Let’s get cozy with this homemade gingerbread latte! Featuring a rich, perfectly spiced gingerbread simple syrup, this holiday latte is full of festive flavors and just as tasty as anything you’d get at an overpriced coffee shop.

Why You Need to Make This Recipe
When the holidays hit, I give Starbucks entirely too much money and buy all the seasonal lattes as frequently as possible. I love them all — peppermint mocha, eggnog, crime brûlée, pumpkin spice — I just can’t stop. But in 2019, I noticed one of my favorite flavors was missing: the Starbucks gingerbread latte.
Starbucks retired this classic holiday latte. Was it a mistake? Absolutely. But I’ve found peace with it because this gingerbread latte recipe is just as delicious, we can make it from the comfort of our own kitchen, and we can enjoy it any time of year.

Ingredients
Here’s a list of ingredients we need to make this homemade gingerbread latte.
- Espresso: Espresso is the classic latte ingredient. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use instant espresso or brew a strong cup of coffee.
- Milk: Use your favorite type.
- Gingerbread simple syrup: While you can buy this in the store or online, I highly recommend my homemade gingerbread simple syrup instead. It’s so much more flavorful than any store-bought variety.
- Whipped cream: Technically, this is an optional ingredient, but it’s the holidays. I say we indulge and add a big dollop every time. We deserve it.
- Kitchen tools: An espresso machine is standard, but as we discussed, you can also use a coffee maker if need be. To froth the milk, we can use a fancy milk frother or keep it simple with a saucepan and a whisk.

Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s review how to make this Christmas latte on the stove without fancy equipment. If you have a milk frother and espresso machine, you can simply use the proportions listed in the recipe card with your equipment.
We begin by heating our milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. As the milk heats, we prepare our espresso or strong coffee and add it to a mug with the gingerbread syrup.


After a few minutes, the milk will start to slightly steam. As it gets warmer, more steam will rise off the liquid and small bubbles will form on the edge just as it starts to simmer. We turn off the heat and whisk like our arm might fall off until the mixture turns frothy.

Now we pour the steamed milk into our mug with the espresso and gingerbread simple syrup and give it a gentle stir. For a decadent finishing touch, we top with whipped cream and sip away. Bonus points if a fireplace is involved.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Love an iced latte? Allow the espresso to cool, add all the ingredients to a glass with a handful of ice and stir. Voila! For an iced gingerbread latte, there’s no need to froth the milk.
- For a boozy brunch, feel free to add a shot of Kahlua to your latte. Baileys Irish Cream is another delicious option.
- Keep the heat to medium and don’t let the milk boil. When milk boils, it can separate.
- With the espresso, milk, gingerbread latte syrup, foam and whipped cream, we need a mug that can hold a little under 2 cups of liquid, which is close to the Grande size from Starbucks. Latte mugs are a great choice.
Perfect Pairing
What’s better with a holiday latte than gingerbread waffles? Sounds pretty perfect to me. You’ll also love this festive latte with a sweet potato muffin or slice of maple-bourbon banana bread.
When you need a cozy, festive holiday coffee, I hope you try this homemade gingerbread latte recipe. Please let me know how you enjoyed Christmas latte in the comment section and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. You can also catch me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
Cheers!
Looking for More Holiday Recipes?
- Buddy the Elf’s Favorite Maple Eggnog
- Gingerbread pudding
- Spiced holiday chocolate chip cookies
- Soft gingerbread men cookies

Homemade Gingerbread Latte
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
Let’s get cozy with this homemade gingerbread latte! Featuring a rich, perfectly spiced gingerbread simple syrup, this holiday latte is full of festive flavors and just as tasty as anything you’d get at an overpriced coffee shop.
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1/2 cup espresso or strong coffee
2 tablespoons gingerbread simple syrup, store-bought or homemade
Whipped cream, optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. Do not boil.
- Meanwhile, pour the espresso and gingerbread simple syrup into a large mug.
- When the milk steams and bubbles start to form, turn off the heat. Whisk until frothy. Pour over the espresso and gingerbread simple syrup. Gently stir to combine. If desired, top with whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- For full tips, please see blog post.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 drink
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 126
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 10
Keywords: gingerbread latte
I hear you about all the seasonal latte’s, so thank you for sharing this delicious Gingerbread Latte. Honestly, making these at home is not hard and better than Starbucks.
★★★★★
You’re so welcome, Jere! It’s so convenient to whip up a festive latte whenever you want one. Happy holidays!
Made this yesterday for part of our Chritsmas dessert and it was delish. I used your homemade gingerbread simple syrup recipe too and it turned out great. Thanks
★★★★★
So glad you loved it, Clara! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
This is my favourite festive drink and I am going to try making it at home myself. YUM!
★★★★★
You will love it, Dannii! ❤️💚
Probably the most flavorful gingerbread latte ever! It really brings out the holidays.
★★★★★
Totally agree! The homemade gingerbread simple syrup just adds such a lovely flavor.
This is a delicious mix of coffee, milk and gingerbread. We made our own simple syrup and we’ll be making these every day until it runs out!
★★★★★
Sounds like a great way to enjoy the holiday season!