This chocolate gingerbread loaf bread is topped with a sweet gingerbread tea glaze. It’s the perfect holiday sweet treat.
For something like 29.5 years, I didn’t care for gingerbread at all.
Never understood the hype and a flat crunchy brown cookie was not going to convince me otherwise (chewy and soft is where the cookie love is at!).
But, then I made these chocolate chunk molasses gingerbread cookies and had a change of heart.
They were soft, chewy, filled with chocolate (the perfect gingerbread accompaniment in my opinion) and just the thing to make me realize there were other ways to enjoy the flavor besides the iced flat brown cookie dude.
And let me tell you, I’ve gingerbread-ed all.the.things this year.
From gingerbread pancakes, to waffles to pork chops (yep, made this tea glazed pork chop recipe with gingerbread tea too!) and more.
I’ve gone through three boxes of Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice tea and it’s not even Christmas yet.
Opening the latest box though got me thinking how delicious the tea would be infused into a bread and then drizzled in more gingerbread flavor in the form of a glaze.
Which is exactly what this chocolate gingerbread loaf is.
It’s a hearty little bread made with buckwheat and whole wheat flours but it packs a seriously flavorful punch.
Need a vegan and gluten-free version of this loaf? Try this gingerbread banana bread. Its maple tahini glaze is outrageous!
The flavor from the gingerbread tea and spices comes through in a big way but isn’t super overwhelming since it’s paired with the chocolate.
Each bite is spicy, chewy and chocolaty with a sweet crunchy exterior from the glaze, just like in our lemon poppy seed loaf recipe.
It’s everything I want in a holiday dessert.
Besides infusing the teas into your baked goods this season, Celestial Seasonings holiday teas (Candy Cane Lane, Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride and Gingerbread Spice) also make great stocking stuffers for tea lovers.
The aromatic blends of each one make you feel like you’re sitting right in front of the Christmas tree with the fire going in the background.
Enjoy a slice with some gingerbread peanut butter for double the gingerbread flavor!
And if you love these flavors, be sure to try gingerbread oatmeal too! It’s the perfect winter breakfast.
Love this chocolate gingerbread loaf?
Try one of these other tea breads too:
Matcha Bread
Tart Cherry Tea Bread
Cranberry Banana Tea Bread
Tea Glazed Chocolate Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Gingerbread Loaf:
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tea bag Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice
- 1/2 cup whole wheat white flour
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 3 tablespoons chopped candied ginger
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
For the Tea Glaze:
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 tea bag Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a small loaf pan (8×4 or smaller) with baking spray.
- Heat the milk in either the microwave or on the stove top until hot. Add the tea bag and steep for 5 minutes. Squeeze the tea bag and discard. Set aside.
- Combine the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the brown sugar and butter until smooth in a small bowl.
- Add the egg and molasses and whisk again until incorporated.
- Add the milk and whisk again until smooth.
- Pour the liquid into the large bowl with the flour and stir until combined.
- Add the chopped ginger and chocolate chips and fold in.
- Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool completely before glazing.
For the Glaze
- Heat the milk until hot in the microwave or in a sauce pan and add the tea bag. Let steep until milk has cooled to room temperature. Squeeze the tea bag and discard.
- Add the vanilla to the milk mixture and stir.
- Add the powdered sugar slowly and mix with a whisk until smooth.
- Pour glaze over the cooled loaf and let set for a few minutes before serving. You’ll likely have a bit of extra glaze.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
*This post is sponsored by Celestial Seasonings. All content (besides their drink recipes) and opinions are my own.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Quick question … Think I can I sub either AP or cake flour for the wheat/buckwheat combo you suggest? If so, do you think the amount would remain the same Or is the heartier mix necessary for texture and such? Just curious your thoughts. Thanks!
Amounts might vary due to the consistency of the different flours and I haven’t tried those substitutions so I really can’t say. I would start out with same amounts and add flour as necessary based on consistency.
I recently discovered how wonderful tea bags work for baking! I’ve used another flavor from Celestial Seasonings (Dirty Chai…heavenly!), and now I’m excited to try Gingerbread in this recipe! Looks incredible!
– MAK
Very delicious recipe!! loved it.
Um is it bad I didn’t know gingerbread spice tea existed? I’ve been all about #gingerbreadallthethings this year, and now I need to find that tea (and maybe I’ll have enough leftover to make this bread ;) )
:O
Oh
My
Goodness
I can’t even handle this. Gingerbread anything is heaven to me, and this loaf looks so moist and fluffy and that glaze. Uhhhh wow.
I am buying that tea just so I can make this.
I felt the same way about gingerbread until last year . . when I had my first real properly baked homemade gingersnap cookie. This is when I fell in love . . love that you used Gingerbread Spice tea for the bread and glaze! pretty genius, yo.