There’s no disputing the fact that the best part of the holiday season is the food (with booze being a close second). But, since most of us aren’t trained chefs or pastry wizards, we need a little help to step up our game from premixed cinnamon rolls and cookie dough. And to do this, we aren’t interested in spending all of our free time reading dusty, old cookbooks. That’s what TV is for. Some of the best seasonal cooking and baking shows are available on various streaming services. From Hulu to Netflix and everything in between, these are our favorite festive holiday cooking and baking shows to prep your colon for the incoming sugary overdose.
Photo: Netflix
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Holiday Cooking And Baking Shows
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'Good Eats: Holiday'
Part of the appeal of Good Eats is the excitement with which host Alton Brown explains the inner workings of your favorite dishes. On these holiday-themed specials, the celebrity chef dives into all of our seasonal favorites including potato latkes for Hanukkah and a whole slew of holiday beverages.
Photo: Food Network
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'The Great Food Truck Race: Holiday Hustle'
If you’ve ever wanted to own a food truck, or you just enjoy buying burgers cooked on the side of the road, the holiday version of this Food Network show is prime viewing. Consisting of four episodes, chef Bobby Flay hosts this reality show that features food truck owners going head-to-head to make and sell holiday-themed foods.
Photo: Food Network
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'Holiday Baking Championship'
If you’re into sweet holiday treats, but you require more than just cookies, stream Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship. The two episodes aired in November with host Jesse Palmer and judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman, and Lorraine Pascale.
Photo: Food Network
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'Christmas Cookie Challenge'
If you like holiday-themed cooking and baking shows, look no further than the Food Network. From November until the New Year, the channel is inundated with holiday cooking shows. One of the best is the Christmas Cookie Challenge in which contestants craft all manner of seasonal treats to be judged by a panel of experts.
Photo: Food Network
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'The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition'
If you have a Netflix account, you’ve probably binged every season of The Great British Baking Show. But, did you know that there’s an American version that aired on ABC? On top of that, there’s also a holiday edition of the Americanized version as well. But wait, there’s more. Baby Spice is a judge and Paul Hollywood is on this one, too.
Photo: ABC
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'The Great British Baking Show: Holidays'
If you’ve never seen The Great British Baking Show, then you’re honestly missing out. Historically, reality shows are intense and filled with loud theme music and are overly cut to create tension. Not only does this show not do any of those things, there isn’t even a prize (except being named Top Baker). It’s light, fun, still has a bit of tension and a healthy dose of British wit and tasty treats. In the holiday version, former contestants return to make Christmas baked goods. It’s three episodes of Christmas cheer.
Photo: PBS
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'Nailed It! Holiday!'
Much of the appeal of Nailed it! is that not every participant on a baking reality show was classically trained by a master baker. In fact, some of them have no right being on a reality show and that’s what makes this Netflix show so fun. In the holiday version of the popular Netflix show, co-host Jacques Torres and Nicole Byer relish in the ridiculousness of the botched and sometimes edible holiday favorites.
Photo: Netflix
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'Sugar Rush Christmas'
Netflix’s Sugar Rush is a show where chefs Adriano Zumbo and Candace Nelson (as well as various celebrities) judge various sugary, gooey, and downright delectable pastries and baked goods made by four different teams of bakers. The show’s holiday special is available to stream now.
Photo: Netflix
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'The Chef Show'
Also, not technically a holiday show, The Chef Show is the most fun, hilarious, and exciting way to learn a new dish. Actor and director Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi create delicious food from start to finish with some of their celebrity friends. It’s the kind of cooking show we’ve been waiting for our whole life and perfect for the holiday season.
Photo: Netflix
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'Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner'
Sure, Netflix’s Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner isn’t technically a “holiday” show, but it will give you a warm feeling as chef David Chang follows up his popular show Ugly Delicious with this docuseries that focuses on more of his favorite dishes. Each episode, Chang eats all three meals in one city with a famous guest. It’s the kind of show we like to binge all day while we’re snuggled up in a big blanket with a hot chocolate.
Photo: Netflix
