Description
These Gingerbread Latte Cookies combine the warm spices of gingerbread with a rich espresso twist, delivering soft, crackly-topped treats perfect for the holiday season or any cozy day. Coated in sugar and optionally drizzled with a vanilla icing, these cookies are both festive and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 100 g brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 100 g cooking molasses
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Coating and Icing
- 30 g granulated sugar (for rolling)
- 40 g powdered sugar (for icing)
- 1 teaspoon milk (dairy or non-dairy, for icing)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for baking the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, espresso powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to beat the softened butter until it is very creamy and pale in color. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, continuing to mix until the mixture is fluffy and well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugars. Beat the mixture until all ingredients are fully blended.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together, avoiding overmixing to maintain tender cookies.
- Scoop Dough: Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scooper to portion the dough onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper.
- Chill Dough Balls: Place the entire board of cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to let the surface dry slightly, which helps when rolling the dough without sticking.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each chilled cookie dough ball between your hands to form a smooth ball. Then, roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat thoroughly. Arrange the sugared dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-11 minutes, or until they appear puffy but remain very soft. Immediately after removing from the oven, firmly bang the baking sheet once against a wire rack to knock out some puffiness and encourage cracks on the cookie surface.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for approximately 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Icing (Optional): In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the icing is thick yet pourable.
- Drizzle Icing: Using a piping bag or spoon, drizzle the prepared icing over the cooled cookies for an added touch of sweetness and visual appeal.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature ingredients to ensure even mixing.
- Chilling the dough balls helps maintain their shape and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Banging the baking sheet after baking creates the signature crackled top typical of gingerbread cookies.
- Espresso powder enriches the flavor but can be omitted if preferred, substituting with an equal amount of flour.
- The icing is optional but adds a lovely decorative and sweet finish.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gingerbread cookies, latte cookies, espresso cookies, holiday cookies, spiced cookies, baking, Christmas cookies, gingerbread latte
