Food Network Christmas Cookie Challenge: Ashlee Christman Wins It All

She didn’t win the Christmas Cookie Challenge on the Food Network because of her name. Ashlee Christman won $10,000 and the title of champion due to her cooking talents and presentation on November 16. Since then, she has proudly shown off her prize cookies, and the check arrived in the mail after the episode aired. This comes after she faced stiff competition from four other bakers.

Christman hails from Centralia, Wash. She owns and operates the Sweet Dough Cookie Co., a vendor for online cookies; with recent events, she says her goal is to spread joy with each delicious bite. Generally, competitors have to do more than show off their edible wares, some of which can win them two rounds and $10,000. They also have to demonstrate they can do more than bake or decorate. Christman recounts that thee hosts — Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson — as well as a guest judge, decided that they liked her attention to detail. She made sure that her designs were neat, precise, and sensible for the themes.

The Daily Chronicle broke the news of her win quite happily. Christman recounts that she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to receive the prize money and couldn’t tell anyone, not even her mother. She nailed both of the show’s customary challenges — a 90-minute round where the contestants would bake and design cookies based on a theme and a 150-minute one that required more complex design and details. She managed to create a pinata cookie that held smaller cookies inside. The judges were impressed with her Yule Log cookie as well. Christman plans to use the prize money to reinvest in her business and potentially expand it. Her winning logo will also boost her professional reputation.

Cookies are generally harder to make than cakes because they require less liquid, and the texture can become cakey. Judges on Holiday Baking Championship can relate because their season one opening challenge asked competitors to make a dozen cookies with the tools they received. A few contestants gave stunning presentations, but their cookies tasted like miniature cakes instead. With The Christmas Cookie Challenge, the expectations remain high.

Congratulations to Christman for her hard-earned victory. This holiday season needs joy, and she provided that on the show.

Source: The Daily Chronicle, Sweet Dough Cookie Co.