Host Jesse Palmer asks the remaining eight bakers to make desserts representing snow-day activities like cutting out snowflakes, sledding, or snowshoeing. Plus, since the holidays are all about giving, Jesse offers the most recent winning team a difficult choice between two nice or naughty gifts -- a 15-minute head start or stealing a baker from the other team! Judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller, and Kardea Brown decide which baker from the losing team is eliminated.
It all comes down to this -- the season finale! Inspired by the eerie exterior of the mansion, host John Henson asks the final four bakers to make haunted grounds desserts that will set the stage for their ultimate showdown. The winner of this challenge claims a powerful advantage heading into the final bake. Then, in a truly chilling finale, the bakers face their darkest fears by creating a "most feared demise" cake in a haunting tribute to the way they dread going out. Judges Carla Hall, Zac Young and Stephanie Boswell determine which terrifyingly tasty creation will earn its baker $25,000 and the title of Halloween Baking Champion!
Host Jesse Palmer asks the teams to create over-the-top holiday wreath desserts, and they cannot repeat desserts within their team. Also, there's only one challenge this time, and the team who won the previous challenge gets to pick a naughty or nice advantage -- either take away the other team's stand mixers or get an exclusive basket of decorating items. In the end, judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller, and Kardea Brown decide which baker goes home.
During the holidays, it takes teamwork to pull off special gatherings. So in the pre-heat, eight bakers team up to make a dozen hand pies in a festive holiday shape. Then for the main heat, bakers create a holiday dessert duo inspired by classic holiday flavor combinations.
The holidays are a time for artistry and decorations, so for the pre-heat, inflatable holiday decorations inspire the six bakers' cute cream puff displays. In the main heat, the bakers dazzle the judges with delicious hand-painted eggnog cakes.
Grab your favorite ugly Christmas sweater and join host Jesse Palmer for presents, games and tasty holiday challenges. In the preheat, the bakers team up to make ooey-gooey holiday caramel and chocolate desserts. Then, the real party begins as the ice luge arrives, and the bakers make boozy trifles for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller that feature an assigned liqueur and a twist with a lot of personality.
It's the finale, and three challenges await the five remaining bakers! For the preheat, host Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to create "naughty" elf desserts in flavors like black licorice, sauerkraut, or red curry. Then, in an elimination challenge, the competitors make "nice" hot cocoa desserts. For the final bake, the bakers must make a large-scale, over-the-top naughty vs. nice cake with both themes clearly represented in the decorating. Guest judge Zac Young joins Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown to decide which talented baker walks away with $25,000 and the title of Holiday Baking Champion!
In the season finale, host Jesse Palmer is throwing a gingerbread house party with all the trimmings! In the preheat, the bakers create faux candy desserts, traditional candy decorations that are actually desserts on the inside. Then, the competitors must take inspiration from holiday eggnog flavors to create the most impressive eggnog desserts for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller, and one baker will be eliminated. For the final challenge, the bakers construct gingerbread house cakes in unique architectural styles like modern, Tudor, cozy cottage or castle. In the end, only one baker will be named Holiday Baking Champion and take home $25,000!
Host Jesse Palmer challenges the nine remaining bakers to make seasonal holiday pies with no repeated flavors among their own team. In a surprise bit of strategy, each team must select only their best two pies for tasting by judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller, and Kardea Brown. To make the decision, the bakers taste their team's pies on their own. Feathers might get a little ruffled, but it's for the team! In the end, a baker from the losing team is eliminated.
In the semifinals, the six remaining bakers are surprised to learn from host Jesse Palmer that there are no more teams, and they will be competing individually as they face a gauntlet of three challenges. First, the bakers must create retro Christmas desserts and add holiday flair to the decorating. Then, in a second heat, the competitors are tasked with making desserts with old-school gelatin mold flavors like lime cream cheese, peach buttermilk, or orange marshmallow. In the main heat, bakers must turn things like canned apple pie filling, canned pineapple, or instant chocolate pudding into retro ingredient desserts that are impressive enough to land them in the finale. Guest judge Stephanie Boswell joins Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown to decide which bakers move on and which baker is eliminated.