This past weekend was exactly how I love to spend a fall weekend—college football on TV, a little crafting, and plenty of baking! Nathan and I added two more types of Christmas cookies to our growing freezer stash, and the house smelled amazing all weekend long.

Gingerbread Latte Cookies ☕️

First up were the Gingerbread Latte Cookies. These are not your average gingerbread treats—they have a little espresso powder mixed in, so you get that cozy coffeehouse flavor in every bite. My favorite part is the fresh ginger, which gives them a gentle “heat” that really does make them taste like a warm latte!

We baked up 109 cookies (yes, I counted!), though somehow only 100 made it to the freezer… I’ll let you guess what happened to the rest.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread 🍊

Next, we tackled the Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies, and oh my—these might be my new favorite! They’re buttery, sweet, and have that perfect hint of tart cranberry and citrus. They pair beautifully with coffee, tea, or even hot chocolate. We froze about 80 cookies after sampling a few (for quality control, of course!). Honestly, I wish I’d tripled the batch—they’re that good!

Holiday Prep Progress 🎄

That brings our total to three types of cookies made and three more to go! My plan is to make one more variety next month, so by the time December arrives, assembling all the holiday cookie plates will be an absolute breeze.