Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies

These soft and chewy Gingerbread Latte Cookies are so full of flavor with warming spices and an irresistible brown butter espresso glaze. The combination of coffee and gingerbread is a perfect pairing, being both cozy and festive. I can't imagine a better way to start my day on a cold winter morning during the holidays. Sometimes I roll them in sugar and sometimes I don't because I love them both ways. These will make a beautiful addition to a holiday cookie platter. They store well and stay soft and chewy for several days which makes this a great recipe for gifting. If you like soft and chewy cookies, check out my Best Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies, my most popular Chewy Pumpkin Cookies and my Brown Butter Snickerdoodles.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Super chewy molasses cookies - these cookies are so wonderfully chewy with a crunchy sugar crust. Even if you leave off the sugar coating, they are delicious - I like them both ways.
• Soft gingerbread cookies - if you love gingerbread, but don't care for the cut-out cookie version, then you will love the soft texture of these ones.
• Rich espresso brown butter glaze - this is the "latte" aspect of the cookies as it brings the creamy element, and it is SO good! I could just eat this icing on its own.
• Coffee spice cookies - if you love gingerbread lattes from Starbucks, then you will certainly love this recipe. The combination of coffee and gingerbread spice is intoxicating!
• Soft for days - one of the best things about molasses-based cookies is that they stay soft for a long time and store very well thanks to the molasses in the cookie dough. They don't stale quickly.
• Sugar coating - you can roll these cookies are in sugar for a sweet crunchy coating.

INGREDIENTS FOR GINGERBREAD LATTE COOKIES

• Unsalted butter - for this recipe you can use unsalted or salted butter. If you use salted butter, then reduce the added salt by half.
• Brown sugar - this recipe uses all brown sugar to really bump up the molasses taste. You can use light or dark brown sugar here. The difference is that there's twice as much molasses in dark brown sugar and it won't affect the texture too much in this case since we're also adding molasses.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is optional in this recipe since there's so much flavor from the spices and molasses. If you choose to use up to 1 teaspoon, I recommend this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Molasses - this is important! Use fancy molasses which is light molasses. Do not use blackstrap molasses because it is several times more concentrated (less refined) and will change the color, texture and taste of the cookies. Molasses is what gives these cookies the wonderful chewy texture and quintessential gingerbread flavor. If you prefer a richer taste and darker color, you can use cooking molasses which is also called dark or robust molasses.

• All purpose flour - AP flour is ideal for chewy cookies. I always use unbleached flour.
• Espresso powder - this is where the "latte" flavor comes in. Espresso powder is a great ingredient to add concentrated coffee taste without adding moisture which would change the consistency of the dough and texture of the cookies.
• Spice - classic gingerbread spices include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. Some recipes also use allspice.
• Brown butter - this is the base of the icing, and let me tell you it is irresistible! Brown butter adds richness, body and roasted flavors that complement the coffee. It also adds creaminess which plays up the "latte" theme.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Cream butter and sugar. Combine butter, brown sugar and molasses in a large bowl and mix for 2-3 minutes using an electric hand mixer on medium speed until smooth, pale and fluffy. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or cream by hand with a wide rubber spatula.
• STEP 2). Mix in egg and espresso. Add egg, espresso powder and vanilla and mix until well incorporated and the mixture is pale and creamy.
• STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 4). Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold it in until evenly combined.
• STEP 5). Chill. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• STEP 6). Bake. Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls and then roll them evenly in granulated sugar to coat. Place them onto your prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and cracked at the surface, but still soft in the middle. If you make smaller cookies, bake for just 8-10 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack and let cool for 2 minutes before transferring cookies individually to the rack to finish cooling.
• STEP 7). Make the icing. Brown the butter in a small saucepan. You can find all of the details here about how to brown butter. Add the powdered sugar, milk, espresso powder and cinnamon to the brown butter and whisk until smooth. It will be thick if the brown butter cools down a lot. Place it in the microwave for 10 seconds to melt the butter and loosen it, but try resisting adding more icing sugar or it will become very thick when cooled and when you try to add more milk to thin it out, it will throw off the butter/liquid balance and it may look lumpy.
• STEP 8). Drizzle. Immediately drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and set them aside for at least 30 minutes to set before storing.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will make them dry and the dough will not spread the right way, while not enough flour means that they will spread too much.
• Add espresso powder with egg. Espresso powder dissolves in water, not fat, so you will get the most flavor out of it if you add it directly over the egg so it has a chance to dissolve a bit before blending with the butter and sugar.
• Let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to control how much the cookies spread and you will get a nice chewy texture.
• Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to portion these cookies for even baking and roll the dough portions into smooth balls for a uniform shape.
• Use the correct type of molasses. Look for "fancy molasses" which is the lightest type of molasses. It is sweeter and runnier than cooking molasses or blackstrap molasses. Cooking (also called "robust") molasses will make darker cookies and will still work (although the flavor will be stronger), however blackstrap molasses is too dark, bitter and thick for the proportions specified in this recipe.

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Video

Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

These soft and chewy Gingerbread Latte Cookies are so full of flavor with warming spices and an irresistible brown butter espresso glaze. The combination of coffee and gingerbread is a perfect pairing giving both cozy and festive vibes. Make these for your holiday cookie platter and you won't have any leftovers.

5 from 11 votes

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Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

  

Gingerbread Cookie Dough:

• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup (145g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon (30ml) fancy molasses
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (3g) espresso powder or instant coffee powder
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup (215g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling

Brown Butter Icing

• 2 tablespoon (28g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
• ½ cup (60g) powdered confectioner's sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) whole milk
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Combine butter, brown sugar and molasses in a large bowl and mix for 2-3 minutes using an electric hand mixer on medium speed until smooth, pale and fluffy. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or cream by hand with a wide rubber spatula.
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add egg, espresso powder and vanilla and mix until well incorporated and the mixture is pale and creamy.
• Combine flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold it in until evenly combined.
• Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls and then roll them evenly in granulated sugar to coat. Place them onto your prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and cracked at the surface, but still soft in the middle. If you make smaller cookies, bake for just 8-10 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack and let cool for 2 minutes before transferring cookies individually to the rack to finish cooling.
• Make the icing. Brown the butter in a small saucepan. You can find all of the details here about how to brown butter. Essentially you will melt it in a saucepan and then continue to cook as it boils and bubbles until the water evaporates and it turns golden amber colored with brown flecks. Transfer the brown butter to a medium bowl and let it cool so it is almost at room temperature - it should be cool but still liquid.
• Add the powdered sugar, milk, espresso powder and cinnamon to the brown butter and whisk until smooth. It will be thick if the brown butter cools down a lot. Place it in the microwave for 10 seconds to melt the butter and loosen it, but try resisting adding more icing sugar or it will become very thick when cooled and when you try to add more milk to thin it out, it will throw off the butter/liquid balance and it may look lumpy.
• Immediately drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and set them aside for at least 30 minutes to set before storing.