It never feels much like Christmas to me until I’m home with the fam, but baking gingerbread cookies while I waited for friends-as-close-as-family to arrive definitely got me in the spirit.  Welcoming guests into a home that smells like freshly baked sweets… It’s a favorite thing, for sure.

Earlier in the week, Zappos and OXO sent me box full of baking goodies to help me bring some gingerbread men to life and spread the word that the #zapposgingerbreadman would be arriving in Austin on Friday.  Apparently, he’s wandering around the city handing out prizes all weekend.  Hey Gingerbread Man, size 7 please!

When it was time to bake, I used the gingerbread man cookie recipe that was provided in my goodie box, but swapped out 1 tablespoon of ground ginger for 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger.  Fresh ginger in pies and cookies adds a burst of flavor that I can’t get enough of during the holiday season.

Now it’s time for us to pack some cookies for the road and take miss Juliette on a Christmas adventure filled with gingerbread house tours and the Trail of Lights!