☕ Liquid Dessert · Holiday Iced Latte
S'more Gingerbread Iced Latte
Cozy holiday nostalgia dances by the fireplace when gingerbread collides with rich chocolate sauce and toasty marshmallow cold foam.
This iced latte tastes like a campfire s'more that wandered into a gingerbread house. Chocolate syrup is drizzled up the inside of the glass, cold milk and strong Gingerbread House Coffee go in over ice, and a cloud of marshmallow cold foam finishes it off.
The gingerbread comes from a homemade Gingerbread Simple Syrup. Make a batch once, keep it in the fridge, and this drink takes about as long as pouring a glass of iced coffee.
Don't worry about getting it perfect. Every step below tells you what to look for, and there's a "Not Quite Right?" fix-it guide further down.
Why You'll Love It
- Three flavors, one glass. Gingerbread spice, dark chocolate, and toasted marshmallow each get a turn.
- It looks like you worked harder than you did. The chocolate drizzle inside the glass is the whole decorating job.
- Make-ahead friendly. The syrup keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks, so the drink itself comes together in minutes.
- Easy to adjust. Use 1 or 2 Tablespoons of syrup, any milk you like, and espresso or strong brewed coffee.
The Java Momma Twist
The gingerbread shows up twice: in the coffee itself and in the homemade syrup, which gets its spice from Ginger Sugar Sprinkle and Cardamom Sugar Sprinkle. The chocolate and marshmallow soften all that spice into something that tastes like dessert.
Makes
1 tall glass
Needs
Gingerbread syrup, made ahead
Vibe
Fireside iced latte
The Coffee That Makes This Work
Gingerbread House Coffee is a medium roast with gingerbread spice, molasses warmth, and a vanilla frosting finish. Brewed strong, it keeps the gingerbread flavor from getting lost under the ice, the chocolate, and the marshmallow. You could use another coffee, but this is the one the recipe was built around.
Shop Gingerbread House Coffee →Available in whole bean, ground, single-serve pods, and decaf. Gingerbread House is a seasonal flavor, so it sells out and comes back. If the shelf is empty when you read this, a smooth medium roast like Guatemalan Single Origin Medium Roast works in its place, and the syrup carries the gingerbread. Prefer a true espresso shot? All Jacked Up Espresso Blend comes in an espresso grind.
Ingredients
The Latte (1 tall glass)
- 2 oz brewed espresso or 4 oz strong brewed Gingerbread House Coffee
- 6 oz milk of your choice
- 1 to 2 Tbsp Gingerbread Simple Syrup (full recipe in the linked post)
- 1 Tbsp chocolate syrup, plus a little extra for the drizzle
- Crushed ice
- Optional garnish: crushed gingerbread cookies or gingerbread spice
Marshmallow Cold Foam
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tbsp toasted marshmallow fluff
Method
Need the gingerbread syrup first? Make it with the Gingerbread Simple Syrup recipe. It keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks.
- Drizzle chocolate syrup inside a tall glass, turning the glass as you go so it runs down the sides in streaks. Fill the glass about 3/4 full with crushed ice and pour in your milk. Why it works: the cold glass and ice hold the chocolate in place so it clings to the sides instead of pooling at the bottom.
- Pour the hot brewed coffee or espresso straight over the gingerbread syrup in a small cup and stir. You'll know it's mixed when no syrup is pooling at the bottom. Pour the gingerbread coffee over the iced milk. Why it works: syrup dissolves best in something hot, so it blends in before it meets the ice.
- Make the cold foam: combine the heavy cream, milk, and marshmallow fluff and froth with a handheld frother until it's thick but still pourable, like loose whipped cream. Why it works: the fat in the cream traps air as you froth, the milk keeps it pourable, and the fluff adds sweetness and body.
- Spoon the marshmallow cold foam over the top. For the toasted look, run a kitchen torch quickly over the foam. Finish with a chocolate drizzle and garnish with crushed gingerbread cookies or a pinch of gingerbread spice.
Permission slip: You are allowed to call this "a reasonable breakfast." You are also allowed to eat the leftover foam off the spoon.
Made this one? It was built around Gingerbread House Coffee. It's a seasonal flavor, so if it's sold out when you read this, any smooth medium roast will work, like Guatemalan Single Origin Medium Roast. The technique stays the same.
The syrup is the star of the show. Get the full Gingerbread Simple Syrup recipe, including storage tips and more ways to use it.
More recipes like this one are at The Menu.
Not Quite Right? Here's the Fix
Change one thing, taste, then change another.
Too sweet? Use 1 Tbsp of gingerbread syrup instead of 2. The chocolate and marshmallow are sweet too.
Not gingerbready enough? Go up to 2 Tbsp of syrup, and brew the coffee a little stronger so it stands up to the ice and milk.
Cold foam won't thicken? Make sure the cream and milk are cold, and froth in a tall, narrow cup so the frother has something to work against. Stop as soon as it's thick but pourable.
Foam sinks into the drink? It was frothed too thin, or the drink was poured too fast. Froth a little longer next time and spoon the foam on gently.
Chocolate pooled at the bottom? Drizzle it onto the glass while turning it, and add the ice right away so the chocolate firms up against the cold.
Tastes watery? Crushed ice melts quickly. Use strong coffee or espresso, and drink it while the ice is still fresh.
Make It Yours
- The sweetness dial: 1 Tbsp of gingerbread syrup is subtle, 2 Tbsp is the full gingerbread treatment.
- Any milk works: dairy, oat, almond, or whatever is in your fridge. Foam thickness varies, so you may need to froth a little longer with non-dairy milk.
- Decaf: Gingerbread House Coffee comes in decaf, so this works as an evening treat.
- Garnish: crushed gingerbread cookies add crunch, and gingerbread spice adds aroma.
- More gingerbread: prefer a classic version without the marshmallow? Try our iced gingerbread latte, or turn the syrup into a Gingerbread Eggnog Chai Latte.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is marshmallow cold foam?
It's cold cream and milk frothed together with a spoonful of marshmallow fluff until it's thick but still pourable. It floats on top of an iced drink like a sweet cloud.
Where do I get the gingerbread syrup?
You make it at home. The full Gingerbread Simple Syrup recipe takes one saucepan and keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Can I make an s'more gingerbread latte without espresso?
Yes. Use 4 oz of strong brewed Gingerbread House Coffee instead of the espresso. Brew it stronger than you normally would so it stands up to the ice and milk.
How much gingerbread syrup should I use?
Use 1 to 2 Tablespoons. Start with 1 if you like less sweet drinks, since the chocolate syrup and marshmallow foam add sweetness too.
What coffee can I use if Gingerbread House isn't available?
Gingerbread House is a seasonal flavor. Any smooth medium roast works, and Guatemalan Single Origin Medium Roast is a good one. The gingerbread syrup supplies the gingerbread flavor.
Want to geek out?
- Why cold foam stays on top: frothed cream is mostly air and fat, which makes it lighter than the coffee and milk underneath, so it floats.
- Why gingerbread and chocolate work: molasses, ginger, and cinnamon have a warm, slightly bitter edge that chocolate rounds out, the same way a hot chocolate with cinnamon does.
- Why the syrup goes in the hot coffee: a thick syrup mixes in faster when it meets something hot, and it doesn't stay stuck to the bottom of a cold glass.
