Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge returns with an episode titled “Finding Santa,” and if that doesn’t scream festive cheer, I don’t know what does. Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson are back to oversee the sugar-fueled mayhem as four cookie makers attempt to impress the judges with their creations.
The first round, cleverly dubbed “Where’s Santa?”, demands the bakers create intricately decorated cookies with, you guessed it, hidden Santas. It’s like a sugary game of hide-and-seek, only with more frosting. The winner of this round snags an advantage going into the main event.
And what’s the main event, you ask? Constructing 3D cookie displays of Santa’s favorite North Pole haunts. Think Santa’s workshop, the reindeer stables, Mrs. Claus’s knitting corner – all rendered in edible gingerbread and icing. But there’s a twist. This year, Santa’s craving a burger with his cookies, so the bakers must incorporate his favorite toppings – bacon, pineapple rings, mustard, or cheddar – into their sweet displays. Yes, you read that correctly: bacon on a cookie structure. This should be… interesting.
Ultimately, one baker will walk away with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament, a prize that probably looks a lot nicer on a mantelpiece than smeared with burger grease. Whether the combination of intricate cookie artistry and savory burger fixings is a stroke of genius or a recipe for disaster is something we’ll have to wait and see. Tune in to find out.
Christmas Cookie Challenge “Finding Santa” airs Monday, November 25, 2024, at 9:00 PM on Food Network.
