerbread simple syrup
- 4 shots espresso
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg grated
- 1 cup milk of your choice I prefer soy or oat milk
Optional toppings:
- gingerbread cookies
- marshmallows torched
- Cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Pull 4 espresso shots and set aside.
- Pour the gingerbread simple syrup into 2 large mugs. Add the espresso and stir until evenly combined.
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat for 2½-3 minutes until steaming but not boiling. Froth the milk using a handheld frother. If your espresso machine has a built in frother, you can skip warming the milk in a saucepan, as that will heat the milk as it froths.
- Slowly pour the frothed milk into the mug with the espresso mixture, holding back the foam with a spoon. Spoon the remaining foam on top. Sprinkle grated nutmeg over the surface.
- If desired, garnish with gingerbread cookies, torched marshmallows, or a cinnamon stick before serving.
Notes
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