Christmas Cookie Challenge

Bakers craft two different decorated Christmas tree cookies; in the display challenge, bakers must create a giant cookie puzzle based on a Christmas carol.

The festive fever is high in the decorating round as five trendsetting cookie makers hack classic cookie cutter shapes and decorate them with totally wild new designs. Judges Kimberly Bailey, Damiano Carrara and Ree Drummond will choose which three bakers have a knack for hacks and which two must pack for home. The competition intensifies in the display round when host Eddie Jackson challenges the remaining bakers to build an entire Christmas tree out of cookies. The cookie tree that rises above the rest will be crowned the best and snag the $10,000 prize.

Host Eddie Jackson thinks it's time Santa's hard-working elves get some love, too, so for the decorating round, the five talented cookie makers must make one super-sized decorated cookie for Santa plus some tiny decorated cookies for the little guys. Judges Kimberly Bailey, Damiano Carrara and Ree Drummond whip out their magnifying glasses to see which three bakers decorate best no matter the size and which two are headed home. Then, for the display round and with $10,000 on the line, the remaining cookie makers must bring a winter wonderland scene to life using cookies to create a 3D tableau.

As host Eddie Jackson explains, there's nothing cozier on a cold winter's day than cuddling up with a cup of coffee, cider, eggnog or cocoa. For the decorating round, five fantastic cookie makers must take inspiration from one of those classic winter warmers to create marvelous cookie mug toppers and decadent cookie dunkers. Judges James Briscione, Ree Drummond and Jordan Pilarski select which three bakers will slide into the second round and which two will slip out of the competition. The party continues in the display round as the final three each prepare an entirely edible cookie platter, complete with edible shot glasses! After this one's done, only one happy cookie master will party hearty with the $10,000 prize.

Santa has fallen behind on toys this year, so host Eddie Jacksonrecruits five crafty cookie makers to make decorated cookie toys in the first round. Judges Ree Drummond, Dan Langan and Aarti Sequeira decide which three bakers have saved Christmas for all the good little girls and boys. The gift-giving doesn't stop in the display round as the three remaining cookie masters must make entirely edible cookie boxes to fill with Christmas cookies. They say it's better to give than receive, but in this case, the best cookie maker will take home a $10,000 present.

Host Eddie Jackson asks four of America's most talented cookie makers to imagine wintry Christmas window views and then put what they see on a cookie! Judges Damiano Carrara, Ree Drummond and Jamika Pessoa peer through those cookie windows to see which ones are pristine and which three bakers advance. In the display round, the remaining cookie masters represent their favorite Christmas Eve tradition in 3D cookie form, and one competitor will have the best Christmas ever when they win the $10,000 prize.

Host Eddie Jackson challenges five of America's cleverest cookie makers to create their own custom Santa cookie shapes without the use of cookie cutters! Judges James Briscione, Ree Drummond and Joy "The Baker" Wilson step in to decide who succeeds and who just makes "Bad Santas." In the display round, the three remaining bakers have to get even more crafty by creating a Christmas wreath using only cookies. When the flour settles, only one baker's wreath will earn $10,000 of holiday green.