Simple 5-minute Vegan Gingerbread Lattes – Christmas In A Cup

One of the best things about the holiday season is the abundance of festive drinks! These vegan gingerbread lattes are your new holiday staple!

Many aren’t vegan or are more expensive when you order the vegan option. Personally I find most flavoured seasonal coffees too sweet, and taste more like sugar and syrup that what they’re supposed to taste like (I’m looking at you Pumpkin Spice Latte!). The exception being Starbuck’s Gingerbread Lattes, which are too ginger-y for me. That doesn’t stop me from trying all the seasonal drinks!

I’ve been DIY-ing gingerbread lattes for a few years now. They have real ginger, but it’s subtle enough not to be overpowering. I also use other festive spices like cinnamon and nutmeg! These can be made in less than 5-minutes and taste amazing.

Ginger is one of the best spices to be consuming over winter because it helps alleviate nausea and flu symptoms. Not everyone likes the idea of ginger tea, but I think most of us can get behind a festive latte!

What you need to make a vegan gingerbread latte

Ingredients:

• Non-dairy milk of choice – but I recommend Oatly for lattes – around 150ml as the milk expands when frothed.
• 3/4 tsp of ground ginger
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
• 1.5 tsp of maple syrup
• 1 espresso shot/equilivant of coffee

You can adjust the ratios depending on your own taste, but this is how I like it. It’s better to add too little at the start and add more than to put in too much, to begin with!

Equipment:

• French press and/or coffee frother
• Mini French press

Method

There are a few different ways to make this depending on what equipment you have.

I don’t have an espresso machine, nor do most people I know so this is quite an accessible recipe. Which is why I’m suggesting using a french press, but not filling it the whole way up.

It’s the pressure and water that help make the espresso. So for one latte, I ground the amount of coffee needed to the equilivant of an espresso shot, which is 6-8 grams so around a teaspoon and a half of coffee – or more if you want it stronger. I put in about 30ml of hot water. This works best in a mini French press because it’s thin enough for the water and grounds to be at a level where the plunger to be able to put pressure on the mix. I learned this from Binging with Babish and my regular coffee in the big French press is even better as a result. Before pushing the plunger the whole way down, push it slightly onto the surface of the liquid first and leave it sit before pushing the plunger the whole way down.

The quick way in the microwave

If I’m rushing I add the spices and maple syrup to a mug, half fill it with oat milk and put in the microwave. Even non-dairy milk overflows when left in the microwave so you need to do this in short intervals of 30-seconds, stop, stir, and repeat until the milk is at your desired temperature. It usually takes me about 3 30-second rounds on an 850watt microwave. I then froth the milk with a milk frother until a nice layer of foam forms on the top.

Then using a spoon, break the surface of the foam and pour the espresso mix in from the back of the spoon. This leaves the layer of froth on the top in-tact so your latte looks more professional. Alternatively, you can just pour it in and stir if you don’t care if it looks pretty.

Or you can heat the milk on the stove

You can heat the milk, spices, and maple syrup on the stove until boiling if you have the time. This is also an easier method if you’re making more than one latte.

If you don’t have a milk frother

If you made your espresso in a big french press, pour it into your mugs. Add your warm milk to the french press and push the pump up and down until it expands and froths. Pour over your espresso and enjoy. If you want some nice latte froth, then push the foam aside with a spoon while you pour in the milk and then scoop it over the top of your drink.

Only do this if you have a good quality French press because cheaper models will break. I’d also avoid doing this too often.

There we have it, delicious easy vegan gingerbread lattes.

Nutritional Breakdown

It’s Christmas so treat yourself, however, if you want the nutritional breakdown, here it is:

	PER 100ml	PER150ml mug
Energy	280.46kj / 67cal	420.69kj/ 100.5cal
Fat	1.5g	2.25g
Saturates	0.2g	0.3g
Carbohydrate	10.2g	12.24g
Sugars	6.5g	9.75g
Fibre	2.2g	3.3g
Protein	1.1g	1.65g
Salt	0.10g	0.15g

Let me know if you make these vegan gingerbread lattes? What’s your favourite seasonal drink?

If you like this then you might also like my vegan pumpkin spice latte.