At the end of September, Hurricane Helene came through Florida, bringing everything to a standstill. Thankfully, our home sustained no damage. With some unexpected downtime on my hands, I decided to make the most of it by preparing my third batch of make-ahead cookies.

This time, I made Italian Lemon Drop Cookies – a refreshing change from the traditional holiday flavors of chocolate and gingerbread. You can find the recipe here: Italian Lemon Drop Cookies. These cookies pair wonderfully with team and are perfect for the festive season!

To streamline the process, I prepped the dough, baked the cookies, and then froze them before frosting. When it’s time to serve, I’ll top them with the same icing I use for my cutout cookies, finishing with festive red and green sprinkles.

Since the dough is quite sticky, I keep in in the refrigerator when I am not scooping it out.

Typically, I aim to make around 100 cookies, but was a little short this year – thanks to a bit of taste testing. They were delicious on their own, but I can’t wait to add that sweet frosting to take them to the next level.

Here’s to baking through the storm!