Holiday Baking Championship

We're Nuts for the Holidays

The Holiday Baking Championship kicks off as 10 bakers take on a nutty chocolate dessert in the first challenge and beautifully decorated holiday pies in the main heat. At the end of each episode, one baker will be eliminated.

Holiday Craftiness

This week, it's time to get crafty. The remaining nine bakers attempt to amp up the visual impact of holiday baked goods as they create festive candy-cane and holiday-wreath desserts.

Stuffing Is the Best Part

The eight remaining bakers make holiday whoopie pies that evoke a randomly assigned theme of turkey, pumpkin, Pilgrims or fall foliage. Then they must create stuffed holiday cakes that reveal a surprise center when sliced.

Thanksgiving's Just Around the Corner

The seven remaining bakers make Thanksgiving-themed desserts. After using canned cranberry sauce in round one, they make desserts highlighting assigned ingredients: sweet potato, pumpkin, apple, pear, pomegranate, carrot or lemon.

Ginger and Spice and Everything Nice

In this week's challenges, the six remaining bakers revel in the warm flavor of ginger. They must make mini desserts highlighting candied ginger, then create three different types of holiday cookies inspired by family traditions.

World Class Classics

The five remaining bakers celebrate a couple of favorites by reinventing two Hanukkah classics: rugalach and macaroons. Then they must create their own unique version of a holiday croquembouche.

Re-Gifting

Re-gifting is the theme of the week, as the four remaining bakers must make a dessert inspired by a candy-apple gift, then figure out how turn the contents of a traditional gift basket into a delicious dessert.

Holiday Hoopla

The final three bakers compete to transform different holiday traditions into intricately delicate cakes. The winner will be crowned Holiday Baking Champion.

Signs of the Season

The bakers turn seasonal hot beverages like hot chocolate and apple cider desserts. Then, the culinary artisans show off their decorating skills by creating a filled bundt cake wreath.

Grandma's Thanksgiving Favorites

Clash of the Grandmas star Norma Zager joins Bobby Deen to lend her expertise to the remaining eight bakers as they make cookies and pies in a Thanksgiving-themed competition.

Thanksgiving Joy

The remaining bakers combine their favorite Thanksgiving desserts into one by creating elegant trifles. Then, they have to produce Thanksgiving imposter cupcakes that will make everyone take a second look.

Hearth and Home

The remaining bakers are tested on how well they can make a dessert featuring toasted marshmallows, and they get the chance to put a fresh spin on an old holiday classic by "blinging out" yule logs.

Sweet Surprises

Who doesn't love surprises, especially during the holidays? The bakers must whip up a dessert inspired by an ugly Christmas sweater, and then they have to create edible gift boxes filled with a bevy of treats.

Christmas Morning

The remaining bakers make edible dessert stockings and then take their designs to new heights by building colorful cream puff Christmas trees.

Live From the North Pole

The final bakers make snacks for North Pole characters. Then they're challenged to bake and decorate a North Pole-inspired cake, with the best creation earning one baker the crown of Holiday Baking Champion and a $50,000 prize!

Holiday Party Delights

Nine bakers must create eye-catching and tantalizing new holiday treats for seasonal parties. They create a dessert with an unusual candy cane flavor and then use a holiday cocktail as sweet inspiration before one baker goes home.

Season of Sharing

Eight bakers team up to make a dozen hand pies in a festive holiday shape. Then the competitors create a holiday dessert duo inspired by classic holiday flavor combinations.

Thanksgiving Genius

Seven bakers must create a Thanksgiving dessert using a mystery canned fruit. Then the competitors whip up new Turkey Day sensations by combining two traditional desserts.

A New Holiday Spin

Six bakers are creating new takes on traditional holiday baking. Inspired by an internet baking meme, they use yellow cake mix to make anything but cake. Then they're challenged to "holiday up!" a non-holiday dessert.

Comfort and Joy

Five bakers "ignite" the holiday spirit with a fiery dessert. Then they take a traditional holiday cheese board and turn it into an unusual cheesecake.

Tradition! Tradition!

The bakers celebrate two classic holiday traditions: Hanukkah jelly doughnuts and ye olde fruitcake. They must create a dozen doughnuts featuring a challenging flavor combo. Then they try their best to reinvent fruitcake.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Three bakers grab two last-minute holiday gifts and combine them into one impressive dessert before creating a 12 Days of Christmas dessert. The winning baker walks away with $50,000 and the title of Holiday Baking Champion!

Runners Up Redemption

Runner-up teams from previous seasons battle it out in Christmas-inspired dessert challenges for a chance to win $10,000.

Holiday Essentials

The pumpkin spice phenomenon hits the Holiday Baking Championship! For the pre-heat, nine bakers try to wow the judges with creative pumpkin spiciness. In the main heat, they must combine a yule log with a classic holiday treat.

Plenty of Gratitude

For the pre-heat, the eight bakers work in teams to make four different kinds of pies ... on the same sheet pan! In the main heat, the bakers make stuffed cakes featuring seasonal ingredients.

Turkey Day Delights

In the pre-heat, the seven bakers must make a dessert combining cranberry and another flavor of the season. The main heat challenges the bakers to create a sweet treat that pairs coffee with an unusual flavor of coffee syrup.

Holiday Artistry

In the pre-heat, inflatable holiday decorations inspire the six bakers' cute cream puff displays. In the main heat, the bakers dazzle the judges with hand-painted eggnog cakes.

Light and Inspiring

The Festival of Lights ignites creativity in the pre-heat, when the five bakers have to update traditional rugelach with unexpected new flavors like cardamom, grapefruit, guava paste, peanut butter or chai.

New Family Classics

The four bakers have to combine common pantry ingredients in a new version of a classic holiday dessert. For the main heat, they must use two key fruitcake components in a new dessert.

Gifts of Greatness

Three bakers remain in the competition, and in the final main heat, they channel holiday gift shopping by creating a cake that is decorated like a gift on the outside and reveals a surprise inside when sliced.

Homecoming Special

Six previous Holiday Baking Championship winners step back into the kitchen for a new competition judged by Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale.

Christmas in July

Four talented bakers face challenges focused on melted snowman desserts and Christmas ice cream cakes. Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale bring Christmas cheer as they determine which baker deserves the $10,000 prize.

Gearing Up for the Holidays

In the first challenge, host Jesse Palmer asks the 10 bakers to introduce themselves with edible place cards and one-bite signature holiday desserts. The main heat is all about holiday wreath cakes and holiday ingredients.

Sweet Revenge

Three runners-up from previous Holiday Baking Championship competitions are back, and all they want for Christmas is a second chance to win.

Filling Grateful

The popularity of holiday spiced nuts inspires Jesse Palmer's challenge to the nine bakers: Use the crowd-pleasing holiday gift in spiced nut desserts. Then each baker must make three pies with different decorated crusts.

Holiday Survival Guide

Host Jesse Palmer offers tips for surviving holiday madness and shares highlights from five seasons of Holiday Baking Championship competitions.

Thanksgiving It My All

Jesse Palmer asks the eight bakers to create a dozen kicked-up apple cider doughnuts decorated with seasonal themes. Then the competitors must transform a classic holiday yule log into a festive Thanksgiving roll cake.

Trendsetting Turkey Day

In the first round, the seven bakers make baked Brie and jam mini pies. The main heat is all about being prepared for greatness as the bakers take a prepared ingredient and use it to make a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving dessert.

Gettin' Gifty with It

The six bakers must turn panettone, the classic holiday Italian sweet bread, into an entirely new dessert. Then they're challenged to create a beautifully decorated cupcake mosaic inspired by a pair of holiday pajamas.

North Pole Vaulting

The five bakers create desserts that are inspired by and look like Santa Claus. Then they're tasked with making impressive cakes that look like another icy North Pole staple: an igloo.

Traditions with a Twist

The four remaining bakers give Hanukkah's gold-covered chocolate coins a twist by incorporating candied orange, espresso beans and more. Then they bake up cheesecakes decorated with edible shiny ice rinks.

Christmas Day Delights

The three bakers make a Christmas morning brunch using gingerbread, cinnamon and eggnog. Then they must create cakes that are plaid both on the inside and the outside, and one baker is crowned the winner and takes home $25,000.

Holiday Style

Host Jesse Palmer kicks off the competition for 12 bakers with holiday decorated quick bread wreaths. In the main heat, the competitors must make a winter hat cake to charm judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall.

Holiday Goodie Games

Host Jesse Palmer asks the 10 bakers to highlight a nut or seed in a holiday dessert. Then, the competitors must use a fundamental holiday ingredient in unseasonable desserts, like icebox cakes or fruit tarts.

Take Holiday Pies by Surprise

Host Jesse Palmer asks the nine bakers to make holiday cookie-topped mini pies. Then, it's pie pandemonium as the competitors celebrate fall with flavor combos such as pumpkin-cider and chestnut-chocolate in cream pies, lattice pies and more.

Hosting the Holidays

Jesse Palmer challenges the eight bakers to turn breakfast items, like French toast, into Thanksgiving desserts. Then, the competitors team up to create Friendsgiving potluck-inspired desserts to impress judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall.

It's What's on the Inside That Counts

Host Jesse Palmer gives the seven bakers advent calendars filled with chocolate to inspire them to make desserts with a surprise inside. Then, for the main heat, the competitors must bake one delicious cheesecake with three different flavors.

Topsy-Turvy Holidays

Jesse Palmer challenges the six competitors to work in teams to create a twist on traditional Hanukkah jelly doughnuts. Then, the bakers get creative with holiday decorated upside-down cakes to satisfy judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall.

A Classic Christmas

Host Jesse Palmer asks the five bakers to create an over-the-top version of a holiday trifle. Then, the classics continue in the main heat when the competitors make the ultimate Charlotte royale for judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall.

Christmas Windows in Time

Jesse Palmer kicks things off by asking the final four competitors to create a holiday macaron tower. In the main heat, the bakers must feature an assigned icing style -- marzipan, buttercream or mirror glaze -- in a stunning cake to win $25,000.

Falling Into Winter

The competition kicks off as host Jesse Palmer asks the twelve bakers to embrace the seasonal transition by making fall and winter doughnuts. For the main heat, the competitors combine holiday cheese board staples in creative apple and cheese desserts.

Yule Be Merry

It's bottoms up for judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall as the 10 bakers team up to take on boozy desserts. Then, host Jesse Palmer challenges the competitors with five different styles of yule log cakes in 10 different flavor combinations.

Attitude of Gratitude

First, Jesse Palmer asks the nine bakers to make Mason jar fruit desserts. Then, judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall are in for a treat when the competitors create heartfelt messages on top of everyone's favorite Thanksgiving dessert -- pie!

Best Thanksgiving Ever

In a nod to the day after Thanksgiving, host Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to use Black Friday kitchen gadgets to make desserts. Then, the competitors work in teams to create cornucopia bread baskets filled with flavored holiday breads.

Gifts That Keep on Giving

Host Jesse Palmer asks the seven remaining bakers to create festive Hanukkah olive oil cakes. Then, the competitors randomly choose a dreaded holiday dessert and attempt to spin it into holiday happiness.

Make New Friends, but Keep the Old

The six remaining bakers make tasty treats for guests with a dietary restriction. Then, host Jesse Palmer challenges the competitors to update an assigned vintage holiday dessert to create a new Christmas delight.

Holidays in All the Ways

Host Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to create sweet potato and spice desserts in honor of Kwanzaa. In the main heat, the competitors make Christmas card cakes that depict a perfect family snapshot for a holiday card.

Ultimate Holiday Party

The bakers create dessert charcuterie boards and pinata desserts. Then, the competitors take on holiday party theme cakes and incorporate lights into their designs. The most successful baker becomes the Holiday Baking Champion and walks away with $25,000!

First Snow

Jesse Palmer welcomes the 12 bakers by challenging them to create fall pavlova wreaths. Then, the competitors divide into cake and pie teams to finally decide the best holiday dessert and win immunity from judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall.

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

After a grocery trip gone wrong, Jesse Palmer tasks the bakers with creating tasty desserts featuring ingredients from Thanksgiving dinner. Then, the competitors go beyond cookies to give the jolly gingerbread man a makeover that will impress the judges.

Feeling Sweet and Thankful

Smoked, fried, brined, roasted and bacon-wrapped, Jesse Palmer uses the five-way turkey as inspiration for the bakers' Preheat challenge. Then, the competitors divide into teams to create a flight of pies that takes the judges on a flavorful journey.

Dining Out for the Holidays

The holidays are a season for indulgence, so host Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to turn steakhouse desserts into decadent holiday treats. Then, the competitors impress the judges by transforming a traditional steakhouse icon into a tasty Christmas tree.

Holiday Movie Magic

With the popularity of English period dramas, Jesse Palmer challenges the bakers to create a holiday high tea. Then, it's all about the rom-com as bakers get inspired by a holiday movie trope to create a dessert that's dripping with festive decorations.

The World of Holidays

In honor of Kwanzaa, Jesse Palmer tasks the bakers with crafting desserts that feature fresh corn for a traditional Kwanzaa display. Then, the competitors put their personal stamp on international holiday desserts to avoid being flown home by the judges.

Holiday Rush

The bakers feel the holiday rush as Jesse Palmer sends them through three heated challenges. They'll have to create ugly sweater cakes, turn store-bought cake into tasty centerpieces and build a snowman croquembouche in order to continue on to the finale!

Happy Holiday Getaways

Jesse Palmer escapes the cold weather by challenging the bakers to create desert-inspired succulent tarts, and two competitors are sent skiing into a cookie cake showdown. Then, the final two highlight holiday vacation spots in hopes of winning $25,000!

Season's Best

Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to combine two of the fall season's best treats and make seasonal coffee drink cinnamon rolls. Then, the bakers create fall-themed yule logs before judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller decide who is rolling home.

Can't Wait for Turkey Day

Jesse Palmer highlights Thanksgiving's star when he has the bakers create turkey dome desserts with edible feathers. Then, the bakers show judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller their tablescaping skills with mini Thanksgiving table cakes!

Hallmarks of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving means food and football, so Jesse Palmer challenges the bakers to create holiday 7-layer desserts inspired by his favorite snack. Then, the bakers compete in a Thanksgiving pie-off to win over judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.

Holiday Whimsy

Inspired by climbing the Alps, Jesse Palmers asks the bakers to make whimsical Mont Blanc desserts. Then, the bakers impress judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller with their inner Willy Wonka when they suspend upside-down cakes in midair!

Holiday Beauty

Jesse Palmer tasks the bakers with turning beautiful holiday designs into mini-tart mosaics. Then, the bakers make merry and bright double-barrel wrapping paper cakes that feel like the perfect gift for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.

Holiday Imagination

After learning the latke basics, Jesse Palmer has the bakers fry up latke-inspired desserts. Then, the bakers' imaginations run wild while creating letterboard holiday bars to put judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller in the holiday spirit.