Mother's Little Holiday Helper

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

Normally, I’m not a regular at the ubiquitous coffee chain you can find in every corner of America; I only go if someone else asks me to meet up there. I like to make my coffee at home first thing in the morning, before really getting started with my day. Even now that I am expecting, I still drink a cup of decaf in the morning, just for the ritual of a morning wake up drink.

But there is one time of year I find myself making a coffee run a bit more often – the holiday season. Actually make that a Gingersnap Latte run! And the ubiquitous coffee chain is where I got hooked on them. Come the beginning of November, it’s just like every other store; it’s out with all things pumpkin (in this case the Pumpkin Spice Latte) and in with the holiday beverages, such as the aforementioned Gingersnap Latte, Peppermint Mocha, and Caramel Brulée Latte.

And how does all this holiday coffee talk relate to kiddie cooking, you may ask? Well, if a little holiday treat makes mom or dad’s day a bit brighter, then you’ll be a happier and better caregiver to your children. These festive flavored lattes are a cup of winter salvation that can get you through this busy season with a bit more cheer.

But lately I have been rethinking whether I need to spend almost five bucks on something I could probably make at home (especially since my son will soon start asking for a matching five dollar cup of hot cocoa!). After all, these drinks are simply espresso coffee mixed with steamed milk, flavored with syrup, and topped with goodies such as whipped cream, nutmeg, caramel bits, and chocolate shavings.

So I turned to CDKitchen’s copycat recipe section for advice on how to make the Gingersnap Latte at home. While I found a recipe for a delicious sounding Caramel Apple Cider, another cold weather beverage which you can also share with the kiddos, I didn’t see any for specially flavored lattes. So I set about trying to recreate a recipe for the drink on my own.

Most flavored lattes are made by adding syrup to a cup of brewed espresso. You can make a ginger flavored syrup at home by combining sugar, water, ground ginger, cinnamon and vanilla. Then brew the espresso, either in an espresso machine, or a French press. Then you will need steamed milk, which you can make with the steamer attachment of the machine, or heat in the microwave. I don’t have an espresso machine at home but I do have a gadget that froths warm milk. Finally combine all three and top with your desired choice of garnish - whipped cream, nutmeg, and candied ginger.

And don’t leave the kids out when you are concocting these coffee shop delights at home. For them, instead of a coffee based latte, you can make a holiday flavored Cream, just as the major coffee chain does. If you want to avoid the caffeine, simply omit the espresso and increase the proportion of steamed milk. It’s a warming cup of cheer that will supply them with a big dose of calcium too. Or try making a chocolatey treat by substituting hot cocoa for the espresso and combining with the steamed milk and flavored syrup such as ginger or peppermint.

Now we all know that these innocent looking drinks are probably as bad for us as a slice of gingerbread cake or dish of crème brulee. So you may want to skip dessert that night and enjoy these holiday treats instead!

Serves/Makes: 1

***Ginger Syrup***

• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

***Latte***

• 1/2 cup fresh espresso
• 8 ounces milk, steamed (with a little foam)

***Garnish***

• whipped cream
• ground nutmeg
• candied ginger