Celebrate National Coffee Day with a Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

When Hilary from So Delicious reminded me National Coffee Day was coming up I started thinking of my favorite fall weather treats. I never tried to recreate a gingerbread latte before, so I thought that was a good place to start.

Just so you know, Hilary did send me some of their creamers to test out, as well as a great mug and a pound of Peets French Roast coffee! Even though I got those goodies for free, I was not paid for my opinion. I actually use So Delicious products on an almost daily basis already, so I already have a crush on them even without the cool swag.

I developed my love of coffee when I lived in New Orleans. That’s the first place I had cold brewed iced coffee and I was hooked after that. Cold brewed coffee is less acidic and much easier on your stomach. Plus, once you make the concentrate it can stay in the fridge all week. It’s perfect for a quick iced coffee and easy to heat up for a hot coffee too.

You can buy a special contraption called a Toddy Maker, or you can just make it in a French Press you already have. The ratio of coffee grounds to water varies. Since it’s a concentrate you use more or less depending on the strength. That way it’s always perfect. I have a link in the recipe that takes you to more detailed coffee-making instructions.

If you don’t want to fool with this new-fangled coffee method, then go ahead and use regular brewed coffee.

I typically use the plain creamer in a heavily spiced beverage like this one, but the So Delicious French Vanilla would work well also. You would need to use less sweetener or you might be able to leave it out completely.

In the next week I’ll be experimenting with the Hazelnut and French Vanilla flavors, so be on the look out for some more coffee recipes!

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

*This recipe requires a small 1 – 1.5 quart slow cooker.* (You can double or triple the recipe and use a larger one if you like.)

Makes 2 servings (unless you drink a venti and then it’s just one serving)
soy-free, gluten-free

  • 1/4 cup (63ml) cold brewed coffee concentrate or 1 cup (250ml) regular brewed coffee
  • 1/4 cup (63ml) So Delicious Coconut creamer original flavor
  • 2 cup (500ml) Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
    (can use vanilla or plain just adjust sweetener)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch ground clove
  • pinch ground allspice
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon molasses (optional)
  • Sweetener to taste: brown sugar, stevia, agave nectar, or maple syrup, etc.
    (I used 1/2 packet Nu-Stevia) 

Put everything but sweetener in the slow cooker. Add molasses. Whisk until ingredients are well combined. Taste and add your choice of sweetener until it’s the way you like your latte.

Cook for 3 hours on low or 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours on high. You are just heating it, so you could also do this on the stove top if you are in a hurry.

I like to put drinks on in a slow cooker before a dinner party and then it’s piping hot and ready to serve with dessert.

Slow Cooker Wedding Cake Oatmeal – My Favorite Snowball Flavor

I lived in New Orleans for 12 years. One of the things I looked forward to was the snowball stands re-opening when the weather got warm. They had dozens of flavors and even more combos. My favorite was the wedding cake flavor which is a mostly vanilla almond flavor. Every good snowball stand makes their own syrups so the snowballs taste slightly different depending on where you go.

This oatmeal has a vanilla almond base with a hint of coconut from the extract if you use it. It’s creamy and rich, a perfect way to welcome Spring.

Slow Cooker Wedding Cake Oatmeal

2 to 3 servings

**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker that’s 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

  • 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill steel-cut oats (they have a gluten-free one as well)
  • 2 cups Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons sweetener

for topping:

  • 1/4 cup Vanilla So Delicious Coconut Yogurt + paste from 1/2 vanilla bean

The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add everything except sweetener and toppings. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).

In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should become a more uniform consistency.  Stir in sweetener.

Top each serving with the vanilla creme topping. It will add sweetness and extra vanilla flavor.

**(See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS)