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5 Of the Best Holiday Cooking Shows That Feel Like a Warm Hug

From baking competitions to small-town kitchens, these shows bring the warmth of the holidays right to your screen

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Tyler Schoeber

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We're knee deep into cozy season. It's time to light that cedar candle, pour yourself a glass of wine from Winc, and let your flatscreen provide all the cooking inspiration for you. With Thanksgiving and the rest of the winter holidays coming up, it's time to turn that stove on. Or, at least, binge-watch other people doing it. Either works.

Girl's hands holding bowl of creamed pumpkin soup

Girl's hands holding bowl of creamed pumpkin soup

 Getty Images

This season, we've found five cozy fall and holiday cooking shows here to warm your heart and fill your kitchen with idea after idea. All of these shows bring that perfect mix of comfort, flavor, and nostalgia. 

Oh, and for one of these picks, TV Guide readers will get an awesome deal on a cooking membership from America's Test Kitchen, which feels like the universe's way of saying "treat yourself." Right? Right. So what are you going to make first? Pumpkin risotto? Cinnamon bread pudding? Consider this your sign to pour up a drink, put on something cozy, and let the holiday season do its thing.

America's Test Kitchen

Left to Right: Morgan Bolling, Bryan Roof, Dan Souza, and Lidey Heuck

Left to Right: Morgan Bolling, Bryan Roof, Dan Souza, and Lidey Heuck

 America's Test Kitchen

If you've ever watched America's Test Kitchen, you already know it's the gold standard of food TV. Come on, it's an Emmy-winning mix of smart cooking and just the right amount of kitchen geekery. Since 2001, it's been showing home cooks how to smash the basics and pull off the impressive stuff, all with that signature "we actually tested this" confidence. ATK is typically $79.95/year, but since you're here with TV Guide, you're getting an even better offer, a 14-day free trial plus 50% off your first year. That means unlimited access to 14,000 tested recipes, 8,000 product reviews, every single episode ever made, and not a single ad to interrupt your binge — all at $39.97 for the whole year.

And if that's not enough to get you in the spirit, America's Test Kitchen is serving up even more this season. On Nov. 6, ATK launched a brand-new Friendsgiving Series on YouTube and other streamers like Philo and Sling Freestream, where the ATK Residents come together to swap dishes, play games, and share a few laughs. It's pretty wholesome content. Later in the month, you can kick back for their Thanksgiving Marathon from Nov. 21 through Nov. 31, followed by a full-on Holiday Marathon from Dec. 20 through Dec. 31, which is perfect background viewing for all your festive cooking (and eating) plans.

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking

 Food Network

There's just something about the holidays that feels undeniably Harry Potter-coded. Maybe it's the cozy lighting, the nostalgia, or the fact that we all end up rewatching the movies again for, like, the hundredth time. Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is back for Season 2, and it's already streaming on Food Network on Sundays at 8/7c, so you don't need to travel to Hogwarts to find it. James and Oliver Phelps bring their usual charm (and mischief) to the kitchen, while a new lineup of contestants whips up magical, over-the-top creations that would make even Mrs. Weasley proud. You can catch all the spellbinding chaos through any live TV streaming service that carries Food Network.

Be My Guest with Ina Garten

Be My Guest with Ina Garten

Be My Guest with Ina Garten

 Discovery+

The holiday season isn't complete without Ina Garten. While Barefoot Contessa ended in 2021 (you can still catch the classics on HBO Max), Ina's back with Be My Guest with Ina Garten, now streaming live on Food Network. Season 7 premiered Oct. 19 at 11 a.m. ET, with new episodes airing through the rest of the season. Each one brings food, conversation, and that effortless Hamptons warmth as Ina welcomes chefs, actors, and friends into her kitchen for good meals and even better company.

Holiday Baking Championship

Holiday Baking Championship

Holiday Baking Championship

 Food Network

Is it really the holiday season without this one? Holiday Baking Championship is back for a festive Season 12, and it's got all the jingle bells and whistles. This time, the bakers are split into Team Naughty and Team Nice. Go figure. Hosted by Jesse Palmer, the show is filled with over-the-top desserts, twinkling lights, and plenty of sugar-fueled drama as the contestants face off in new themed challenges. With judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller, and Kardea Brown at the table, expect tough love, cozy baked goods, and a whole lot of holiday cheer. You can watch this one on Food Network as well on Mondays at 8/7c. The new season just premiered back on Nov. 3, and with eight episodes total, we've still got a few left.

Gingerbread Land

Gingerbread Land

 Food Network

Gingerbread Land might just be the sweetest new thing on TV this season. Hosted by Oliver Hudson and produced by Chip and Joanna Gaines, it's a holiday competition that's more charming than chaotic, and that's saying something. Bakers go all out building tiny, edible worlds from scratch, with lights, moving parts, storybook vibes, the whole deal. It's the kind of show you watch with a cup of cocoa in hand and zero stress about timers or tension. You can catch it on Food Network and Magnolia Network on Mondays at 9/8c, with new episodes bringing all the sugar, spice, and gingerbread magic your holiday heart can handle.

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