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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
Quick question. I have never used ground espresso in a recipe. Do I just grind my espresso beans and use that?
Hey Mel,
Nope, you will actually want to get ground espresso from the grocery store, it’s much more concentrated than the ground beans. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi Tieghan, I made these and they turned out delicious although aesthetically not as pretty as yours… a few things I noticed while trying to execute, it is mentioned in your description about espresso powder but then not listed in ingredients list, I just trialed 1/2 tsp but maybe could have added more? Also in the description you mention thinning out icing with milk but also not listed in icing ingredient list. I forgot to add it so it was thick, and the butter never really came together with the icing sugar. Although it turned out so incredibly delicious. Just wondering if you might have an idea as to why my butter never fully incorporated ? It was fully melted…
Hey Laura,
Thanks so much for making these cookies and sharing your feedback! I fixed the espresso, so sorry about that! Sounds like you just needed some more milk in the icing, I fixed that as well! The icing thickens fast! I hope this helps for next time! xT
Could you leave out the expresso powder?I know you wont have the latte taste but my kids would not like that anyway. I LOVE your recipes!
Hi Chandra,
Yes, that would be just fine for you to do! Let me know how these cookies turn out, I hope you love them! xT
Can I use real espresso instead of powder? Not sure how it will affect the consistency!
Hey Rachel,
For this recipe, you are either going to want to use the espresso powder or the instant coffee powder:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Same question as the others 🙂 I need to know how much espresso powder!
Hi Quin,
The recipe calls for 2-4 tablespoons espresso powder or instant coffee powder. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
If you look on the web page, the espresso powder shows up as the third ingredient, 2-4 Tlb espresso powder or instant coffee. It’s not showing up in my print verison.
Hi Laura,
That’s because I forgot to add it to the ingredient list, if you reprint the recipe it will be there now:) xx
2-4 tablespoons espresso powder or instant coffee powder-literally the third item down in the list……
It was likely added AFTER they saw all the comments and realized it was an error.
Tieghan revised the recipe because people commented that it was missing in the ingredient list. I do wish people would see that a question has already been asked rather than ask the same question again.
These sound incredible and would love to make but I don’t see how much Espresso? is Is it Espresso powder?
Hi Jaci,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
how much espresso powder should be used? I don’t see it in the ingredient list. Thanks!
Hi Hannah,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
How much espresso?
Hi there,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
My daughter loves gingerbread latte! Got to make these for her – me too! 🍪 💖 xx
I hope you love the recipe Kelly-Jane!! xx
I don’t see espresso in the ingredient list but it does say to add espresso in the directions?????
Hi Carole,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
How much espresso? Not listed in ingredients.
Hi Leslie,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
How much espresso? I don’t see it listed in the ingredients but it is mentioned in the directions. Thank you!
Hi Lori,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I would love to try these soon. How much espresso powder is needed?
Hi Melanie,
So sorry for any confusion, you will want to use 2-4 tablespoons of espresso powder or instant coffee powder for this recipe. I hope you love these cookies! Let me know if you have any other questions! xT