# The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show

The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show is a Christmas special edition of The Great Canadian Baking Show. Episodes have featured bakers from previous seasons of The Great Canadian Baking Show competing in season baking challenges to be named "Star Holiday Baker". Four episodes of The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show have aired, in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 respectively.

## 2019

The first episode of The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show aired on November 13, 2019. It featured four bakers from the show's first two seasons returning to compete in seasonal baking challenges.
This marked the final episode of hosts Carolyn Taylor and Aurora Browne in their presenting roles.

### Bakers

| Baker | Age | Profession | Hometown | Notes |
| James Hoyland | 47 | Physics professor | Richmond, BC | Season 1 semifinalist |
| Megan Stasiewich | 31 | Hairstylist | Leduc, AB | Season 2 finalist |
| Timothy Fu | 20 | Medical student | Edmonton, AB | Season 2 quarterfinalist |
| Vandana Jain | 38 | Chief financial officer | Regina, SK | Season 1 finalist |

### Bakes

For the signature challenge, the bakers had two and a half hours to produce 12 edible ornament cookies. The technical challenge gave the bakers three hours to create a challah and accompany it with homemade butter and apple butter. The bakers' showstopper challenge was to construct an elaborate, edible, and structurally-sound Christmas village in four hours.
| Baker | Signature (12 Cookie ornaments) | Technical (Challah) | Showstopper (Edible Christmas village) |
| James | Spiked Holiday Cookie Cards | 3rd | Village of the Nisse |
| Megan | Christmas Cookie Balls | 2nd | Christmas on the Slopes |
| Timothy | Alpaca Santa & His Loyal Elves | 1st | Fort Santa |
| Vandana | Holiday Sparkle Cookie Ornaments | 4th | Holiday Village by the Sea |

## 2021

A second episode of The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show aired on December 12, 2021. It featured four finalists from the show's first three seasons returning to compete in seasonal baking challenges.
Ann Pornel and Alan Shane Lewis, the hosts since season 4 of The Great Canadian Baking Show, appeared as presenters.

### Bakers

| Baker | Age | Profession | Hometown | Notes |
| Linda Longson | 67 | Payroll supervisor | High River, AB | Season 1 finalist |
| Sachin Seth | 46 | Dentist and dental professor | Halifax, NS | Season 2 finalist |
| Jodi Robson | 35 | Table games dealer | Regina, SK | Season 3 finalist |
| Colin Asuncion | 32 | Marketing manager | Toronto, ON | Season 3 finalist |

### Bakes

For the signature challenge, the bakers had to make a festive baking tray with two different types of desserts in two and a half hours. The technical challenge gave the bakers one hour and 45 minutes to make a vínarterta, a seven layered cake of alternating layers of almond biscuit and prune jam, originally brought to Manitoba by Icelandic settlers. The bakers' showstopper challenge was to create a choux wreath with incredible flavours and elaborate decorations in four hours.
| Baker | Signature (Festive baking tray) | Technical (Manitoba vínarterta) | Showstopper (Choux wreath) |
| Linda | 'Tis the Season Shortbread Tray | 4th | Holly Jolly Christmas Wreath |
| Sachin | Come in from the Cold Sweet Tray | 1st | Carolling at Christmas Wreath |
| Jodi | Festive Gingerbread Forest Treats | 3rd | Hors D'Oeuvres Wreath |
| Colin | Sugar and Spice Goodie Tray | 2nd | Woodland Wreath |

## 2022

A third episode of The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show aired on November 27, 2022. The episode featured returning bakers from the second, fourth, and fifth seasons to compete in seasonal baking challenges.
Ann Pornel and Alan Shane Lewis returned as presenters.

### Bakers

| Baker | Age | Profession | Hometown | Notes |
| Mengling Chen | 34 | Market research account manager | Toronto, ON | Season 2 semifinalist |
| Mahathi Mundluru | 26 | Marketing specialist | Markham, ON | Season 4 finalist |
| Stephen Nhan | 31 | Healthcare assessor | Regina, SK | Season 5 semifinalist |
| Steve Levitt | 55 | Small business owner | Aurora, ON | Season 5 finalist |

### Bakes

In the signature challenge, the bakers had two hours to make 18 savoury appetizers, 9 each of two different types for a holiday party platter. For the technical challenge, they were tasked with baking 20 gefüllte herzen, traditional German heart-shaped soft gingerbread cookies, with a layer of thick raspberry jam within, coated in dark chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate, in 2 hours and 15 minutes. For the showstopper, the bakers were given four hours to create a grand and impressive holiday scene cake, telling any holiday story or tradition, with the bakers being allowed to use any technique and additional bakes.
| Baker | Signature (Holiday party platter) | Technical (Gefüllte Herzen) | Showstopper (Holiday scene cake) |
| Mengling | Cheesy Christmas Platter | 3rd | Chinese New Year Cake |
| Mahathi | Elegant Indian Street Food Platter | 2nd | Rooted in Two Traditions Cake |
| Stephen | Nordic Canapes | 1st | Icelandic Snow Globe Cake |
| Steve | Apps-olutely Festive Family Platter | 4th | It's a Wonderful Cake |

## 2023

A fourth episode of The Great Canadian Holiday Baking Show aired on November 26, 2023. The episode featured four previous winners from the second, third, fourth, and fifth seasons, returning for a chance to become a Star Holiday Baker.
Ann Pornel and Alan Shane Lewis returned as presenters.

### Bakers

| Baker | Age | Profession | Hometown | Notes |
| Andrei Godoroja | 63 | Software company co-owner | Vancouver, BC | Season 2 winner |
| Nataliia Shevchenko | 37 | Customer account administrator | Edmonton, AB | Season 3 winner |
| Raufikat Oyawoye | 37 | IT business analyst | Milton, ON | Season 4 winner |
| Vincent Chan | 57 | Graphic designer | Mississauga, ON | Season 5 winner |

### Bakes

For the signature challenge, the bakers had 2 hours and 15 minutes to bake a tart with the theme of "cookies and milk" for Santa Claus, with "cookies" being used in any way in the bake and "milk" being any dairy product. In the technical challenge, they were tasked with making 12 sufganiyot, deep-fried doughnuts traditionally made for Hanukkuh, with half filled with strawberry jam and half filled with custard pastry cream, in 1 hour and 45 minutes. For the showstopper, the bakers were given 4 hours and 15 minutes to create a baking gift exchange, featuring elaborate desserts hidden inside handmade cookie boxes decorated for the season.
| Baker | Signature (Cookies and milk tart) | Technical (12 Sufganiyot) | Showstopper (Baking gift exchange) |
| Andrei | Milky Way Tart | 1st | Mini Italian Bakeshop |
| Nataliia | Cookies & Eggnog Tart | 3rd | Ukrainian Tribute |
| Raufikat | Jammy & Creamy Tart | 2nd | Fruity & Nutty Jewelry Box |
| Vincent | Fortune Cookie Tart | 4th | Warm & Frosty Holiday Gift |