Christmas Cookie Challenge Episode Rating Graph

Santa has fallen behind on toys this year, so host Eddie Jackson recruits 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.

Christmas wreaths are a beloved holiday tradition, so five merry cookie makers put their sweet spin on the classic decorations that spread love all the way around. Then, hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson kick-start a new tradition with a Christmas "pull-me-up" display challenge. In a thrilling sight, the cookie makers release a tsunami of icing that completely transforms their towering displays, and one lucky cookier rides the tidal wave of icing all the way to the $10,000 prize.

Eddie Jackson wishes five festive cookie makers a very Merry "Fit-mas" because Ol' St. Nick has put the entire North Pole on a strict fitness regimen. The competitors have to decorate cookies showing beloved characters from the North Pole getting fit, and judges Matt Adlard, Ree Drummond and Brandi Milloy decide which cookie makers shape up and which ones ship out. Then it's time for a much bigger makeover as the bakers redesign and reconstruct Santa's house using only cookies. They also have to infuse their sugary shacks with innovative ingredients like tahini, avocado, olive oil and almond butter. It's a remodeling race to the finish with the $10,000 prize awaiting the most adept cookie architect.

Five of the most talented cookie makers in America strive for the spotlight when Eddie Jackson presents the most difficult decorating challenge of all -- the dreaded slice-and-bake. The design must be baked into the cookie itself, and judges Vivian Chan, Ree Drummond and Dan Langan decide which baker makes the cut. Then the competitors have to create showstopping centerpieces made of cookies, but there's a catch: They have to use herbs and spices like sage, thyme, tarragon and cumin. The table is set for a sensational sugar-filled scrap for the $10,000 prize.

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.

Everyone knows how Santa Claus spends Christmas Eve, but for this decorating challenge, host Eddie Jackson asks five talented cookie makers to imagine what Christmas Eve looks like for Mrs. Claus. Judges Stephanie Boswell, Ree Drummond and Molly Yeh know that Santa's better half deserves the very best, so only the top three move on to the display challenge, where they have to craft gorgeous fireplace mantels out of cookies with ingredients like Brazil nuts, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts. It's one tough nut to crack, but one cookie maker's fireplace scene will outshine the rest for a $10,000 prize.

Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson invite four clever cookie makers into the workshop to put their spins on the North Pole's favorite interactive puzzle game, "Where's Santa?" Ree and Eddie bust out their magnifying glasses to find Santa among all the distractions and red herrings on these richly detailed decorated cookies. The cookie maker who hides Santa in plain sight will be finding the exit, while Ree and Eddie will reveal an advantage in the next round for this stealthy challenge winner. For their final challenge, the remaining three cookie makers create delectable 3D cookie displays showing Santa's favorite North Pole spots, like his beloved burger joint. They'll have to include some of Santa's favorite burger toppings in their cookies: bacon, pineapple rings, mustard or cheddar.  Whoever creates the most spectacular versions of Santa's stomping grounds will sleighride home with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament. 

Host Eddie Jackson asks five of America's best cookie makers to create two cookies on sticks: one representing the best part of Christmas for kids and another showing the best part for grown-ups. Deciding which three cookie makers move on to the next round is a job for judges Ree Drummond, Dan Langan and Aarti Sequeira. For the display challenge, it's the night before Christmas, but the stockings have not been hung by the chimney with care. So the competitors must craft life-size Christmas stockings entirely out of cookies and incorporate winter fruits like pomegranates, pears or clementines. Only the best of the best gets to stuff their stocking with the $10,000 grand prize.

Eddie Jackson mistakenly grabs his box of Halloween cookie cutters from the attic; five cookie makers must hack the Halloween cutters into classic Christmas cookies.

Host Eddie Jackson loves traditional nesting dolls because they're the kind of Christmas gift that keeps on giving. So for this decorating challenge, he asks five of America's finest cookie makers to whip up six cookies of the same design that get progressively smaller. It's a tall order for judges Stephanie Boswell, Ree Drummond and Molly Yeh to decide which two cookie makers come up short in the first round. The task gets even tougher in the display challenge as the three remaining cookie makers must craft a Christmas village completely out of cookies. It's mayhem on Main Street as the bakers compete with $10,000 on the line.

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.

Five talented cookie makers put their heart and soul into crafting cookies that celebrate Christmas weddings. Then the competition heats up as the cookie makers create 3-D Christmas trees inspired by plants found deep in the desert. Guest judge Jason Smith joins hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson to decide which baker has it made in the shade and deserves the $10,000 prize.

Traditional Christmas colors are red and green, but festive foodies have been lighting up social media with hip ombre hues, too. For the decorating challenge, host Eddie Jackson asks five trendy cookie makers to create cookies that feature at least four shades of a color. Judges Ree Drummond, Jordan Pilarski and Gesine Prado determine which three bakers have the color palette and palate worthy of moving on to the display challenge, when the remaining competitors make the workshop glow with 3-D cookie creations that actually light up! They must incorporate invigorating ingredients like coffee, chai or matcha tea, and the cookie maker that shines the brightest becomes a Christmas Cookie champion.

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.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson welcoming four superpowered cookie makers into the workshop! They'll have to create cookies featuring Christmassy caped crusaders worthy of protecting the North Pole from dastardly villains. The cookie maker with the weakest creations will have to leave the Fortress of Cookie-tude, while the North Pole's newest cookie champion will win a supersized advantage for the next round. Then, the streets of the North Pole rumble as the cookie makers create outlandish vehicles for their superheroes and villains to steer. They'll use superfoods like açaí puree, pomegranate juice, turmeric or matcha as secret weapons in their cookies. One cookie maker will learn the ultimate comic book lesson -- with great cookie power comes great responsibility ... along with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament, of course!

Ho-Ho-Hike! When the weather turns icy, the magical folks who live at the North Pole love gathering together to play winter sports. Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson ask four competitive cookie makers to tackle making two winter sports cookies. One cookie maker will suffer the agony of defeat, while another will advance with an advantage for the next round. After a big game, the merry residents of the North Pole gather in the town's gazebo to socialize, so the cookie makers craft their own towering 10-foot tall Christmas gazebos complete with classic pitched roofs. Their cookies will have to incorporate comforting drinks perfect for sipping at social occasions, like peppermint mocha, pumpkin spice, chai or apple cider. The cookie maker who creates the gazebo most worthy of the North Pole's town square will paint the town red with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament. 

Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson ask five merry cookie makers to combine cookies and comics into an edible comic strip. The big laughs lead to an even bigger challenge as the cookiers create larger-than-life ornaments made entirely out of cookies! Their designs may be big, but the bakers will have to incorporate extra-small ingredients like sesame seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds into their displays. The cookie maker who makes the most extraordinary, extra-large ornament will win the $10,000 prize and the title of Christmas Cookie Champion.

Every year, the holiday spirit twinkles to life with the opening of Christmas markets all around the world. Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson challenge four of the finest gingerbreaders to create their own massive North Pole Christmas market displays out of gingerbread. There'll be a treasure trove of edible ice-skating rinks, snowball slides, hot cocoa stalls, sugar angels and more. These gingerbread geniuses will have to overcome a mid-round twist and pick one festive fruit from the produce cart to incorporate into their cookies: apples, pears, black berries or blood oranges. The gingerbreader who crafts the most merry monumental market of all will close up shop with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament. 

Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson welcome back eight former Christmas Cookie Challenge champions into the workshop to prove who is the best of the best. This time, the cookie makers are facing challenges so merrily massive, they'll be put into teams of two. First, the bakers must weave magic as they create Christmas cookie quilts. One team will have the rug pulled out from underneath them as they're eliminated, while the best quilting team gains an advantage for the next round. Then, the three remaining teams construct gigantic stadiums worthy of the finest North Pole games that also incorporate ingredients perfect for watching a snow bowl: eggnog, hot chocolate, apple cider or mulled wine. The team with the most spectacular stadium will score $10,000 and the right to lift the Best of the Best trophy.

We all know what goes on the night before Christmas, and now five fantastic cookie makers take hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson behind the scenes at the North Pole by whipping up cookies that reveal what the heroes of Christmas get up to the day after. Then, the cookie makers share a peek at the place where Santa parks his sleigh -- the rooftop! A location with that kind of action better be durable, so they'll have to lay roof tiles in the form of peanut brittle, peppermint bark, honeycomb candy or English toffee.

It's redemption day in the workshop as hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson welcome back cookie makers who came up just short of winning their first time around. They'll decorate cookies that call back to forgotten Christmas traditions and characters using a classic cookie that's hard to master -- snickerdoodle! Two cookie makers will experience the ultimate heartbreak, while one will gain an advantage for the second round. The three remaining cookie makers reveal what makes them tick as they construct massive 360-degree Christmas grandfather clocks featuring timely ingredients like instant coffee, instant pudding mix, sloe gin and thyme. The cookie maker who makes the most titanic timepiece will earn redemption and a $10,000 prize.

The holidays are the best time of year to get comfy on the couch and watch some classic Christmas movies, so hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson challenge four of the best cookie makers around to dream up a movie of their own and decorate a cookie poster for it. The one who creates a "box-office flop" will be sent home for the holidays, while the one who creates cinematic magic will gain an advantage for the next round. The three remaining cookie makers take inspiration from one of the most beloved holiday movies of all time, "A Christmas Story," to create a vintage TV showing their favorite scene from the film. For this merry movie night, they'll have to use some popular snacks in their displays like popcorn, chocolate covered raisins, potato chips or chocolate-covered pretzels. The cookie maker who makes this sweet holiday classic even sweeter will win $10,000 and the "fra-gee-lay" Golden Ornament!

Five talented cookie makers are tasked with creating Christmas cross-stitch cookies. Then the crafting continues as the bakers combine the beauty of a wreath with the fun of a Christmas character in one massive, 3-D cookie display.

Five creative cookie makers are dreaming of a white Christmas as Eddie Jackson challenges them to decorate cookies using only detail, texture and relief. Judges Ree Drummond, Dwayne Ingraham and Gesine Prado decide which colorless cookies stand apart from the rest. Then the bakers let loose with an explosion of color as they create cookie tarts with layer upon layer of giant cookies and luscious cream. They also brighten up their cookie displays with vibrant ingredients like pomegranates, red currants, kiwis and matcha in the hope of walking away with the grand prize of $10,000

Eddie Jackson challenges five talented cookie makers to flex their skills with classic cookie cutters, using them to make dazzling designs that have nothing to do with the cutters' original shapes. Judges Ree Drummond, Dan Langan and Aarti Sequeira decide which cookie creations are a cut above. Then the stakes become crystal clear as the competitors use edible stained glass to make cookie versions of traditional Christmas decorations like trees, wreaths and lanterns. With $10,000 in their sights, they strive to make displays that are all sweetness and light.

When Christmas rolls around, it's time to enjoy Warner Brothers' classic Christmas movie "Elf." Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson challenge four of the finest cookie makers around to get inspired by "the seven levels of the candy cane forest" and "the sea of swirly-twirly gumdrops" to create cookies that show the parts of Buddy's journey not featured in the movie. When it's over, one "cotton-headed ninny muggin" will be sent home for the holidays, while the one who decorates the most fantastical journey will win an advantage for the next round. Then, the three remaining cookie makers cobble together 3D pop-up cookie book displays showing their favorite scene from "Elf." Their magical displays will have to incorporate ingredients from Buddy the Elf's favorite meal: maple syrup, chocolate syrup, candy-coated chocolates, chocolate breakfast pastries or cooked spaghetti. One talented son of a nutcracker will win $10,000 and the coveted Golden Ornament.

As hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson know, Christmas in the country is just different than anywhere else, so they task four countrified cookie makers with creating two different cowboy Christmas designs. After they're done, one cookie maker will have to leave the ranch while the cookie maker who "cowboys up" the best batch will gain an advantage for the next round. Then, the three remaining bakers create cookie versions of ceramic farmhouse cookie jars that must be fully functional while their displays incorporate country desserts like sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, pecan pie or pineapple upside down cake. One cowpoke cookie maker will ride off into the sunset with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament.

Five talented cookie makers create interchangeable mix-and-match Christmas character cookies. Then the cookie workshop comes alive with the sound of music as the bakers craft 3-D cookie displays inspired by holiday music. They must incorporate ingredients that evoke classic Christmas songs, like pears, figs and chestnuts, into their cookie compositions. Guest judge Gesine Prado joins hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson to decide which Christmas music cookie display hits the high notes, and when the final curtain drops, one cookie maker will be singing a sweet tune with the $10,000 prize.

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.

Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson are shaking things up in the Christmas cookie workshop as they ask five talented cookie makers to take on the fault line dessert trend and create cookies decorated to reveal surprises beneath the icing. Then the competitors must defy gravity by building giant, hanging cookie chandeliers worthy of the finest Christmas dinner table. Their cookie flavors must be reminiscent of classic holiday candles like apple cider, mulled wine or peppermint, and one lucky cookie maker will be dancing on the ceiling with the $10,000 prize.

Earthlings aren't the only ones having holiday fun as hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson ask four far-out bakers to decorate cookies that reveal what Christmas is like on other planets. After this mission is completed, one cookie maker will be eliminated, while the one with the best designs will receive an astronomical advantage. In the final round, the three remaining cookie makers craft festive rocket ships worthy of taking Santa to the stars, and they'll have to incorporate freeze-dried astronaut foods like corn, jalapeños, sweet potatoes and cranberries into their interstellar cookie displays. One cookie maker will feel over the moon after winning $10,000 and the oh-so-stellar Golden Ornament.

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.