This homemade Gingerbread Latte is a truly perfect seasonal drink. It's creamy, sweet, and deliciously flavored, filled with winter spices and whipped cream. A holiday classic that will warm your heart and boost your Christmas spirit.
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The beginning of December for me means only one thing - Christmas is coming! And that means that soon every sweet treat and every drink will be scented and seasoned with oh-so-delicious gingerbread flavor. Thus I pulled out from the back of my cabinet a beautiful thick and sticky blackstrap molasses and started thinking what to make first... to mark the occasion.
Of course, the first thing that popped into my mind was Gingerbread Hot Chocolate. But since in the morning I like something stronger than hot chocolate drink to boost me up, I decided to open the gingerbread season with tasty Gingerbread Latte. It's the easiest way to get into a cheerful Holiday mood straight in the morning.
This Gingerbread Latte is strong, delicious, and bursting with holiday flavors. It's loaded with warm winter spices - Ceylon cinnamon and ginger, and amazing blackstrap molasses, all enhancing the simple morning coffee with wonderful flavors but many health benefits too. In Christmastime, people usually rush into Starbuck to buy Gingerbread Latte. But here's how to make this seasonal drink at home... save some money and cut out some unnecessary sugary calories out from your favorite seasonal drink.
Gingerbread Latte ingredients
To make Gingerbread Latte, you will need just three basic, simple ingredients:
- Your favorite coffee.
- Your favorite milk.
- And a sip of Gingerbread syrup.
When it comes to coffee, you can use any type you like and prefer. I would say, use your favorite brand. Black. Decaf. Nescafe. Expresso shoots... all are good for making a Gingerbread Latte. I love black, cold brewed. But hey... that's just me.
As for milk, again, you can use the one you use every day to enhance your morning coffee. You can use cold or hot milk. But keep in mind that if you're planning to make a frothy drink, then you need to use hot milk. I like my coffee made with frothy hot milk, and I like to use organic soy milk. Soy milk is naturally sweet, so I don't have to add extra sugars later on.
Gingerbread syrup is absolutely amazing. Rich, flavorful, black as night. So good! But before you jump to get the syrup from the store, STOP it! It's easily made at home. The only thing you need to make homemade Gingerbread syrup is blackstrap molasses and some simple spices that you probably have in your kitchen cabinet already.
But homemade Gingerbread syrup is not only delicious and a great addition to your hot seasonal drinks. It's super HEALTHY too. Because of the blackstrap molasses and these amazing spices with many health benefits. If you're wondering what is blackstrap molasses, read on.
What is blackstrap molasses
Blackstrap molasses is a byproduct of the sugar's cane sugar-making process. First, the sugar cane is crushed, and the juice is extracted. Then the juice is boiled to form sugar crystals, which are then removed from the liquid. Molasses is thick, dark brown syrup left after the sugar has been removed from the juice. There are several varieties of this syrup, which vary in color, consistency, flavor, and sugar content. I prefer and mostly use blackstrap molasses in my baking and cooking.
Blackstrap molasses is the syrup produced after the third boiling. It is the thickest and darkest in color, with a slightly bitter taste. But the most wonderful thing about blackstrap molasses is that unlike refined sugar, which has zero nutritional value, it contains many essential vitamins and minerals - like iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium (1). That makes blackstrap molasses a great addition to a healthy diet if used in moderation, of course.
How to make homemade Gingerbread Syrup
- Place ¼ cup blackstrap molasses in a small saucepan. Add ¼ cup boiling water and bring everything to simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Use the whisk to mix the syrup.
- Remove from heat and strain the syrup through a cheesecloth or strainer.
- Store in a glass jar with a lid. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 months.
- It makes about ½ cup Gingerbread syrup, or enough for 6-8 servings.
How to make Gingerbread Latte
- Brew your favorite coffee. Place ½ cup of coffee in a mug.
- Add in 1-2 tablespoon of homemade Gingerbread Syrup.
- Warm the ⅓ cup milk in a saucepan or in microwave. Use the frother to make the froth.
- Pour the milk over the syrup and coffee in the mug.
- Add sweetener if desired and to taste.
- Top with whipped cream if desired.
- Enjoy your perfect cup of holiday joy!
Gingerbread Latte
Ingredients
For Gingerbread Syrup
- ¼ cup blackstrap molasses
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
For Gingerbread Latte
- ½ cup coffee black, Nescafe, or 2 espresso shots
- 1 tablespoon Gingerbread Syrup
- ⅓ cup milk I used organic soy milk
- Maple syrup or honey if desired and to taste
- Whipped cream if desired
Instructions
For Gingerbread Syrup
- Place ¼ cup blackstrap molasses in a small saucepan. Add ¼ cup boiling water and bring everything to simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon powder, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Use the whisk to mix the syrup.
- Remove from heat and strain the syrup through a cheesecloth or strainer.
- Store in a glass jar with a lid. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 months.
- It makes about ½ cup Gingerbread syrup, or enough for 6-8 servings.
For Gingerbread Latte
- Brew your favorite coffee. Place ½ cup of coffee in a mug.
- Add in 1 tablespoon of homemade Gingerbread Syrup.
- Warm the ⅓ cup milk in a saucepan or in microwave. Use the frother to make the froth.
- Pour the milk over the syrup and coffee in the mug.
- Add sweetener if desired and to taste.
- Top with whipped cream if desired.
- Enjoy your perfect cup of holiday joy!
Notes
MAKE IT DECAF: Use decaf coffee. The nutrition values are given without whipped cream or added sweetener. As a measure, I used US cup (240ml).
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible.
Nutrition
More hot winter drinks
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Kristen says
Great recipe. Thanks for sharing. I used Oatmilk and no other additions. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Debbie says
No more spending a fortune on holiday coffees at the coffee shop, I am making this Gingerbread Latte at home. Believe it or not I have all the ingredients for this .. including the blackstrap molasses , I standard ingredient for me during the holidays. I can't wait to try this.
Jenni LeBaron says
Wow, the gingerbread syrup in this latte recipe sounds just delightful! I bet this would make a tremendous gift for the holidays and a wonderful way to make holiday mornings extra special!