After a night of delivering presents, Santa arrives back at the North Pole with a big appetite. Hosts Ree Drummond and Eddie Jackson ask four talented cookie makers to whip up "imposter" cookies that look just like dishes fit for the most magnificent North Pole Christmas dinner. The cookier who delivers the most disappointing dish will be left on the chopping block, while the master cookie chef will gain an advantage for the next round. Then, it's time for dessert as the cookie makers tackle the sweetest new social media trend -- Christmas cookie pies! To make these cookie pies truly decadent and delicious, they'll incorporate chocolate chips. When the last lavishly decorated slice of pie is served, one cookie maker will walk away with $10,000 and the Golden Ornament.
In the Christmas special of Holiday Baking Championship, hosts and judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Lorraine Pascale welcome back runner-up teams from previous seasons to battle it out for another chance to win. In the pre-heat, baking teams must use real letters to Santa to inspire a holiday dessert. For the main heat, teams bake and decorate cupcakes before assembling them into one giant edible holiday tree. The winning team earns $10,000 in holiday cash!
Host Jesse Palmer steps back in time to the Victorian era for an old-fashioned Christmas party. In the preheat, the remaining nine bakers are tasked with making fruitcake-blend desserts with a marinated mix of dried fruit, spices and liquor. Then, the bakers must make Lambeth cakes featuring intricate piping, strong color schemes and an unexpected twist featuring an old-timey ingredient. Judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller decide which baker will be eliminated.