Gingerbread Cookie or Ginger Snap Cookie Latte? Tomato, Tomahto!
Beauties, I've done it again! Ginger Snap Cookie Latte, baby! Not to be mistaken for a gingerbread cookie latte! Yes, there's a taste difference, I swear! You guys already know that I love a good coffeehouse drink. But we're low-key in a recession (not sure if the rest of the country has caught wind yet, but I know my pockets have!) and daily runs to Dunkin' and Starbucks have turned into payday treats. Who doesn’t? Economic pressures aside...
I accidentally created a masterpiece in my kitchen. Oh, how I wish I could say I was in the lab, mixing and matching holiday flavors to come up with the ultimate holiday iced latte, but in reality, I was in a pinch and grabbed the first syrup my eyes landed on—then prayed it worked with the newest creamer I bought from Walmart. And you know what? It absolutely did! I spent a couple more attempts to perfect the flavor profile, and now I'm bringing it to you!
The warm spiciness in every sip of this latte feels like a guilty-pleasure indulgence delivered in the form of a hug from a sweeter gingerbread man in a cup! It’s rich, creamy, and packed with that signature sugared warm-spiced goodness that we all know and love from ginger snap cookies. It's not completely sugar-free, BUT it's only around 200 calories. So, a win is a win!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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It’s budget-friendly – We all like the idea of saving money. These simple ingredients are either already in your refrigerator, or when bought, you can use them over and over again.
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Lower in sugar and calories – While I use some sugar-free ingredients, it's not entirely sugar-free. However, it has about 1/3 the sugar content of a Dunkin' or Starbucks drink, so it scratches that itch, without giving you a sugar high.
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Tastes like a coffee shop latte – Any recipe that I bring to you is tested and perfected. I strive to make recipes that mirror coffeehouse quality, which means I test them a few times to make sure they're just that!
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Customizable – Make it hotter, colder, sweeter, stronger—your latte, your rules!
Ingredients Breakdown
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Brewed Coffee or Espresso – This is the base. I prefer a smooth and strong flavor, so I used cold-brewed coffee for this recipe!
- Gingerbread Syrup – The star of the show! Gives that spiced ginger flavor! You can go sugar-free, which will significantly reduce calories and sugar, but I found the gingerbread flavor to be a bit stronger with the regular cane sugar syrup. However, if this is the route you want to go, Jordan's Skinny Syrups has the best-tasting sugar-free options.
- Cookie Butter Creamer – A cookie butter creamer adds notes of spice and cookie flavor to the latte as well as some much-needed creaminess. Aim for one that is sugar-free, packed with flavor, but low in calories or sugar.
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Milk – I love lactose-free 2% milk because it's high in protein and low in sugar, but use what works for you! I typically go for either Fairlife or Aldi's Friendly Farms brand because I find the quality to be similar. However, any milk will work. I've also tried this recipe with just oat milk, and it was perfect!
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Half and half or Heavy Whipping Cream for Cold Foam – Cold foam is optional, but highly recommended for that frothy coffeehouse finish. Half and half tends to be a bit thinner, so if you want super thick cold foam, use heavy whipping cream, or be lazy and get the canned stuff. Almost everywhere sells it now!
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Ice – Because we’re keeping things cool and refreshing. Try batch-making coffee ice to substitute a few regular ice cubes to prevent watered-down coffee as your drink melts.
- Cinnamon – Optional, but I think no cup is complete without a pinch of this stuff. It truly elevates coffee's flavor, and it's anti-inflammatory.
How to Make a Ginger Snap Cookie Latte
- Brew and Blend
Brew your coffee or espresso, then pour it over your gingerbread flavored syrup and ground cinnamon. Using a mini electric hand whisk (or a spoon), mix until fully incorporated into the hot coffee. If you're using cold brew, like me, it's even easier!
I use a Vinci Express Cold Brew Coffee Maker to batch-make about 4 cups of cold brew on the extra bold setting, this takes about 25 minutes due it being on the strongest brew. If you don't have this machine (and have no plans of purchasing it), cold brew can also be achieved with a nut bag filled with your favorite coffee grounds in a container with a 1:8 water ratio. Pop in the fridge for 12-24 hours and once your brew is ready, store in the a mason jar for up to 10 days. I thrifted a cute purple wide mouth jar and purchased a matching handle sprout to give it that pitcher feel.
- Milk and Creamer
In a separate cup, mix together the milk and creamer. I used a two ounce coffee measuring cup that I picked up from Amazon for quality control and to help keep my measurements consistent.
- Chiller
Fill your coffee vessel of choice with ice (If you're always on the go like me, this 20oz platic cup with lids and straws set comes in handy) and pour your sweetened coffee over it. Then, add the milk and creamer mixture.
I also like to add a single cube of coffee ice that I make using NESCAFÉ CLÁSICO Instant Coffee and silicone tray mold for easy release. This extra ice cube of coffee just ensure that as your ice melts, your coffee doesn't become too watered down, because who wants that?!
- Top it off
Froth your half and half or creamer of choice with some of the gingerbread syrup until thick and foamy. Pour it over your latte and you're ready to drink!
- Optional Extra Razzle-Dazzle
Crush up a couple of ginger snap cookies and sprinkle them over the cold foam.
Now grab your straw, sip, and enjoy your low-cal, high-flavor treat. 🎉
FAQs
Q: Can I make this hot instead of iced?
A: Absolutely! Just skip the ice and cold foam and warm your milk before adding it to your coffee do it doesn't bring the temp down too much.
Q: How can I make this even lower in calories?
A:Use unsweetened almond milk (only about 30 calories per cup) and a
sugar-free creamer for the foam like Stevia Sweet Cream Creamer.
Q: What other syrups can I use to achieve this if I can't find Gingerbread?
A: Pumpkin Spice & Brown Sugar Cinnamon! These are typical coffee syrups that at home brewers have for the season, so you may already have these! Equal parts of these syrups with a dash of ground ginger and allspice gets you to a very close dupe for gingerbread syrup!
Final Thoughts
This latte is everything I want in a winter drink—rich, creamy, and indulgent. It’s super easy to make at home. If you try it, let me know in the comments how you liked it and What amendments did you make!
📖 Ginger Snap Cookie Latte 🍪☕️
Ingredients
- ½ cup 2% lactose-free milk
- ½ cup brewed coffee or double shot espresso
- 2 tbsp Zero Sugar Cookie Butter Creamer
- 1 tbsp Gingerbread Coffee Syrup
- A pinch of cinnamon
- Ice
- Optional: Ginger snap cookies for garnish
Cold Foam
- 2 tbsp half and half
- ½ tbsp gingerbread syrup
Instructions
- If you're not using cold brew, brew your coffee or espresso shows over your syrup and ground cinnamon. Stir to ensure that the everything is fully incorporated into the hot coffee.
- Fill a glass with ice and pour your coffee over it.
- Pour your milk of choice and creamer over your iced coffee!
- For your cold foam, add the creamer and gingerbread syrup (and a splash of Fairlife, if it's too thick for your liking), then using your mixer, froth until it’s thick and foamy. Pour it over your latte and you're just about done!
- Optional: Crush up two ginger snap cookies and garnish the top of the cold foam.
Notes
- Use any milk alternative you prefer. You can also go heavier than just ½ cup of milk if you're using a Stanley. My iced lattes are typically 12-16oz, so this recipe reflects that.
- Adjust sweetness to taste – syrup serving sizes are typically 30g or 1 tbsp. With creamer, I like to only add 1 tbsp then use another 1/4 tbsp for the cold foam. It helps control your sugar intake when you're not using a sugar free coffee syrup like this recipe.
- Cold brew, whether store-bought or homemade, works great in this recipe. Honestly, any kind of coffee works, but if you go the instant route, stick to instant espressos like Nescafe or Cafe Bustelo for a true coffee/espresso flavor.
- If you don't have access to the Coffee-mate Zero Sugar Cookie Butter Creamer that I used in this recipe, try using LorAnn's Cookie Butter Emulsion or head over to either Whole Foods or Target and pick up nutpods Cookie Butter Creamer. If using using the emulsion, measure out 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon (a little goes a long way, so start small) mix it in with your milk then add heavy cream or half and half (dairy or non dairy) to make up for the creaminess that milk tends to lack when added to coffee.
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