The 12 bakers are divided into the Nice Team and the Naughty Team and Jesse Palmer challenges each team to create an edible holiday village; judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown decide which baker from the losing team gets eliminated.
Jesse Palmer challenges the Naughty and Nice teams to make holiday cocktail and mocktail desserts; then, the bakers create meringue-based desserts that are either cheerful or cheeky, to impress judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown.
Jesse Palmer asks the teams to create over-the-top holiday wreath desserts and the team who won the previous challenge gets to pick a naughty or nice advantage; judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown decide which baker goes home.
In the semifinals, there are no more teams; Jesse Palmer gives the six remaining bakers a gauntlet of three retro Christmas dessert challenges; guest judge Stephanie Boswell joins Nancy Fuller and Kardea Brown to decide which bakers go to the finale.
Host Jesse Palmer honors the tradition of making treats for family and friends at a holiday open house; the bakers create holiday cheese ball desserts and holiday bark-inspired desserts to impress judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.
Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to make Thanksgiving cupcakes and 3D pies that bring drama to the Turkey Day feast; Kids Baking Championship alums Matt Azuma and Summer Haque join judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.
Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to create flavor friends desserts designed to make a seasonal flavor pairing shine; the bakers are divided into two teams as they take on apple vs. pumpkin desserts for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.
Jesse Palmer asks the remaining nine bakers to make fruit cake blend desserts and Victorian era Lambeth cakes, featuring intricate piping and an oldtimey ingredient; judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller decide which baker gets eliminated.
Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to make flavor-forward cookies; judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller decide the winner in a blind tasting.
Jesse Palmer asks the remaining seven bakers to team up and make ooey-gooey caramel and chocolate desserts; the real party begins as the ice luge arrives; the bakers make boozy trifles for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.
In the preheat, the bakers create faux candy desserts, traditional candy decorations that are actually desserts on the inside; the bakers construct gingerbread house cakes in unique architectural styles like modern, Tudor, cozy cottage or castle.
Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to combine two of the fall season's best treats and make seasonal coffee drink cinnamon rolls.
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!
Thanksgiving means food and football, so Jesse Palmer challenges the bakers to create holiday 7-layer desserts inspired by his favorite snack; the bakers compete in a Thanksgiving pie-off to win over judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller.
Jesse Palmer invites 12 bakers to channel their holiday spirit by making everything from Thanksgiving pies to a cake inspired by Wonka; only one baker will impress judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller enough to take home $25,000.
Jesse Palmer tasks the bakers with turning beautiful holiday designs into mini-tart mosaics; 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.
After learning the latke basics, Jesse Palmer has the bakers fry up latke-inspired desserts; the bakers' imaginations run wild while creating letterboard holiday bars to put judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman, and Nancy Fuller in the holiday spirit.
Jesse Palmer explores holiday traditions by challenging the bakers to craft Kwanzaa plantain desserts, make large edible ornaments, and create puff pastry Christmas tree pull-aparts for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman, and Nancy Fuller to tear into.
Jesse Palmer tasks the bakers with creating desserts featuring ingredients from Thanksgiving dinner; the competitors go beyond cookies to give the jolly gingerbread man a makeover to impress the judges.
Smoked, fried, brined, roasted and bacon-wrapped, Jesse Palmer uses the five-way turkey as inspiration for the bakers' preheat challenge; the competitors divide into teams to create a flight of pies that takes the judges on a flavorful journey.
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.
Jesse Palmer challenges the bakers to create a holiday high tea; the bakers get inspired by a holiday movie trope to create a dessert that's dripping with festive decorations.
In honor of Kwanzaa, Jesse Palmer tasks the bakers with crafting desserts that feature fresh corn for a traditional Kwanzaa display; the competitors put their personal stamp on international holiday desserts.
The bakers feel the holiday rush as Jesse Palmer sends them through three heated challenges: create ugly sweater cakes, turn store-bought cake into tasty centerpieces and build a snowman croquembouche.
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.
The bakers team up to take on boozy desserts and are challenged with five different styles of yule log cakes in 10 different flavor combinations.
The nine bakers make Mason jar fruit desserts; the competitors create heartfelt messages on top of a favorite Thanksgiving dessert: pie.
In a nod to the day after Thanksgiving, the bakers use Black Friday kitchen gadgets to make desserts; the competitors work in teams to create cornucopia bread baskets filled with flavored holiday breads.
In honor of the Hanukkah oil that kept burning, the seven remaining bakers must create festive Hanukkah olive oil cakes; in the main heat, the competitors randomly choose a dreaded holiday dessert and attempt to spin it into holiday happiness.
The holidays cue jaw-dropping light shows in neighborhoods around the world. The baking teams are challenged to create a holiday light show out of gingerbread and pair their glittering creations with the lightest of all desserts, choux pastry.
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.
The bakers create dessert charcuterie boards and piñata 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 gets $25,000!
The baking teams are asked to turn their favorite holiday window scene into a gingerbread display with an animated element and a champagne dessert.
Host Jesse Palmer challenges three teams of bakers to create a gingerbread scene depicting gnomes hangin' for the holidays. The teams also have to create a cardamom dessert to go with their scene.
The teams are inspired to tackle their challenge theme - A Monster Christmas.
Jesse Palmer kicks off the competition by challenging 12 bakers to make holiday decorated quick bread wreaths with assigned flavors.
Jesse Palmer asks the 11 remaining competitors to bake a cake inspired by a winter hat to impress judges; the baker at the bottom of the naughty or nice list will be going home.
Host Jesse Palmer asks the nine bakers to make holiday cookie-topped mini pies; the competitors celebrate fall with flavor combos; pumpkin-cider and chestnut-chocolate in cream pies; lattice pies.
The challenge for the eight bakers is to turn breakfast items into Thanksgiving desserts; Friendsgiving potluck-inspired desserts are made to impress judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall.
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.
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.
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.
Judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall look back at how the final four bakers made it to the finale, revealing the best bakes of the season and some of the slip-ups; they give an exciting behind-the-scenes view into how the show is made.
Host Jesse Palmer asks the 10 bakers to introduce themselves with edible place cards; the competitors must bake and decorate a Danish kransekake featuring holiday ingredients like chestnuts, graham crackers or toffee.
Using the crowd-pleasing holiday gift to create spiced nut desserts, each baker must make three pies using an assigned harvest ingredient and decorate each pie crust differently.
Jesse Palmer offers tips for surviving holiday madness while sharing highlights, including amazing desserts and hilarious banter.
Apple cider doughnuts are a sure sign of fall; Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to create a dozen kicked-up apple cider doughnuts decorated with seasonal themes; the bakers must transform a classic holiday yule log into a festive Thanksgiving roll cake.
Jason Smith makes glitzy macarons with chocolate and coconut filling.
The five bakers create assigned desserts that are inspired by and look like Santa Claus; the bakers are tasked with creating impressive cakes made to look like another icy North Pole staple.
Some of the tastiest treats of Hanukkah are gold-covered chocolate coins, and Jesse Palmer challenges the four remaining bakers to give the classic treat a twist by incorporating candied orange, espresso beans, smoked salt or toasted coconut.
Jesse Palmer challenges the three remaining bakers to make a Christmas morning brunch using the classic holiday flavors of gingerbread, cinnamon and eggnog.
Seven bakers must make a dessert combining cranberry with another flavor; to combat the sleepiness that follows turkey, the main heat challenges the bakers to create a sweet treat that pairs coffee with an unusual flavor of coffee syrup.
Five bakers have to update traditional rugelach with unexpected new flavors like cardamom, grapefruit, guava paste, peanut butter or chai; the judges are craving their favorite ingredients in the form of a light and creamy tiramisu in the main heat.
In the pre-heat, bakers have to combine common pantry ingredients like balsamic vinegar, potato chips, oatmeal, red wine and olive oil in a new version of a classic holiday dessert; the bakers must use two key fruitcake components in a new dessert.
Three final bakers must create a beautiful edible holiday ornament display in the pre-heat; for the final main heat, the bakers must create a cake that is decorated like a gift on the outside and reveals a surprise inside when sliced.
Bakers create eye-catching and tantalizing new holiday treats for seasonal parties; bakers create a dessert with an unusual candy cane flavor; for the main heat, they use a holiday cocktail as sweet inspiration; one unlucky baker goes home.
In the pre-heat, eight bakers team up to make a dozen hand pies in a festive holiday shape; for the main heat, bakers create a holiday dessert duo inspired by classic holiday flavor combinations.
In the pre-heat, seven bakers must create a Thanksgiving dessert using a mystery canned fruit; in the main heat, bakers whip up new Turkey Day sensations by combining two traditional desserts.
The six remaining bakers create new takes on traditional holiday baking; inspired by an internet baking meme, for the pre-heat they use yellow cake mix to make anything but cake; in the main heat, bakers must holiday up a non-holiday dessert.
The five remaining bakers ignite the holiday spirit with a fiery, pre-heat dessert; in the main heat, they take a traditional holiday cheese board and turn it into an unusual cheesecake.
The four remaining bakers celebrate two classic holiday traditions: Hanukkah jelly doughnuts and ye olde fruitcake.
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.
Clash of the Grandmas star Norma Zager joins Bobby Deen to lend her expertise; for the pre-heat, the contestants must make two types of cookies; the bakers compete to create the best pie without the use of appliances.
The remaining seven bakers create elegant trifles by combining all of their favorite Thanksgiving desserts into one; the bakers make Thanksgiving imposter cupcakes.
In the pre-heat, the remaining six bakers make desserts with toasted marshmallows; the bakers embellish traditional yule logs.
The bakers must whip up ugly Christmas sweater desserts for the pre-heat; in the main heat, the bakers create edible gift boxes filled with treats.
The remaining four bakers recreate their childhood memories of Christmas mornings by making edible dessert stockings; the bakers build colorful cream puff Christmas trees.
The final three must make snacks for North Pole characters other than Santa; the bakers must create a North Pole-inspired cake; the winner gets the title Holiday Baking Champion and a $50,000 prize.
Nutcrackers reveal assigned classic holiday nuts which then must be incorporated into a chocolate-nutty confection; the contestants highlight their favorite holiday memory in the form of a decorated pie.
The eight remaining bakers begin by making their best holiday whoopie pies; the bakers must create stuffed holiday cakes that reveal a surprise center when sliced open.
Thanksgiving-inspired desserts; in the first round, canned cranberry sauce; in the main heat, the bakers must invent a dessert highlighting their assigned harvest ingredient.
The six remaining bakers revel in the warm flavor of ginger; for their first challenge they create mini desserts highlighting candied ginger, then create three different types of holiday cookies inspired by family traditions.
The five remaining bakers reinvent two Hanukkah classics, rugelach and macaroons; unique version of a holiday croquembouche.
The four remaining bakers must make a candy apple dessert inspired by a candy apple gift, then figure out how turn the contents of a traditional gift basket into a delicious dessert.
The last three bakers must show off their decorating chops by baking and beautifully decorating a sugar cookie tree; in the final heat, the bakers need to transform their assigned holiday tradition into an intricately decorated cake.
Eight bakers have to prove their cookie baking skills in the first two challenges. The first challenge requires the bakers to use an assigned baking tool and the second challenge has the bakers using different holiday ingredients.
The seven remaining bakers take classic flavors to a new level; a swirled treat using eggnog; different versions of sugar and spice for a special dessert.
The six remaining bakers take on making pies; the first challenge has the bakers using a store-bought crust; the second challenge involves three different pies and three different crusts.
The five bakers left to compete take the fruitcake to a new level and reinvent the yule log.
The three remaining bakers face one challenge, but it's a massive one, constructing gingerbread worlds filled with all sorts of treats.