Gingerbread latte recipe
Cozy, creamy and gently spiced - this gingerbread latte tastes like the holidays in a mug and it comes together in 10 minutes. Make it for a calm Christmas morning, a cookie exchange, or a movie night.
Servings: 2
Calories: 150kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk - any kind works. Whole or barista plant milk froths best (480 ml)
- 2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
- 3 tablespoons gingerbread syrup - adjust to taste (45 ml)
- Ground nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
Brew the espresso or coffee
- Pull 2 espresso shots total or brew 1/2 cup strong coffee.
- Chill the shots 10 minutes so the milk flavor stays round.
Heat and froth the milk
- Warm milk to 150 to 155°F (65 to 68°C). Do not boil.
- For the silkiest foam, warm the milk to 120°F (49°C), froth, then rewarm it to 150°F (65°C).
- If you don't have a foamer, you can whisk it in the pan, pump a French press 20-30 times, or shake in a heatproof jar with a towel.
Flavor the milk with gingerbread syrup
- Stir in 3 tablespoons of store-bought gingerbread syrup into the milk. Brands vary in strength, so start with 2 tablespoons per serving, taste, then add up to 3 tablespoons total if you like it sweeter.
- If flavor tastes thin, bloom a pinch of ground ginger and a pinch of cinnamon in the warm milk for 30 seconds before stirring.
- For a lower sugar option, use sugar free syrup or split 1 to 2 tablespoons regular syrup with 1 teaspoon maple or date syrup for roundness.
Combine
- Warm the mugs with hot water.
- Divide espresso between mugs, slowly pour spiced milk down the side, hold back foam with a spoon, then cap each mug with foam.
Garnish
- Add a tiny pinch of nutmeg (grate it fresh if possible).
- You can also a dusting of cinnamon, a small swirl of syrup, or a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
Make it yours:
- Iced version: Use chilled espresso and cold milk. Shake milk with syrup in a jar to microfoam, fill glasses with ice, pour milk, then float espresso on top.
- Stronger coffee: add a third shot for two servings or reduce milk to 1.5 cups, US 1.5 cups, metric 355 ml.
- Not spiced enough: add 1 to 2 drops vanilla extract plus a pinch more ginger.
- Too sweet: splash in plain milk or another shot of espresso.
Dietary swaps:
- Dairy free or vegan: use oat, almond, or soy milk - barista versions foam best. Check that your syrup is vegan.
- Gluten free: most syrups are gluten free, so you'll just need to confirm the label.
- Low lactose: use lactose free milk.
- Lower sugar: choose sugar free syrup or halve the syrup and add extra spice instead.