: Jesse Palmer continues to be the perfect, charismatic host, while judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman, and Carla Hall offer a balanced mix of "grandma’s kitchen" wisdom and professional technical critique.

: The Main Heat required bakers to create Thanksgiving-themed "Cornucopia" cakes. The visual artistry on display was impressive, with several bakers using fondant and modeling chocolate to create stunningly realistic autumnal displays.

At times, the "twist" felt a bit forced, adding unnecessary stress to bakers who were already struggling with complex cake structures. Additionally, some of the flavor requirements felt repetitive if you’ve watched previous seasons. Final Rating: 4/5 Ginger Snaps

This review covers the "Sweet and Thankful" episode (Season 11, Episode 2) of Holiday Baking Championship , which aired in November 2024.

: The Pre-Heat focused on "reimagining" classic Thanksgiving sides as desserts—a risky move that resulted in some brilliant flavor profiles (like sweet potato and toasted marshmallow) and a few textural misses.