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Recipes

How to Make a Gingerbread Latte, According to a Starbucks Barista

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at FAU chapter.

Thanksgiving is officially over, which means we can finally stop feeling pseudo-guilty about guzzling down Caramel Brulee, Gingerbread, and Chestnut Praline lattes at every given opportunity. These little cups of Christmas can get a little pricey, especially if you’re customizing your holiday orders. Try your hand at this gingerbread latte recipe if you want to save some cash without compromising taste. 

Gingerbread Latte

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 15 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Morgan Nielsen

    Combine sugar, water, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, then remove from heat and let cool.

  2. Pour two tablespoons of this gingerbread syrup into the bottom of a cup or glass.

  3. Morgan Nielsen

    Add two shots of espresso on top of the syrup. I use the Verismo system by Starbucks because it’s priced similarly to a Keurig (but it can be even less if it’s on sale, which is often is) but can also make some solid espresso.

    If you don’t have an espresso machine, use 4-6 ounces (depending on how strong you want it) of strongly brewed regular coffee.

  4. Morgan Nielsen

    Add the milk of your choice on top of the espresso or coffee.

  5. Morgan Nielsen

    Top with whipped cream and ground nutmeg, and enjoy!

Even though we haven’t quite cracked the Caramel Brulee or Chestnut Praline recipes, Gingerbread is a pretty classic flavor that can be easy to imitate.

Next time you’re craving a cup of holiday cheer but not quite craving waiting in line to pay an arm and a leg for your holiday fix, whip up a batch of gingerbread syrup that will keep you festive all month long. 

Morgan is a recent graduate at Florida Atlantic University, with a degree in Biological Sciences. As a barista/shift supervisor and certified “Coffee Master” at Starbucks Coffee Company, she’s definitely got the inside scoop on all things caffeine. When she’s not busy impulse buying sushi mats and fondue sets on Amazon, you can usually find her testing out a new recipe in the kitchen (and crossing her fingers that the smoke alarm doesn’t go off). She makes a point to try to make dinner every single night, and rarely makes the same thing twice. Her dream kitchen includes an ice cream machine and an island with a built-in hibachi stove. Even though her degree is in biology, Spoon has helped her discover her passion for writing and editing, and hopes to land a job that allows her to use the social media and writing/editing skills that Spoon has taught her.