Sally's Kitchen · Coffee Drinks
Iced Gingerbread Latte (No Syrups Needed)
Molasses, brown sugar and three pantry spices stirred into strong coffee, poured over milk and ice, with an optional cold foam on top.
You don't need a bottle of syrup to make an iced gingerbread latte. Sally's version gets its flavor from a spoonful of molasses, a little brown sugar, and cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg from the spice rack, stirred into strong coffee. It's at its best made with Gingerbread House Coffee, and if you can't get it, a bold core roast works too.
The spiced coffee goes over milk and crushed ice, and you can finish it with a cold foam made from heavy cream, eggnog and sweet cream. It takes about 5 minutes, and it makes one drink.
Every step below says what to look for, and there's a "Not Quite Right?" list if the drink comes out gritty, flat or too sweet.
Why You'll Love It
- No syrup to buy. The flavor comes from molasses, brown sugar and ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Five minutes. Mix, pour, stir, spoon the foam on.
- Dairy-free friendly. It works with any milk you like. The original recipe uses oat milk.
- Hot or iced. Skip the ice and steam the milk instead for a hot gingerbread latte.
The Java Momma Twist
Instead of plain espresso, the coffee is strongly brewed Gingerbread House Coffee, so the gingerbread flavor is already in the cup before the molasses and spices go in. The flavor is on the beans, so the brewed coffee looks like regular coffee. The color comes from the molasses and the milk.
Yield
1 drink
a tall glass or tumbler
Time
5 min
plus brewing the coffee
Vibe
Spiced and cool
molasses, ginger, bold coffee
The Coffee That Makes This Work
Gingerbread House Coffee is a medium roast with gingerbread spice, molasses and vanilla frosting flavors. The flavor comes from flavoring added to the beans, so the brewed cup looks like regular coffee. Brew it strong for this latte, because the milk, ice and foam all water down the flavor.
Shop Gingerbread House Coffee →Whole bean or ground in regular and decaf, and single-serve cups. Air-roasted to order, every time.
Gingerbread House is a limited-run coffee, so it isn't always on the shelf. If it's sold out, brew a bold core roast such as Guatemalan Single Origin Medium Roast. The molasses and spices still give you the gingerbread flavor.
Ingredients
Makes 1 iced latte.
Latte
- 2 tsp molasses
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg, plus a little extra for the top
- A double shot of espresso, or 4 oz (½ cup) strong brewed Gingerbread House Coffee
- 6 to 8 oz (¾ to 1 cup) milk of your choice (oat milk is the original pick)
- Crushed ice
Cold Foam (optional)
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp eggnog
- 1 Tbsp sweet cream
Method
- In a mason jar or a small glass, combine the molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and the hot espresso or brewed coffee. Stir or froth until the molasses has completely dissolved and you can't see any clumps of spice. Why it works: molasses is thick and dissolves best in hot coffee, so mix it before anything cold goes in. Don't shake hot coffee in a closed jar, because the pressure can pop the lid.
- Half-fill a tumbler with crushed ice, pour in the milk, then pour the spiced coffee over the top. Stir. Why it works: pouring the coffee over the milk and ice cools it quickly so the ice doesn't melt away.
- For the foam, combine the heavy cream, eggnog and sweet cream in a small jar and froth until it's thick enough to sit on a spoon but still pours slowly. Why it works: the fat in the cream holds the air bubbles, which is why the foam floats on top of the drink instead of sinking.
- Spoon the foam over the latte and sprinkle it with a little nutmeg.
- Hot version: skip the ice and steam the milk instead. Pour the spiced coffee into a mug, then add the steamed milk.
Permission Slip
You're allowed to skip the foam on a busy morning, to lick the molasses spoon, and to call a drink with this much nutmeg on top breakfast.
Made this one? Gingerbread House Coffee comes in regular and decaf, whole bean, ground and single-serve cups, air-roasted to order. If it's out of stock, Guatemalan Single Origin Medium Roast makes a good base.
More recipes like this one are at The Menu.
Not Quite Right? Here's the Fix
Change one thing, then taste. That's the whole method.
Make It Yours
- The coffee dial: a double shot or a stronger brew gives a bolder latte, and a little less milk does the same.
- Milk: any milk works. Oat is the original choice.
- Decaf: Gingerbread House comes in decaf, and it works the same way in the latte.
- Hot: steam the milk and skip the ice.
- Skip the foam: the latte works fine without it.
Something to eat with it:
- Mocha Gingerbread Blossoms for the gingerbread cookies
Iced Gingerbread Latte FAQ
How do you make an iced gingerbread latte without syrup?
Stir 2 tsp of molasses, 1 tsp of brown sugar, ¼ tsp of cinnamon, ⅛ tsp of ginger and ⅛ tsp of nutmeg into a double shot of espresso or 4 oz of strong brewed coffee. Pour it over 6 to 8 oz of milk and crushed ice, then stir.
What gives a gingerbread latte its flavor?
In this recipe, molasses, brown sugar, and the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. The molasses supplies the dark, slightly bitter gingerbread flavor, and the spices supply the warmth.
What coffee is best for an iced gingerbread latte?
Strong coffee, so it holds its flavor against the milk and ice. Gingerbread House Coffee is the best match because the gingerbread flavor is already on the beans. If it's sold out, a bold core roast such as Guatemalan Single Origin Medium Roast works too.
Do I need an espresso machine?
No. Use 4 oz of strongly brewed coffee instead of a double shot. Brew it a little stronger than usual so it stands up to the milk and ice.
Can I make a hot gingerbread latte?
Yes. Skip the ice and steam the milk instead. Pour the spiced coffee into a mug and add the steamed milk.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes, use your favorite non-dairy milk (oat milk is the original pick). The cold foam is made with heavy cream, eggnog and sweet cream, so skip it or use a dairy-free alternative that froths.
How do you make the cold foam?
Combine 3 Tbsp of heavy cream, 2 Tbsp of eggnog and 1 Tbsp of sweet cream in a small jar, then froth until it's thick enough to sit on a spoon. Spoon it over the latte and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Why can't I shake the coffee in the jar?
Hot liquid in a closed jar builds pressure, which can pop the lid and splash. Stir it, or froth it in an open jar or glass.
Want to geek out?
- Why molasses stands in for syrup: it's a dark, thick, slightly bitter sugar syrup, and it's the flavor most people associate with gingerbread, so a small amount does a lot of the work.
- Why mix it hot: molasses is thick and sticky when cold. Heat makes it flow so it dissolves into the coffee instead of sitting on the bottom.
- Why the spices are measured in eighths: ground ginger and nutmeg are strong, and a little too much can turn bitter or taste like soap. Start with the amounts given and add a pinch at a time.
- Why pour the coffee over ice and milk: it chills the coffee fast, so there's less melted ice diluting the drink.
- Why cold foam stays on top: cream is high in fat and proteins, which hold air bubbles, and the foam is lighter than the drink beneath it.
