The following is a list of episodes for the reality television cooking series Halloween Baking Championship on Food Network. Judges are Carla Hall (season 1-11), Sherry Yard (season 1), Ron Ben-Israel (season 1), Sandra Lee (season 2), Damiano Carrara (season 2), Zac Young (season 3+), Lorraine Pascal (season 3–4), Katie Lee (season 5), Stephanie Boswell (season 6+), and Aarti Sequeira (season 12+).
Series overview SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedFirst airedLast aired14253646566777889810711712TBATBA
Season 1 (2015) Seven bakers and chefs competed in a four-episode baking tournament. One person got eliminated every week until the final episode where one person was eliminated early on and the final three compete for the grand prize of $25,000. Judges for this season are Carla Hall, Ron Ben-Israel, and Sherry Yard.
Contestants 1st - Rudy Martinez, Home Bakery Owner from Queens, New York 2nd - Scott Breazeale, Executive Chef from Plymouth, Michigan 3rd - Jason Hisley, Bakery Owner and chef from Baltimore, Maryland 4th - Ashlee Prisbrey, Baker from Salt Lake City, Utah 5th - Audrey Alfaro, Home Baker from Spokane, Washington 6th - Erin Cooper, Baker from Owings Mills, Maryland 7th - Jennifer Petty, Home Bakery Owner from West Covina, California
Episodes Ep. #TitleOriginal Air Date1"Trick or Treats"Preliminary Heat: Make a dozen trick-or-treat candy cupcakes in 75 minutes. The contestants had to blindly grab a bag of candy from a "bubbling cauldron" and incorporate them into their cupcakes. Winner: Jason Hisley (His advantage going into the "Main Heat" was being able to switch his card with another contestant, or switch two contestant's cards. He chose to switch his cowboy card with Audrey's pirate card.)
Main Heat: The contestants had to blindly pick a card that depicted a classic Halloween costume. They were tasked to create a dessert in 90 minutes that represented that costume.
Winner: Audrey Alfaro
Eliminated: Jennifer PettyJudges' Costumes: Sherry Yard (Good Witch) Ron Ben-Israel (Pirate) Carla Hall (Bad Witch)2"Monster Mashups"Preliminary Heat: Mashup two pre-made grocery food items into a dozen tasty treats in 45 minutes. The contestants had to pick from grocery items like cookie dough in a tube and frozen pie crusts. Winner: Erin Cooper (Her advantage was getting ten minutes of sous chef help from judge Sherry Yard.)
Main Heat: The contestants each picked two hollow apples from a prop tree; a red apple had a specific flavor and a green apple had a spooky theme. They were tasked to combine flavor and theme into a cohesive dessert, in 90 minutes.
Winner: Jason Hisley
Eliminated: Erin CooperJudges' Costumes: Sherry Yard (Empress Josephine) Ron Ben-Israel (1940s gangster) Carla Hall (1920s flapper)3"Field of Screams"Preliminary Heat: Inspired by autumn hayrides and farms, the contestants have 75 minutes to make creepy doughnuts. Winner: Rudy Martinez (His advantage is revealed partway into the second round; picking and assigning extra ingredients to himself and his competitors.)
Main Heat: The contestants must create a graveyard themed pumpkin dessert. Halfway into the competition, Rudy's advantage is brought up. He gets first pick of a basket of mandatory extra ingredients. He takes candied ginger for himself then assigns dried cherries to Scott, cream cheese to Jason, walnuts to Ashlee, and raisins to Audrey.
Winner: Rudy Martinez
Eliminated: Audrey AlfaroJudges' Costumes: Sherry Yard (Cleopatra) Ron Ben-Israel (Maharaja) Carla Hall (flamenco dancer)4"Haunted House Party"Preliminary Heat: Make a dessert that looks like a creature associated with haunted houses in 2 hours. Each contestant fishes a key from an urn and are assigned the character written on the key. (Ashlee got "mummy", Scott got "zombie", Rudy got "vampire", and Jason got "skeleton"). In this episode, the weakest dish is eliminated from the first round. Ashlee is eliminated. Winner: Jason Hisley (There is no advantage given in this episode)
Main Heat: The final three contestants have 5 hours to create a haunted house cake.
Winner of $25,000: Rudy Martinez
Eliminated: Scott Breazeale and Jason HisleyJudges' Costumes: Sherry Yard (Marie Antoinette) Ron Ben-Israel (Carnival dancer) Carla Hall (mermaid) Special Guest: Duff Goldman (werewolf)
Results Contestant 1 2 3 4Rudy IN LOW WIN‡ WINNERScott IN IN HIGH OUTJason HIGH‡ WIN LOW OUT‡AshleeIN HIGH LOW OUTAudrey WIN IN OUTErin LOW OUT‡ Jennifer OUT
: Ashlee was eliminated after the finale Preheat.
(WINNER) The contestant won the whole competition. ‡ The contestant won the Pre-Heat challenge. (WIN) The contestant won the Main Heat challenge. (HIGH) The contestant had one of the best dishes for that week. (IN) The contestant performed well enough to move on to the next week. (LOW) The contestant had one of the bottom dishes for that week, but was not eliminated. (OUT) The contestant was eliminated for worst dish.
Season 2 (2016) Seven bakers competed in a five-episode baking tournament. In this season they incorporated midround twists (usually an ingredient the contestants had to add to their confection). The winner got $25,000. Judges for this season are Carla Hall, Sandra Lee, and Damiano Carrara.
Contestants 1st - Michelle Antonishek, Executive Pastry Chef from Cotulla, Texas 2nd - Tamara Brown, Home Baker from Baldwin Park, California 3rd - Veronica von Borstel, Cake Designer from San Diego, California 4th - John Schopp, Pastry Instructor from Roanoke, Virginia 5th - Amy Strickland, Bakery Owner from Lake City, Florida 6th - Damien Bagley, Pastry Instructor from Las Vegas, Nevada 7th - Brad Rudd, Bakery Manager from Encino, California : Amy Strickland withdrew from the competition, just before the start of the third episode, due to stress concerns since she was 6 months pregnant.
Episodes Ep. #TitleOriginal Air Date1"Monsters, Monsters, Monsters"Preliminary Heat: Make a dozen bite-sized treats that look like monsters in 60 minutes. Winner: Michelle Antonishek (Her advantage was exclusive use of creepy molds and tools for the second round challenge)
Main Heat: The contestants had to make an edible zombie treat in 2 hours. They had to incorporate raspberries into their dessert. Mid-round twist is to incorporate sugar work.
Winner: Amy Strickland
Eliminated: Brad RuddJudges' Costumes: Carla Hall (Uncle Sam) Damiano Carrara (firefighter) Sandra Lee (monarch butterfly) 2"Cravings from the Grave"Preliminary Heat: Use ready-made pie crust to make fast mummy treats in 30 minutes. Winner: John Schopp (His advantage was being able to switch his tombstone with another contestant or switch two contestant's tombstones. He chose to switch Amy's "witch hat" with Michelle's "cauldron".)
Main Heat: The contestants each picked a little tombstone that had a theme written on the back. They had 2 hours to make a candy stuffed cake inspired by their respective Halloween themes. John got 'eyeball', Damien got 'crystal ball', Amy got 'witch hat', Michelle got 'cauldron', Tamara got 'skull', and Veronica got 'pumpkin'. After the switch, Amy got 'cauldron' and Michelle got 'witch hat'. Mid-round twist is to add lime curd representing slime.
Winner: Tamara Brown
Eliminated: Damien BagleyJudges' Costumes: Carla Hall (zombie bride) Damiano Carrara (1950s greaser) Sandra Lee (Victorian vampire) 3"Haunted Circus"Preliminary Heat: Bake a half dozen creepy clown cake pops in 45 minutes. Winner: Michelle Antonishek (Her advantage is first choice of two characteristics/themes in the second round.)
Main Heat: The contestants each picked one stuffed spider and one stuffed alligator; all wearing tags with different characteristics and different creatures. They had 2 hours to combine both tag descriptions into an edible freak show creature. Michelle picked "fire-breathing" as her characteristic and "snake" as her creature. Tamara paired up "two-headed" "turtle". John paired up "sword-swallowing" "mermaid". And Veronica paired up "werewolf" "strongman". Mid-round twist is to add roasted peanuts.
Winner: Tamara Brown
Eliminated: No eliminations this episode because Amy Strickland left the competition.Judges' Costumes: Carla Hall (Little Bo Peep) Damiano Carrara (gondolier) Sandra Lee ("winter") 4"Spirits Rising"Preliminary Heat: Make a dessert that looks like a monster's tomb in 60 minutes. Mid-round twist is to incorporate funeral flowers into the design. Winner: Michelle Antonishek (Her advantage is access to Mexican ingredients for the main challenge)
Main Heat: The contestants have 90 minutes to make a confection honoring "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). Mid-round twist is to incorporate habanero peppers into their desserts.
Winner: Michelle Antonishek
Eliminated: John SchoppJudges' Costumes: Carla Hall (warrior princess) Damiano Carrara (glam metal rocker) Sandra Lee (snow queen) 5"Ginger Dead House"October 31, 2016Preliminary Heat: Make creepy, decorated cookies to hang on a decorative "haunted" cookie tree in 2 hours. Winner: Tamara Brown (Her advantage is able to pick and assign themes in the second round)
Main Heat: The final three contestants have six hours to create a haunted gingerbread house specific to a structural theme. For winning the pre-heat, Tamara picked "Gothic Castle" and assigned "Cabin in the Woods" to Veronica and "Asylum" to Michelle. Mid-round twist is to add a ginger and chocolate treat to complement their house.
Winner of $25,000: Michelle Antonishek
Eliminated: Tamara Brown and Veronica von BorstelJudges' Costumes: Carla Hall (Bollywood star) Damiano Carrara (gladiator) Sandra Lee (Cher) Special Guest: Duff Goldman (tree creature)
Results Contestant 1 2 3 4 5Michelle IN‡ IN HIGH‡ WIN‡ WINNERTamara LOW WIN WIN LOW OUT‡Veronica IN IN LOW HIGH OUTJohn IN LOW‡ LOW OUT Amy WIN HIGH WDR Damien HIGH OUT Brad OUT
: No one was eliminated at the end of Week 3.
(WINNER) The contestant won the whole competition. ‡ The contestant won the Pre-Heat challenge. (WIN) The contestant won the Main Heat challenge. (HIGH) The contestant had one of the best dishes for that week. (IN) The contestant performed well enough to move on to the next week. (LOW) The contestant had one of the bottom dishes for that week, but was not eliminated. (OUT) The contestant was eliminated for worst dish. (WDR) The contestant voluntarily left the competition.
Season 3 (2017) Eight bakers competed in a six-episode baking tournament. One person got eliminated every week until the final three compete for $25,000. Judges for this season are Carla Hall, Zac Young, and Lorraine Pascale.
Contestants 1st - Jasmin Bell, Pastry Instructor from Seattle, Washington 2nd - Jonathan Elias, Pastry Chef from Troy, Michigan 3rd - Jessica Scott, Executive Pastry Chef from San Diego, California 4th - Ray Vizcaino, Cake Decorator from San Diego, California 5th - Tyler Davis, Pastry Chef from St. Louis, Missouri 6th - Dina Melendez, Pastry Chef from Brooklyn, New York 7th - Cliff Butler, Pastry Chef from Austin, Texas 8th - Andrea Kratville, Home Baker from Sonora, California
Episodes Ep. #TitleOriginal Air Date1"Filled With Surprises"Preliminary Heat: Make one dozen cookies stuffed with candy in 90 minutes. Each contestant blindly picked a spooky theme written on a scarecrow's stick finger and incorporate it into their cookies. Winner: Ray Vizcaino (His advantage was first pick of pre-determined flavors of "slime" for the next round. He chose raspberry.)
Main Heat: The contestants had to make a dessert filled with gooey "slime" in 2 hours. Mid-round twist is to create a little edible slime creature that lives in the dessert.
Winner: Jasmin Bell
Eliminated: Andrea KratvilleJudges' Costumes: Carla Hall (ghost bride) Zac Young (knight) Lorraine Pascale (witch)2"Bewitching Treats"Preliminary Heat: Bake 10 witch's fingers and toes in 1 hour and make a dipping sauce for the baked appendages.