Description
Warm holiday spices dance through these gingerbread latte cookies, blending rich espresso notes with classic Christmas charm. Coffee-lovers will savor each crumbly, aromatic bite that whisks you straight to a festive café corner.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Latte Cookies
Primary Baking Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
Sugars and Sweeteners:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (60 ml) molasses
Spices and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Coffee Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee (cooled)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare your baking workspace by positioning an oven rack in the middle position and heating the oven to 350F (175C). Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookies.
- Incorporate egg, molasses, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, blending thoroughly to ensure even distribution of moisture and flavor.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and espresso powder, creating a fragrant and complex spice blend.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing, which could create tough cookies.
- Portion the dough into uniform balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, rolling them between your palms and spacing them evenly across the prepared baking sheets.
- Slide the baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for slightly crisp edges and soft centers that indicate perfect doneness.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the coffee glaze by whisking powdered sugar with freshly brewed coffee and vanilla extract until achieving a smooth, drizzling consistency.
- Once cookies are completely cool, decorate by either drizzling the glaze artfully over the surface or dipping the cookie tops directly into the glaze.
- Let the glazed cookies sit until the topping sets, approximately 10-15 minutes, before serving or storing.
Notes
- Swap out regular flour for gluten-free flour blend to create a celiac-friendly version that maintains the same delicious spicy flavor profile.
- Reduce sugar content by using monk fruit sweetener or stevia for a low-sugar alternative that still delivers rich gingerbread taste.
- Enhance coffee intensity by using dark roast espresso powder or adding a sprinkle of freshly ground coffee beans into the dough for deeper, more complex flavor notes.
- Add extra warmth by incorporating finely chopped crystallized ginger into the cookie dough, which creates delightful texture bursts and intensifies the traditional gingerbread spice experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks, Drinks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg