Description
These gingerbread latte cookies combine the chewy texture of classic oatmeal cookies with the festive flavors of gingerbread and espresso. Soft centers are dipped in espresso-enhanced white chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of warming spices, creating a creamy gingerbread latte experience in cookie form.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups (170g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 and 2/3 cups (210g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml/75g) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; recommended Grandma’s brand)
Topping
- 8 ounces (226g) white chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or coconut oil (optional; helps to thin the chocolate)
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- Pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Pulse the Oats: Pulse the oats in a food processor 10–12 times until a mix of chopped oats and oat flour forms. This varied texture ensures great chewiness and structure in the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the pulsed oats, all-purpose flour, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside while preparing wet ingredients.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Egg and Molasses: Beat in the egg and molasses on high speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides as needed for even mixing.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be very thick and sticky.
- Chill the Dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30–45 minutes, or up to 3 days. For longer chilling, allow dough to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping to ease handling.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Scoop and Bake: Using about 1.5 tablespoons (35g) of dough per cookie, place scoops 3 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake 12–13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned; centers will remain soft.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare Topping: Melt chopped white chocolate with oil and espresso powder in a double boiler or microwave (20-second increments stirring between until smooth).
- Dip Cookies: Dip each fully cooled cookie halfway into the melted white chocolate. Place on lined baking sheet or cooling rack.
- Sprinkle Spices: Mix cinnamon and nutmeg together and lightly sprinkle on the white chocolate-coated portion of each cookie.
- Set Topping: Refrigerate the dipped cookies for about 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
- Store: Keep cookies covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can prepare the dough up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it; bring to room temperature before baking for easier scooping.
- Baked cookies with or without toppings freeze well up to 3 months; unbaked dough balls also freeze well and can be baked from frozen with an extra minute of baking time.
- If you don’t have a food processor, a blender or rough chopping the oats works for pulsing; avoid substituting pure oat flour for pulsed oats.
- Espresso powder is preferred for concentrated coffee flavor; instant coffee can substitute in larger amounts but ground coffee is not recommended.
- If you prefer no coffee flavor, try the iced gingerbread oatmeal cookies recipe instead for a more complex spice profile.
- Use high-quality white chocolate bars (like Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Baker’s) for melting instead of white chocolate chips or candy melts for best flavor and texture.
- Alternatively, you can drizzle cookies with a gingerbread or mocha icing as a topping instead of the white chocolate.
