Craig Melvin Hilariously Roasts Dylan Dreyer’s Family Cookie Recipe on Today: ‘Skip Me!’

The holiday cookie swap turned into a laugh fest as Melvin made it clear he’s not a fan of Aunt Tilly’s famous anise treats.

The Today show hosts got into the holiday spirit with a festive cookie swap, but one family recipe had Craig Melvin cracking up for all the wrong reasons.

During the third hour of Today on Wednesday, Dec.

18, Dylan Dreyer, Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones, and Al Roker gathered to share their favorite holiday cookies.

That’s when Dreyer, 43, proudly introduced her Aunt Tilly’s Christmas cookies—a “biscuit-y” anise-flavored treat that has been a holiday staple for her family for years.

“These have been on the show for 12 years!” Dreyer said, smiling.

But while Dreyer was eager to share the beloved family recipe, her co-hosts didn’t seem quite as excited to dig in.

Craig Melvin’s Brutally Honest Reaction

As Dreyer waited for her colleagues to take a bite, she quickly noticed that they were hesitating.

“How come you guys aren’t grabbing it?” Jones, 46, asked Melvin and Roker, 70, as they suspiciously eyed the cookie tray.

Melvin, 45, dodged the moment with a playful question:
“Dylan, is Aunt Tilly still with us?”

Dreyer, not missing a beat, responded, “She’s been gone for a while now. ”

Undeterred, she turned her attention back to the cookies.

“Would you just taste the cookie?” she urged Melvin.

That’s when Melvin finally cracked—and the studio erupted into laughter.

“I’ve had ‘em before.  I have them every year!” he admitted.

Dreyer insisted, “They’re good!” but Melvin, struggling to keep a straight face, wasn’t convinced.

He hesitated before finally taking a reluctant bite—then immediately burst into laughter.

“Skip me!” he shouted, still laughing uncontrollably.

Aunt Tilly vs. The Cookie Swap

Dreyer wasn’t about to let Melvin off the hook so easily.

“You guys are missing out,” she teased, calling them “Grinches” as she happily munched on her aunt’s famous cookies.

Roker then turned to Melvin, asking what he thought.

But Melvin, still laughing, dodged the question again.

“We don’t want him to choke on Aunt Tilly’s cookie!” Jones quipped.

Meanwhile, Melvin was eager to move on, quickly introducing his Christmas wreath cookies—a marshmallow and crispy rice cereal treat.

Dreyer, still determined to make her point, made a point of trying Roker’s sugar cookies right in front of Melvin.

“I’m going to try yours,” she said, glaring at Melvin.

“It’s the polite thing to do.“

The Cookie That Won the Swap

While Melvin struggled with Aunt Tilly’s anise cookies, he had no hesitation when it came to Sheinelle Jones’ Honey Ginger Elixir cookies, inspired by her favorite morning drink.

The treats, made by Today’s Anthony Kontrino, had the group raving.

“Anthony hit the jackpot with these cookies!” Jones declared.

“They’re the best!”

Melvin, who didn’t hesitate to take a bite, quickly agreed.

“Oh, that’s good!” he exclaimed, enjoying them far more than Aunt Tilly’s creation.

Dreyer, still holding a playful grudge, called him out immediately.

“You jumped right in on her cookies!” she pointed out.

Melvin didn’t even try to deny it.

“Well, ‘cause they’re delicious,” Jones answered for him.

Roker, also a fan, described them as “kind of like a snickerdoodle.”

Aunt Tilly Gets the Last Word

Despite the jokes, the Today team made sure to honor all the recipes from the segment.

As the show wrapped up, Melvin—still laughing—gave Aunt Tilly’s cookies one final shoutout.

“Check out Aunt Tilly’s cookie!” he announced, sending the studio into laughter once again.

Whether or not Melvin will be grabbing one next year is still up for debate—but one thing’s for sure: this holiday cookie swap was one to remember.🍪🎄