Ree Drummond is revealing her favorite shortcuts as she shares fast and festive last-minute ideas for the holidays. Refrigerated bread dough and edible trimmings make an irresistible Christmas Tree Pizza, and Festive Baked Brie Bites are an impressive impromptu appetizer. Ree makes Christmas Cheesecake Cups as a fail-safe, last-minute dessert, and White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn wraps up gift-giving in the eleventh hour.
The final three bakers grab two last minute holiday gifts and combine them into one impressive dessert. Then in the main heat, bakers must create a show-stopping 12 Days of Christmas dessert that illustrates a line from the famous song. The winning baker walks away with $50,000 and the title of Holiday Baking Champion!
For the exclusive holiday desserts preheat, the six remaining bakers try to impress judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall by making tasty treats for guests with a dietary restriction. In the main heat, host Jesse Palmer challenges the competitors to update an assigned vintage holiday dessert to create a new Christmas delight.
The Abominable Snowman comes out of hiding to startle the gingerbread teams and inspire their challenge theme -- A Monster Christmas. Monsters love an oozy dessert, so host Jesse Palmer challenges the teams to make an oozing caramel dessert to go with their display. Judges Nacho Aguirre, Kardea Brown and Breegan Jane choose the winner.
Ingrid Hoffmann celebrates the joy of Christmas with friends, family and a special menu including Pernil, a tender Cuban Roasted Pork Leg with a spicy rice dish with pigeon peas and bacon. And for dessert, Three Kings Cake filled with a special surprise!