If you love the cozy flavor of a gingerbread latte but want a cookie that actually holds its shape, these iced gingerbread latte cookies are for you. They’re crisp around the edges, tender in the center, and nicely spiced. Each one is finished with a coffee glaze that sets completely, making them easy to stack in cookie boxes.
This recipe is designed specifically for cookie cutters: no excessive spreading, no puffing, and no distorted shapes. Think classic gingerbread meets your favorite holiday coffee order.
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Latte Cookies
- Cut-out friendly: The dough rolls easily and keeps sharp edges.
- True gingerbread flavor: Warm spices + molasses without being overpowering.
- Latte-inspired glaze: Coffee-forward, lightly sweet, and smooth.
- Great for decorating: Perfect base for glazing, drizzling, or adding sprinkles.
- Ideal for the holidays: These make excellent Christmas cookies or edible gifts.
Ingredients for Gingerbread Latte Cookies
Here’s what to add to your grocery list:
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- ground spices: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove
- unsalted butter – you need a stick and a half
- dark brown sugar and powdered sugar
- molasses – this provides a deep, rich color and chewy texture. A little goes a long way. Blackstrap molasses is much more bitter, so look for unsulfured molasses.
- 1 egg
- espresso – I used one of my Nespresso pods. You could likely even use just freshly brewed coffee, but espresso will provide a stronger taste.
For equipment, I used the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch sheet pans and cookie wire rack.
Tips for Perfect Cut-Out Gingerbread Cookies
- Chill the dough twice – once before rolling and once after cutting
- Roll evenly to ensure consistent baking
- If dough becomes too soft while working, refrigerate it again for 10 minutes
Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies FAQs
Can I make these without espresso?
Yes. You can omit it and substitute it with milk (almond or dairy milk). The cookies will still have classic gingerbread flavor.
Do these cookies spread?
Minimal spreading. This recipe is developed with the goal for clean cuts!
Can I decorate these cookies?
Absolutely. These cookies are sturdy enough for royal icing, glaze designs, or simple powdered sugar dusting.
How to Make Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies
Let’s make them together!
Step 1
Make the dough. In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth and cohesive (don’t try to make it too whipped and fluffy – air causes spread). Then beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until fully combined.
Step 2
Then add in the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. With a spatula, mix until the batter is completely combined. The dough should be soft and not sticky. If it is, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s not. You can also knead the dough with your hands.
Step 3
Form the dough into an oval disc and wrap it in plastic. Place it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
Step 4
Roll and cut. Lightly flour the surface of your counter. Unwrap the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is ¼ inch thick. Using your cookie cutter, cut the shapes out and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets. Then mush together the remaining dough and roll it out again to cut more cookies. Continue until you run out.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place the baking sheets into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes. Bake the cookies in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. They should look matte but not darkened. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Step 6
Make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, espresso and water. The consistency should be like maple syrup. Add more espresso or water if needed to achieve that viscosity.
Step 7
Using a pastry brush, gently brush each cookie with a layer of the icing. Add sprinkles if you wish. Place the cookies on cooling racks and let them sit until completely set and dry, about 15-20 minutes. Then enjoy!
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Make ahead: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 2 months
- Storage: Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
- Freezing: Unglazed baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months
More recipes to try
If you liked these Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies, check out these other recipes:
Marble Cookies
Brown Butter Bourbon Snickerdoodles
Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Red Velvet Caramel Crinkle Cookies
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Guide
If you try these cookies, I’d love to hear how you decorated them. Enjoy!
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Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies
Equipment
- 1-2 large metal baking sheets
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- Whisk
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
- wire cooling racks optional
- cookie cutter of your choice
- pastry brush
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cups dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground clove
For the Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp freshly brewed espresso or coffee
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp water or more, for thinning
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Make the dough. In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth and cohesive (don't try to make it fluffy – air causes spread).¾ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cups dark brown sugar
- Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until fully combined.1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp molasses
- Then add in the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. With a spatula, mix until the batter is completely combined. The dough should be soft and not sticky. If it is, add flour, 1 tbsp at a time until it's not.2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ground clove
- Form the dough into an oval disc and wrap it in plastic. Place it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- Roll and cut. Lightly flour the surface of your counter. Unwrap the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is ¼ inch thick.
- Using your cookie cutter, cut the shapes out and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets. Then mush together the remaining dough and roll it out again to cut more cookies. Continue until you run out.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place the baking sheets into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
- Bake the cookies in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. They should look matte but not darkened. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, espresso and water. The consistency should be like maple syrup. Add more espresso or water if needed to achieve that viscosity.1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tbsp freshly brewed espresso, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp water
- Using a pastry brush, gently brush each cookie with a layer of the icing. Add sprinkles if you wish. Place the cookies on cooling racks and let them sit until completely set and dry, about 15-20 minutes. Then enjoy!sprinkles
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