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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
What a fun cookie to bake that’s a bit different than a typical holiday cookie flavor! I thought the dough tasted a little coffee-heavy when sampling, but when it’s added with the sugar coating AND the brown butter icing…wow. It all comes together for a great balance of flavors! Well done, Tieghan! This will definitely be on my holiday recipe list.
Hey Angela,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
I love soft gingerbread. I’m wondering if this recipe would turn out as well without the espresso powder.
I’m about to try it without espresso powder. Wish me luck! I’ve been looking all over for a chewy gingerbread recipe.
I hope you love the recipe Jackie!!
Hi Diana,
Yes, you can go ahead and skip the espresso:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
My loves thise cookies! Thanks a lot for recipe! So soft and tasty! ❤️❤️❤️
Hey Zhanna,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
Do you have to use the molasses listed or can I just use regular molasses?
I used half of regular and a half of mild flavors honey)
Hey Linda,
If you can use the blackstrap molasses I would highly recommend doing so. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hello
Can you freeze dough and bake another time?
😊
Hey Georgina,
Totally, that would be just fine for you to do! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
These cookies are incredible! I could eat the whole batch in one sitting. My icing also clumped up after I added the sugar, even though I let the butter cool for a few minutes. I thankfully read some other comments suggesting to add a dash of milk to thin it out and it worked perfectly. The icing is a delicious sea salt caramel treat on top of an already delicious cookie. Will definitely make this one again!
Hey Kirsten,
Perfect! Thanks so much for giving these cookies a try and sharing your feedback! So glad everything turned out well for you! xx
These are so good! Definitely don’t give up on the frosting – the browned butter is the perfect flavor compliment. I let butter cool a bit first and whisked sugar in vigorously plus added a bit of half and half to help it blend. Absolutely delicious.
Hey Catherine,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
I made these gingerbread cookies and they are delicious, just wish you would have mentioned adding some milk to the icing in the recipe, cause I just printed the recipe and didn’t read your explanation till after and my icing was too thick.
Hey Susan,
Thanks for giving these cookies a try, so glad to hear they were enjoyed! Sorry about the icing, I will add the milk to the icing! xx
Delicious cookies!!
I can never get my cookies to come out as flat as the cookies in your photos. Any tips for me? Thank you!
Hi Teresa,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! Well for these, I would say they needed to be rolled out thinner. xT
The icing makes the cookies! So good!
Hey Andrea,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday!🎄
Can you freeze these with the icing on them?
I usually love all of HBH recipes, but this recipe isn’t quite right yet. I followed the recipe very, very closely and the cookies are taller than the photos and taste too chalky. Too much flour? Needs baking powder? Not quite sure. The icing also seizes up into a solid and definitely needs milk or water to make it a liquid again. I think a bit of tweaking to this recipe is needed.
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Is it possible your cookies just need to be rolled out thinner? Yes, the frosting gets thicker fast so adding milk definitely helps! xx
Hi Maria,
I would probably freeze without the icing:) Let me know if you give these cookies a try, I hope you love them! xx
I think this has become my new favorite cookie recipe!! The flavor of the espresso powder is simply astounding! Yum yum yum!!
Hey Rachel,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday!🎄
Cookies are great but the icing didn’t work. Clumped then separated.
Same here. Cookies are great. I tried icing twice and both times separated. Second time tried heavy cream instead of milk to thin. Both times separated. Help!
Hi Sherri,
Happy Sunday! Thanks for making these cookies, so sorry to hear about the icing! Was there anything you adjusted? Let me know how I can help! xx
The cookies themselves turned out beautifully and taste like a gingerbread latte. The frosting did not turn out – I missed the part about adding milk to be able to drizzle it. I ended up spreading it on top, and it didn’t look pretty. I’ll try these again and make sure to cool butter after browning, and add milk.
Hey Kim,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! So sorry about the icing! Happy Sunday!🎄
I just completed frosting and tasting these delicious cookies!! Oh my they are the best !! My frosting skills aren’t pretty but the flavor is to die for ! As far as the frosting being clumpy , just keep stirring as the pot stays warm and then the frosting stays liquidy . I didn’t see milk as an addition . Will make again . My attempt to add a photo https://share.icloud.com/photos/04e5LmSVk7upzPrHGH7jatVLQ
Hey Renee,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, I love to hear that it was tasty! Have a great weekend:)