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Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing. A cross between a really great soft, chewy gingerbread cookie and a delicious steaming gingerbread latte made with real espresso. These cookies are made with sweet dark brown sugar, molasses, ginger, and the real secret – espresso powder. They’re generously glazed with a sweet, thick, and creamy brown butter icing that melts in your mouth. You can make them as drop cookies or as Christmas cutouts, there’s really nothing not to love! They’re the perfect holiday cookie to bake, share, and gift this holiday season!
Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Light or dark brown sugar
- Espresso powder or instant coffee powder
- Vanilla extract
- Large egg
- Blackstrap molasses
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla bean powder
What you will need in the kitchen:
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- spatula
- Small bowl
- Tablespoons
- Prepared baking sheets
- Christmas cookie cut outs
- Airtight container
- wire rack
- electric mixer
More cookies!! When I say I have been baking cookies non-stop, I mean it. These took me days. They’re the simplest cookie, but it took a long time to figure out how to get them from just ok to the amazing Christmas cookie I envisioned in my head.
The amount of gingerbread cookies I’ve baked in a week’s time is unreal, but look at these!! Oh, they are so, so yummy! And now I can look at them and truly say I really love these.
These are soft and chewy gingerbread. I did both drop cookies and cutouts, but I think I love the drop style more. Either way, they’re my favorite gingery cookie!
When I set out to make these, I really wanted to achieve a gingerbread that was chewy all around, soft, and not like other gingerbread cookies.
For some reason, the sound of a gingerbread latte cookie really excited me. I thought back to the gingerbread latte I created long ago, and then the mocha-cinnamon rolls I made last year. I love the added depth of flavor the espresso adds, so I knew these cookies needed three things. Lots of ginger, some espresso mixed in, and then, they also needed to be chewy.
Here are details
Step One
Let’s start by preheating the oven to 350 and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper! Easy! Next, In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter with dark brown sugar and a high-quality espresso or instant coffee powder to create a butter mixture. Then add egg and molasses. Next, add the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. That’s the dough. It’s perfectly spiced and the espresso only helps to highlight the warming spices.
Step Two
Roll the dough into walnut-size balls. You can use a tablespoon measure for the correct size. This is a sticky dough, but if you’re having trouble, add a couple of tablespoons of additional flour.
Step Three
Then just bake. That’s literally it if you’re making drop cookies. Which are probably my preferred cookie, but only because they’re chewier than the cutouts.
If you want to make the cutouts, add some additional four flour to the dough. Then the key is to roll the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper.
Just as I do with my sugar cookies, I always like to roll out the dough, cut the cookies, and then freeze the cut cookies on a baking sheet for a few minutes. This ensures that the cookies hold their shape. To cut my cookies, I used Christmas tree cutters. But you can use any shapes you have on hand, or that your family loves the most.
On to the icing
This icing is everything. Just a handful of ingredients, but I love the nutty brown butter flavor and creaminess. It’s what makes these cookies really melt in your mouth.
The ingredients: butter, sugar, vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt.
The key is to brown the salted or unsalted butter (your choice) on the stove in a small or medium saucepan. Add the butter to a pot set over medium heat to brown the butter. Allow the brown butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for five minutes. Once cooled, add everything to the brown butter and thin it out with some milk. This includes whisking in the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt. Ice each cookie quickly, the frosting does set up pretty quickly.
This combo of ginger, espresso, and brown butter is unexpected, but I’m finding that everyone LOVES it. You won’t even detect the espresso, it just compliments the ginger and cinnamon so wonderfully. The result is a perfectly chewy, gingery, molasses cookie with rich notes of espresso, vanilla, and ginger.
We couldn’t love these easy gingerbread cookies more. And the frosting really makes them special. Hope you guys love these just as much as I do!
Looking for Christmas cookie recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Chewy Frosted Cinnamon Swirl Snickerdoodles
Easy Slice ‘n’ Bake Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies
Lastly, if you make these Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Servings: 22 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 250 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons espresso powder or instant coffee powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
- 2 1/4 cups, plus 1-2 tablespoons, as needed all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- granulated sugar, for rolling
Brown Butter Icing
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 -2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoos milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, espresso, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg, mixing to combine. Then, add the molasses and mix to combine. Add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, beating until combined. 3. Place the sugar in a small bowl. 3. For drop cookies: Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls (if the dough is too sticky, add 2-4 additional tablespoons flour), then roll through the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are just starting to set around the edges, the centers should be a little doughy. Let cool on the pan. 4. For cutouts: Divide the dough in half. Roll out the dough on a floured piece of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you're using enough flour or your dough will stick. Cut out the cookies into desired shapes. Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. I recommend using a floured spatula to lift the cookies. Cover the baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm, 15 minutes. Roll out the leftover scraps, and repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just set.5. Meanwhile, make the icing. Add the butter to a pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let cool 5 minutes. Whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and salt. Immediately spread the icing over the cookies, it will set quickly. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
This post was originally published on December 6, 2022
These were perfection! I tripled the batch for a swap and they turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Joy,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad it was enjoyed:)
Happy Holidays!
Is it possible to make these gluten free?
Hi Meghan,
I haven’t tested this, but you could try using a gluten free flour. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
I have made them GF with 1:1 Gf flour – so delicious. No notes 🙂
Thanks so much, Paige!
Wow…just wow. I might leave the “latte” part out next time due to the kiddos but these are bursting with flavor. And that icing belongs on all the things.
Hey Jessica,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
Yummy cookies but they spread so much while baking. Should I chill the dough or increase the flour, or both? Thanks! It’s been a Half baked harvest week over at my house!
Thanks so much, Lois! So sorry to hear these spread so much for you. I would chill your dough next time, that should help!
Would it be OK to use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean powder in the icing…or would it make it too watery?
HI there,
That will be perfectly okay for you to do! I hope you love this recipe!
Tieghan I can’t wait to make these tomorrow.
Just served the family your Beer Can Chicken (again) which is better than anything you can buy, and the house smells so homey. Every time I make one of your recipes, someone always says, “Gee, you should open a restaurant” 🙂
I’m not going to open a restaurant.
Thank you so much, Pauline:) I appreciate you making so many recipes and sharing with others! I hope you love these cookies!
I make these cookies every Christmas! They are absolute perfection and a huge crowd pleaser!
Is it possible to make the dough in advance and freeze it? Would you roll in sugar before freezing or after the balls thaw?
Thanks so much, Vanessa! Yes, you can freeze the balls before rolling through the sugar, that will work nicely for you!
Happy Holidays!
Best. Cookies. Ever.
Hi Caitlin,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment!
Happy Sunday!
What are they sprinkled with? Is that sugar or salt?
Hi Kendell,
I like to sprinkle with salt, totally optional:)
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi! These look to die for! Wondering if blackstrap molasses is a must over regular molasses to keep that soft texture? Obviously there’s a huge price difference 🙈 But I’m willing to get blackstrap if necessary! Thanks for always educating us along with providing amazing recipes 💛
Hey Kari,
Thanks so much! Regular molasses will be just fine for you to use here:)
I hope you love these cookies, please let me know if you give them a try!
These sound amazing! I am curious if the frosting sets at all? I was hoping to be able to stack them in a container when done.
Thanks so much, Sheryl!! The icing is a bit soft, if you want to layer the cookies I would put parchment or wax paper between them. I hope this helps!
Thank you for this recipe!! I increased the ginger and cinnamon a bit; added some cloves and a pinch of fresh nutmeg. Also, I decreased the amount of espresso. The flavor was really good, especially the browned butter frosting which I made exactly as you wrote it. My only problem was that the cookies spread and were thin and not plump and crackly like your picture. Could be that I used fresh milled flour, not sure. In the end I used a donut cutter to cut perfectly round cookies (they grew into each other as they baked) and made sandwich cookies using the frosting for the middle. So good and great reviews from those who have tried them.
Hey Kerry,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment! Enjoy your day!
Hey Kerry,
Yes, you would need to leave the batter out for 30 minutes or freeze your fresh milled flour ahead of time and use it out of the freezer.
If not, your cookies will remain flat.
Absolutely delicious cookies; not too gingery. And the frosting is to die for!
Hey Constance,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear it turned out well for you!
Hi T! Love these cookies! Do you have a suggestion for another flavor to substitute instead of ginger for these cookies? I’d like to make them for an event but gingerbread is Christmassy! I didn’t see another latte type cookie on your page so figured I’d ask here!
Thanks so much, Brittany!! These cookies are a little less Christmassy:
https://fett-weg.today/maple-chai-latte-cookies/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This was a wonderful full flavored Brown Butter Icing. I used it for Gingerbread bars and iced them 15 minutes out of the oven. DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Hi Karen,
Wonderful! Thank you for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! XxT