Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Eddie Jackson, CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE is a one-hour series that features five cookie makers in each episode, as they bake for two elimination rounds to prove their holiday skills to a rotating panel of judges. Two bakers are eliminated after the first round, and the remaining three contestants compete for the $10,000 prize. Lead judge Ree Drummond and guest judges Dan Langan and Aarti Sequeira appear in the series premiere, and these guest judges join Ree in subsequent episodes: Kimberly Bailey, James Briscione, Damiano Carrara, Jamika Pessoa, Jordan Pilarski, and Joy Wilson. Food Network first aired CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE as a one-hour special on Saturday, November 28, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT, with host Jonathan Bennett and judges Duff Goldman, Damaris Phillips, and Sherry Yard. A second special, CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE 2, debuted on Monday, November 28, 2016 at 8pm on Food Network, with host Alison Sweeney and judges Damiano Carrara, Sharone Hakman and Jordin Sparks.

The sophomore season of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE premiered on Monday, November 5, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network, with host Eddie Jackson and lead judge Ree Drummond returning for a new season. Each episode features five daring cookie makers proving their holiday skills through two rounds, as Eddie and Ree are joined by a rotating panel of guest judges, including Stephanie Boswell, Vivian Chan, Dan Langan, Jordan Pilarski, Gesine Prado, Aarti Sequeira and Molly Yeh to help determine which bakers will have the best Christmas ever, walking away with a $10,000 prize.

Season 3 of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE premiered on Monday, November 4, 2019 at 11pm ET/PT on Food Network, with subsequent episodes debuting 10pm on Mondays. Host Eddie Jackson returns with lead judge Ree Drummond this holiday season to challenge festive and talented cookie makers over a new eight-episode season. Each episode features five daring cookie makers proving their holiday skills through two rounds, as Eddie and Ree are joined by a rotating panel of guest judges, including Matt Adlard, Vivian Chan, Dwayne Ingraham, Dan Langan, Brandi Milloy, Gesine Prado and Aarti Sequeira to help determine which bakers will have the best Christmas ever, walking away with a $10,000 prize. In the season opener, "Homemade Holidays," Eddie cherishes homemade gifts that come from the heart, so he asks five of the top cookie makers to create cookies that look like handcrafted gifts. Guest judges Matt Adlard and Brandi Milloy join Ree Drummond to pick their favorite homespun creation. Then the competitors have to create complex cookie garlands worthy of stringing up in front of the fireplace, and they fire up their cookies with smoky ingredients like paprika, smoked almonds, Gouda and scotch. When the smoke clears, one cookie maker is left standing with the $10,000 prize.

The fourth season of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE premiered on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network, with co-hosts Eddie Jackson and Ree Drummond challenging cookie makers. In each episode, five daring cookie makers must prove their holiday skills through two rounds, as Eddie and Ree are joined each episode by judges Gesine Prado and Jason Smith to determine which bakers have the best Christmas of all, walking away with a $10,000 prize. In the season opener, "Can You Crack This One?," five cookie makers celebrate "piece" on Earth as they make festive puzzle cookies. Then it's a tall order when they have to figure out how to craft a 3-D, standing nutcracker doll out of cookies! They must modernize their nutcrackers with wildly different outfits while incorporating walnuts, pecans or almonds into their cookies. Guest judge Gesine Prado joins hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson to decide which cookie makers have cracked under the pressure and which are a nut above. When the clock strikes midnight, one cookie maker will march away with the Christmas cookie crown.

Season 5 of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE debuted on Thursday, November 11, 2021 from 9-11pm ET/PT, as Food Network debuted back-to-back new episodes. In each one-hour episode, five daring and confident cookie makers compete in two rounds to prove their holiday cookie-baking skills, with Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson returning as co-hosts. In the season opener, "Returning Champs," five former CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE champions return to the workshop for another round of competition, and hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson have devised their toughest cookie tasks for the occasion. First, the cookie makers have to create an entire Christmas village puzzle out of six perfectly interlocking cookies. Then they craft the tallest cookie displays ever seen, making massive Christmas mantels complete with realistic fireplaces. The heat is on as they infuse their cookies with warm spices like coriander, cloves, chile powder and paprika, but only one champion will win for the second time and claim the "Best of the Best" title.

On Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT, Food Network premiered the sixth season of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE, with hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson welcoming the most talented cookie makers around to craft stunning creations from rotating carousels and ornaments to heavenly angels. In the eight-episode season, themes include a "Christmas love" couples competition and gingerbread challenge to build a dazzlingly detailed downtown North Pole scene. Each week, only one winner takes home the coveted golden ornament and $10,000 prize. In the season opener, "Christmas Couples," For the first time ever on Christmas Cookie Challenge, hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson invite four couples to compete in the workshop! First, the lovebirds have to create two personalized Christmas gift tags -- one for each of them. After one couple is eliminated, the remaining pairs construct a fortress fit to withstand a spirited snowball fight along with a ready pile of "snowballs." One loving couple will leave happily ever after with the $10,000 prize and the title of Christmas Cookie Champions.

The seventh season of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE premiered on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network. Each week hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson challenge four of the best cookie makers in the country to show off their baking and decorating talent. From Christmas Quilts to Grandfather Clocks made completely of cookies, bakers must create displays that impress Eddie and Ree. The most successful cookie artist will walk away with a $10,000 grand prize. In the season opener, "A Very Gingerbread Puppet Show," Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson are hosting a dramatic opening night in the Christmas cookie playhouse, where four gingerbread masters craft cookie stick puppets. As one puppet master receives a standing ovation and an advantage in the next round, another baker is sent into the wings. The remaining three cookie makers then build grand gingerbread puppet theaters and perform a play for Ree and Eddie! Their massive stick puppet theaters will have to incorporate classic lollipop flavors like orange cream, butterscotch, root beer, cinnamon or espresso. The gingerbreader who receives the biggest applause will win $10,000 and the Golden Ornament.
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Season 8 of CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHALLENGE debuted on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network. Hosts Eddie Jackson and Ree Drummond welcome the nation's top cookie artisans to showcase their baking and decorating talents in a festive showdown. Each episode features two exciting challenges that explore different aspects of the North Pole, including one inspired by the beloved classic movie The Polar Express. This season raises the stakes even higher, as every first-round winner will receive an incredible prize. When the glitter settles each week, only the most successful cookie creator walks away with a $10,000 prize.

In the season opener, "Christmas on the North Pole Farm," it's a real barn burner in the workshop as hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson ask four countrified cookie makers to share how farm animals hoedown for the holidays at the North Pole. After this challenge, one farmhand will have to pick up sticks, while the one with the best Christmas critter cookie designs will rustle up an advantage for the next round. Then, it's time to bring in the holiday harvest as the cookie makers tinsel up festive-looking 3D Christmas tractors. They'll have to include a farm-fresh herb in their cookies: thyme, basil, lavender or tarragon. The cookie maker who crafts the most festive tractor will reap $10,000 and the Golden Ornament.