Since our judges are all prominent chefs, we thought we’d get a cookie recipe from each, along with thoughts about all things holiday and baking:

 JULIEN GREMAUD
Background: A French-born chef, Gremaud took over the kitchen at Pistache, a downtown West Palm Beach waterfront bistro (101 N. Clematis St., #100, 561-833-5090, pistachewpb.com), earlier this year. He has won raves from critics and customers alike.

His holiday cookie memories: Precious few. In France, the popular holiday treat is Buche de Noel, a roll cake. But since coming to America, Gremaud admits he’s gotten the cookie bug.

His cookie: A seasonal variation on an always popular Linzer cookie. Gremaud notes that you can cut the cookies into any holiday themed shapes you wish.

Linzer Holiday Cookies
1 pound of cake flour
1/2 pound of butter (room temperature)
5 tablespoons almond powder
7 ounces powdered sugar
2 eggs
Salt (2 pinches)
Raspberry (or other) jam

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix butter and powdered sugar until well combined. Add flour and mix well. Add all the remaining ingredients. Let dough rest for at least 2 hours. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough in one-quarter-inch sheets. Cut into desired shapes.
Puncture a 1/2-inch hole in half the cookies. Bake for 30 minutes. After cookies have cooled, spread jam on the non-punctured cookies, then top with the punctured ones (so jam can be seen).
Add powdered sugar on top.

 CHRISTINE NAJAC

Background: Najac is the proprietor of Really Good Cookies, a Boca Raton-based online retailer (reallygoodcookies.com) that specializes in sending out gift baskets with cookies, brownies and other baked goods.

Her holiday cookie memories: Growing up in Rhode Island, Najac would make cookies with her mother and sisters every year. “We got to sift the flour and grind the nuts,” she recalls. They also got to roll the butterball cookies in powdered sugar. “We turned the kitchen into a complete mess with that step!” she adds.

Her cookie: A classic sugar cookie that gets a holiday topping.

Really Good Cookies’ Sugar Cookies
For cookies:
2 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
2 sticks butter/margarine
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For holiday topping:
8 ounces white melting chocolate
Holiday sugars and novelty sprinkles

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease baking sheets. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla.
Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Lower mixer speed; add flour, baking soda, salt. Combine thoroughly.
Scoop batter with medium scoop. Roll batter in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes.
Remove from cookie sheet with metal spatula and cool completely on wire rack.
Allot one teaspoon of melted white chocolate for topping. Spread melted chocolate on top of cooled sugar cookie.
Dip chocolate-coated cookie into sugar topping or novelty sprinkles.
Let cookies completely set and dry before serving or storing.

Recipe yields 40 cookies.

 JENNIFER REED

Background: Formerly the pastry chef of Palm Beach’s Café Boulud, Reed now heads her own West Palm Beach-baking company, The Sugar Monkey (561-689-7844, thesugarmonkey.com), which prepares wedding and special-occasion cakes, among other treats. Reed also sells her treats at the Saturday West Palm Beach GreenMarket.

Her holiday cookie memories: Growing up in Ohio, Reed always baked holiday cookies with her grandmother. Her favorite to make? Star-shaped spritz cookies.

Her cookie: A simple-to-make spice cookie that can be decorated in whatever manner you choose.

Spiced Sandy
1 1/4 cups butter, diced and cold
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup almond flour
2 1/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
Pinch each of cinnamon,
clove, nutmeg

Place the butter, confectioner’s sugar and brown sugar on a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until just combined. There should be no lumps of butter. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the flour, almond flour, salt and spices.
Mix until combined and slowly add the egg whites. Mix until incorporated. Wrap the finished dough in plastic and let chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Roll the chilled dough out between two parchment papers to one-quarter-inch thickness. Let the dough chill again before cutting.
Cut into desired shape and bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Baking time will be determined by the size of cutter you use.
Decorate however you want.