Holiday Baking Championship

The pumpkin spice phenomenon hits the championship; for the pre-heat, nine bakers attempt to wow the judges with creative pumpkin spiciness; in the main heat, the bakers must combine a yule log with a classic holiday treat.

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 embrace the stuffed feeling after the Thanksgiving meal by making stuffed cakes featuring seasonal ingredients.

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.

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.

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.