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This homemade gingerbread latte is a sweet and spicy treat that tastes just like the holiday cookie! Made with real gingerbread syrup, espresso, and your favorite milk you’ll be able to whip up this festive coffee recipe in less time than it would take to get through the Starbucks line!
The gingerbread syrup in this latte is made with brown sugar, molasses, and real ginger to get all those rich, deep holiday flavors in your mug. It’s easy as can be to make. You ready? Let’s do it!
Ingredients for the Gingerbread Syrup
- Brown Sugar
- Water
- Molasses
- Fresh Ginger
- Ground Ginger
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves
- Vanilla Extract
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Gingerbread Syrup
- Add everything to a saucepan. Easy as can be!
- Bring mixture to a simmer. Stirring to make sure all the sugar dissolves.
- Cool and store. Until ready to use – read below on how to make a Starbucks worthy gingerbread latte!
If you love this homemade gingerbread syrup, be sure to check out my recipes for homemade pumpkin spice syrup, vanilla simple syrup, and honey mint simple syrup!
Making a Gingerbread Latte at Home
Add the gingerbread syrup to a glass. 2 tablespoons is 1 ounce, or the equivalent of 1 pump of syrup from Starbucks.
Top with espresso. Or strongly brewed hot coffee.
Add steamed milk. I use the milk frother that came with my Nespresso machine but you can also use a handheld frother or whisk some milk on the stove.
Garnish and enjoy! I love adding a spray of whipped cream and a fun little gingerbread cookie to my mugs.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Sugar – If all you have is granulated sugar, add an additional tablespoon of molasses to the simple syrup. (Did you know in a pinch you can combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses to make brown sugar?!)
- Freshly Grated Ginger – Not everyone has fresh ginger on hand, I get it! One of my favorite kitchen hacks is the pre-grated ginger they sell in tubes. You can find it in the produce section of most grocery stores near the fresh herbs or garlic.
- Maple Syrup or Honey – If you’re wanting a naturally sweetened simple syrup you can substitute the brown sugar for maple syrup or honey, but adjust the amount of water to ½ cup.
- Espresso – If you don’t have an espresso maker you can substitute 3 ounces of very strong coffee.
How to Peel Fresh Ginger
If you’re using the fresh ginger and not the kind from a tube, you’ll want to make sure it’s peeled before grating.
The easiest way to peel fresh ginger is with a spoon! Can you believe it? It’s true!
Gently run a spoon over the bumpy ginger root and watch the skin peel right off.
Iced Gingerbread Latte
To make an iced version of this gingerbread latte combine the simple syrup and espresso in a tall glass. Fill it with ice and top with your choice of milk!
Festive Coffee Drinks
If you couldn't tell, I’m obsessed with seasonal coffee drinks! If you are too, check out these other great recipes of mine.
Homemade Gingerbread Latte with Real Ginger
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Whisk
- Storage Jar with Lid
- Espresso Maker & Milk Frother (optional)
- Serving Mug
Ingredients
For the gingerbread syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the gingerbread latte:
- 2 - 4 tablespoons gingerbread syrup
- 2 ounces freshly brewed espresso or 3 ounces strongly brewed coffee
- 8 ounces milk of choice
Instructions
For the gingerbread syrup:
- In a small saucepan combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger, ½ tsp. ground ginger, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ⅛ tsp. nutmeg, a pinch of cloves, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has completely dissolved. About five minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before storing in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the gingerbread latte:
- In a mug, combine 2 - 4 tablespoons gingerbread syrup (more or less depending on how sweet you like it) and 2 shots of espresso.
- Using a milk frother, or the stovetop method, steam your milk and pour over the espresso mixture.
- Top with whipped cream and garnish with a gingerbread cookie, if desired.
For an iced gingerbread latte:
- Combine 2 - 4 tablespoons gingerbread syrup and 2 shots espresso in a tall glass.
- Fill the glass with a generous scoop of ice and top with the milk of your choice.
- Garnish with a spray of whipped cream to serve, if desired.
Notes
- Refer to post for ingredient substitutions.
- Syrup can be stored in refrigerator for up to three weeks.
- Syrup recipe makes 1 ½ cups syrup, or 12 ounces.
- 2 tablespoon per serving, 2 tablespoon = 1 ounce.
· by Amanda Gajdosik