The BEST episodes of The Great American Baking Show

Every episode of The Great American Baking Show ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Great American Baking Show!

Based on the hit UK series, “The Great British Bake Off,” the American version is hosted by Nia Vardalos & husband Ian Gomez, and is judged by Mary Berry & Johnny Iuzzini. The show premiered as “The Great Holiday Baking Show” but changed the name for its second season. It stars some of the nation’s best amateur bakers as they compete in a series of themed challenges and eliminations, all hoping to be crowned Baking Champion.

Last Updated: 10/31/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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8.48
25 votes

#1 - Cake Week & Morning Treats

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/7/2017

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star
8.26
19 votes

#2 - Semi-Final and Final

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/20/2018

Five finalists remain in the tent as they face their final 3 bakes, all hoping to make it to the final round. With their toughest challenges ahead, like French custards and cakes, the heat is on where only one baker will be named America’s Best Amateur Baker.

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Custard & Meringue Week
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8.15
13 votes

#3 - Custard & Meringue Week

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/22/2016

In the bakers' Signature Challenge, they will tackle Crème Brûlée - a dozen perfectly silky custards hidden beneath a hard caramel topping with unique flavors like chestnut, apple, peanut, maple and fennel. In the Technical, Mary Berry shares one of her favorite dishes to ring in the New Year, the French dish, oeufs en neige - otherwise known as "eggs in snow." For the Showstopper Challenge, the bakers will make 24 petite pavlovas, a baked meringue creation from Australia and New Zealand. Everyone is on pins and needles, as the bakers won't know if they've achieved the classic marshmallow center until their pavlovas are sliced open during judging.

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star
8.00
22 votes

#4 - Cake and Pastry Week

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/6/2018

The premiere kicks off with slices of cake and sweet & savory pastries, along with new host, Emma Bunton, Anthony “Spice” Adams, veteran judge Paul Hollywood, and new judge Sherry Yard.

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star
8.00
24 votes

#5 - Spice and Dessert Week

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/19/2019

Eight bakers tackle “Spice Week” with the bakers challenged to create sweet and savory creations using spices. Then, on “Dessert Week” the bakers creating delicious delicacies like cakes and cookies, including one of Paul Hollywood’s toughest challenges yet.

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8.00
28 votes

#6 - Semi-Final and Final

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/2/2020

The 4 remaining bakers face a showdown of sugar and spice where the winner is named “America’s Best Amateur Baker.”

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Finals Week
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7.90
29 votes

#7 - Finals Week

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/12/2017

Ten amateur bakers from across the country entered the tent, and now only two remain. The winner of this week will be named America's Best Amateur Baker.

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Bread Week
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7.88
40 votes

#8 - Bread Week

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/8/2016

In the Signature Challenge, the bakers create a dozen perfectly sized dinner rolls incorporating unique flavors and spices, including those traditional to Portugal and India. In the Technical Challenge, it's Johnny's Christmas Stollen, a traditional German Christmas fruit and nut bread. Finally, the competitors must create elaborate sculptures with bread!

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star
7.86
29 votes

#9 - Cake and Bread Week

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/12/2019

Cake and bread are on the menu when 10 aspiring bakers from around the country step into the famous white tent to tackle the challenges of cake and bread.

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Patisserie Week
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7.79
24 votes

#10 - Patisserie Week

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/5/2017

It’s the semi-finals, and the bakers prepare Petit four glacé-style mini cakes, French crullers, and mille-feuille.

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star
7.74
27 votes

#11 - Pastry and Cookie Week

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/26/2019

The 6 remaining bakers focus on flaky, flavorful pastries and holiday cookies.

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Pies & Tarts Week
star
7.67
33 votes

#12 - Pies & Tarts Week

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/15/2016

This week the bakers are frantically whipping egg whites and lighting up their blowtorches to give their meringues toasted finishes, hoping their creations stand up - and out - to the judges. Next is the Technical Challenge, where Mary surprises the bakers with her recipe for Partridge in a Pear Tart. With no molds, the bakers must freeform their creations, and not everyone finds pear shape perfection. Finally, for their Showstopper Challenge, it's all about savory flavors with Hors D'oeuvre Tartlets. With ingredients like kimchi butter and southern grits, these bakers are going outside of the box to create delicious holiday treats!

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Chocolate Week
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7.61
31 votes

#13 - Chocolate Week

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/22/2016

For the Signature Bake, the bakers are tasked with creating a dozen molten lava cakes where mere minutes in the oven can result in a cake whose center flows like hot magna or has no ooey-gooeyness at all. Next is the Technical Challenge, where the bakers are tasked to create a perfect assortment of delicious and decadent truffles. Finally, for their Showstopper Challenge, it's a naked, layered mousse cake full of soft, silky layers of flavorful mousse, built upon a baked foundation and topped with elaborate chocolate decorations. In the end, not everyone's desserts will rise to the occasion, and another baker will be eliminated from the competition.

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Cookie Week
star
7.55
29 votes

#14 - Cookie Week

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/1/2016

In their Signature Challenge, the bakers tackle bar cookies, showcasing everything from compotes to crumbles. In the Technical, Johnny challenges the bakers with a cookie that must be baked twice – biscotti. Then, in the Showstopper Bake, the bakers build elaborate 3D Iced Cookie Scenes.

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star
7.43
23 votes

#15 - Cookie and Bread Week

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/13/2018

The bakers return to the tent to test their skills at making decadent and delicious cookies and breads.

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star
7.42
33 votes

#16 - Pastry Week

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/14/2015

This week, the bakers must make breakfast pastries, Mary Berry's Christmas tart, and a holiday showstopper with cream puffs.

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star
7.40
57 votes

#17 - Cookie Week

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/30/2015

The bakers make seasonal cookies, ginger snaps, and showstopping gingerbread creations.

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Cake Week
star
7.31
32 votes

#18 - Cake Week

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/1/2016

For their very first Signature Bake, the bakers are tasked with making bundt cakes inspired by winter flavors. Next up, a Technical Challenge of Mary Berry's recipe for apple almond cake. And lastly, The Showstopper Bake has these bakers constructing fantastical multi-tiered holiday celebration cakes.

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star
7.23
44 votes

#19 - Cake Week

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/7/2015

The five remaining bakers must each make a festive yule log, Johnny's recipe for tiramisu cake, and a fruit cake inspired by the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

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star
6.96
28 votes

#20 - Final Week

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/21/2015

In the Season 1 finale, the three remaining bakers compete in the final three challenges in hopes of being named the winner.

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