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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 turned out pretty well! I was excited to try something different. Came out soft and flavor was really nice. Hubby was impressed. I’ll be keeping them in my Christmas cookie rotation.
Hey there,
So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving the cookies a try! xx
These cookies came out really good 😊 I had trouble with the icing and almost tossed it, but I went back and read some reviews and added a dash of half and half and saved it.
Hey Mariann,
Happy Friday!!❄️🧑🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
could you make the cookies and freeze them?
I’m doing that exact test as we speak. I made a batch tonight and have put some in the freezer. My prediction is that they will freeze just fine but that it might be best to freeze them before they’re iced and then ice them when you saw them in a ready to serve them. I will try to remember to follow up and let you know how I make out
Hi Linda,
Yes, that will work well for you, I would just wait to add the icing:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
These are insanely good!! <3 I substituted vegan margarine for the butter to make them dairy free and they are perfect. Thank you Tieghan!!
Hey Shay,
Happy Friday!!❄️🧑🎄 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
These cookies are delicious! However, I did have some trouble with the icing. I had to make a second batch and I added milk this time. I don’t see how it ever would have drizzled without it. Otherwise, softest cookies I’ve ever baked and I will certainly be making more!
Hey Katherine,
Amazing!! ⛄️ I am so glad these cookies turned out well for you and that the milk helped in the icing. Thanks for trying the recipe! xT
Thinning the icing out with milk is missing from the instructions. I threw one batch of the frosting away, tried again and added half and half to try and salvage it, which worked. In the blog post, you mention thinning out with milk, but this is left off the actual recipe and seems to be a crucial step.
Hi Anna,
Thanks for sharing your feedback, I’ll add that to the directions! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!! xx
The cookies are delicious, and soft. However, not sure what happened to the icing; took it off the heat and incorporated the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Butter separated from mix, tried adding more powdered sugar and a little milk with no help. Any ideas?
Hi Jackie,
Happy Holidays!! Thanks so much for giving these cookies a try! Next time, I would not add more powdered sugar to the icing, just some more milk. Let me know if that helps! xx
These were just ok for me. They looked nothing like the picture, but then I realized that maybe the recipe is developed at high altitude and I’m a sea level- so less flour would definitely be a must. The frosting, like others have said, did not work at all—tasted good, so added more butter, powdered sugar and cream.
Hi Tracy,
So sorry to hear these cookies were not enjoyed, thanks for giving them a try! Please let me know if there is anything specific that I can help with! xT
Great recipe but disappointed in the icing. Nowhere in the ingredients list does it call for milk. I made it the first time and it looked like dough. Then we made it again; and same thing, started reading the description and it states to thin with milk. Again, did not take. So a little disappointed in that. Usually it’s handy to have everything I need in the recipe list and in the directions. However this advice was more so in her story aspect of the recipe and not in the description of how to make everything. Miss leading.
Hi Becca,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear the icing did not turn out for you. I’ll add the milk to the directions so there is no confusion. xx
Just made these and they are so good! I omitted the espresso because I didn’t have it on hand and they still came out perfect!
Hey Christine,
Perfect!! ⛄️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xx
Really loved this recipe!!! We used the full four tbsp coffee, and would make again like that! But I’m not sure what happened with the frosting…was a delicious flavor, but was instantly so thick there was never hope for a glazed drizzle…we smeared it on all the same, just wasn’t as pretty. Excited to make again and pass out to our neighbors this Christmas season!
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much for making these cookies! Sorry about the frosting, it is very thick, to thin it out just add some milk. I hope this helps! xx
My mother made a soft ginger cookie every year at Christmas that everyone loved! But, this recipe takes it up to another level!!! I made them as a drop cookie, they baked up perfect and are so outrageously good even before you put the icing on! This is my new favorite ginger cookie recipe! (And I have tried A LOT of ginger cookie recipes as it is my favorite!) Thank you for this Tieghan!
Hi Pamela,
Perfect!! ⛄️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xx
Can you elaborate how much 1.5 sticks is ? However many Cups or grams or measuring unit please .
1 1/2 sticks equals 12 tablespoons of butter
Hi Tracey,
1.5 sticks is equal to 3/4 cup. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi!
Would there be an option for freezing the cookie dough to make ahead? I’m new to baking and wasn’t sure.
Thanks so much! I’ve loved maling your recipes.
Hey there,
Yes, you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
These came out so incredibly good. The coffee flavor was very dominant when I ate them while still warm, but it mellowed out as they cooled. The spice flavor also became stronger as they cooled, and they’re even better the next day. The icing came out really thick – I would add a little milk or cream next time.
The recipe says 2-4 Tbl spoons of Espresso. How many did you use?
Hey Nicole,
Perfect!! ⛄️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xx