Most of my holiday memories revolve around gingerbread in one way or another. My go-to gingerbread cookie recipe comes from my grandma, Bettie. Her cookies are satisfyingly spicy, and soft and chewy, just the way I like them. Granted, the recipe was incredibly cryptic when I first received a copy from my aunt. I’m talking about no time or temperature mentioned and vast variances in flour quantity from one version to the next. But I will never stray from her tried-and-true techniques. There’s more than just spice in those cookies: there’s love and tradition and family mixed into the dough as well.
This holiday season I’m thinking outside the cookie, first with gingerbread cookie dough truffles, and now with a festive twist on a soda fountain classic: the root beer float. Extending that love of gingerbread to the beverage category, I’ve replaced the root beer with vanilla cream soda and added a spiced molasses syrup that makes this drink taste like liquid gingerbread.
Imagine: a tall, frosty glass, overflowing with bubbly cream soda and spicy undertones of ginger, cinnamon and allspice. It’s a true crowd pleaser. Whether you’re a blender or a spooner, a straw sipper or a chugger, this float is sure to satisfy everyone. Not to mention that it takes almost no time at all to prepare, it may please you the most of all.
This was one of two holiday drink recipes we developed for the Spice Islands Flavor Explorer blog. The other? A refreshing Spiced Cranberry Spritzer, featuring a lightly spiced syrup, with subtle notes of allspice and star anise, in a fresh and bubbly beverage.
Looking for some simple and crowd-satisfying recipes for before/after the holidays? Hop on over to the Spice Islands blog, and check out our recipes for Mini Chicken-Ricotta Phyllo Pies and homemade taco seasoning.
Gingerbread Ice Cream Floats
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Allspice
- 24 ounces cream soda
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
Directions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together molasses and spices until combined. Drizzle syrup down the insides and bottom of 4 chilled serving glasses. Gently drop two generous scoops of ice cream into each glass. Pour cream soda over top, stirring gently to combine. Enjoy immediately.
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Wow, this looks so delicious. I’m a huge ginger fan. AND I love cream soda. Need to make this.
LOVE ginger. I am addicted to Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snaps. So thin, they melt in your mouth!
These look so unbelievably delightful! I was never the biggest fan of gingerbread but I have truly warmed up to it recently. I must try this.
what a festive post! the cranberry spritzer looks so festive.
have a lovely christmas and see you in the new year!
Wow this looks amazing! I would never think to do a gingerbread ice cream float–great recipe!
i love this holiday drink!!!
I am the only one in my family that likes gingerbread so I don’t bake it. With this float, I can have my gingerbread and drink it too! Thanks for an awesome recipe.
This sounds so lovely!
This is original and unexpected. Love it!
oooh love it!!!
How creative! I would have never thought to take the flavors of a gingerbread cookie in an ice cream float. They look delicious though.
I’ll take 12 ounces of this, stat. It looks awesome & refreshing!
Are you kidding me?! These look amazing!
Ice cream floats scare me a little. I don’t know why, but I can’t eat them!
These are so, so lovely! I’m thinking perfect for Christmas eve treats… thanks, Lindsay!
i need to make this.
I like when you think outside the cookie because then we get to feast our eyes on flipping awesome recipes like this.