This Is Sweet • Check out the

This has been a big year for chocolate chip cookie lovers!

pyramid-shaped version that melts more evenly than other chips. Find it at dandelionchocolate.com. City bakery Levain now sells fully baked versions of its giant doughy cookies in the freezer aisle. Raw cookie dough fans have a new option: Pillsbury modified its recipe to include heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs so it’s safe to eat right from the package.

Takeout cocktails might stick around.

Raise your plastic cup: More than 30 states have allowed bars and restaurants to sell alcohol to go during the pandemic, and in June, Iowa became the first state to pass a bill that will permanently permit takeout drinks. Ohio followed in October, and

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Nellie’s Limited Edition Eggnog

The company is turning its free-range eggs into a holiday drink! $4.50

When the pandemic shut down bars in Ireland, Guinness donated unsold stout to Christmas tree farms…to use as fertilizer! Dark beer contains potassium and calcium, so it’s good for the trees. If you want to give your own tree a pint, go ahead: Cornell University plant pathologist Brian Eshenaur says it’s a good use of stale beer.

Soda isn’t a bad word anymore.

With sales of the sugary drink falling flat, companies have started rethinking the meaning of soda. Poppi recently launched a prebiotic soda made with apple cider vinegar, Health-Ade has a kombucha and fruit-juice soda called

cans in flavors like strawberry basil and lemon verbena.

Duncan Hines Swiss Miss Creamy Hot Cocoa Frosting

This frosting tastes just like hot chocolate. $1.50

Hershey’s Sugar Cookie Kisses

These white creme morsels include real pieces of sugar cookie. $3.50

in the know Star Diar y

Eddie Jackson is a fitness buff, but that doesn’t stop him from eating nearly two dozen cookies in a day!

. . It’s day two of filming Christmas Cookie Challenge in New Orleans, and I’m up extra early because I need to get in a workout before heading to the set. I try to be creative when I’m on the road, so I often travel with resistance bands and do HIIT-style workouts because

. . Workout complete! Now it’s time to get my caffeine

. . Iced Americano in hand, I arrive on set and head to my trailer. My outfit for today immediately catches my eye. I think to myself, what on earth do they have me doing? By now I’m sure production knows I’ll do anything for a good laugh,

on shoot days.

. I put on

Time to start filming! I just can’t get over this outfit. I seriously look

play. On set I’m greeted with laughs because I’m wearing the clothes quite well! I then learn that I’m not playing Othello but rather a Christmas caroler. It’s perfect for today’s challenge, in which our cookie makers are to take their favorite Christmas carol and put it on a cookie.

. . I nibble on a chicken Caesar salad. I don’t . . We have about

the bakers are getting started on their second challenge— the perfect amount of time for me to watch the last half hour of Hanna.

. . The bakers are done and it’s time to judge, but I’m

. . And that’s a wrap! We had some very impressive bakers in the kitchen today. It was so hard picking the winner, but one person’s cookie blew me and my cohost Ree Drummond away. Now I just want to get back to the

C atc h Ed d i e o n C h r i s t m a s C o o k i e C h a l l e n g e, Mo n d a ys at 10 p. m . ET.

restaurants here close

. . I FaceTime my mini me before he goes to sleep. We only talk for a few minutes because he’s tired, but that’s all I need. I miss him so

. . Wow! That sandwich hit the spot. I finish my night with a glass of Blanton’s bourbon.

. . Time

again tomorrow.

set without these!” Live 650BTNC Wireless Headphones, $200; jbl.com

What Gets Eddie Through the Day

Aquaphor lip balm “I’m addicted to this stuff, period.” Lip Repair Stick, $4; walmart.com Ankle socks, $12; bombas.com Café Bustelo espresso coffee “This coffee is the pick-me-up I need every time.” $5; cafebustelo.com