6 Baking Shows Worth Watching, And 3 To Skip

Most of us would agree that it's mesmerizing to see how professional bakers and pastry chefs make beautiful desserts. Since not all of us have the privilege to watch bakers and chefs work, we luckily have something that makes up for it – baking shows. Lately, there are plenty of baking shows airing on different platforms, with some of them specifically made for certain occasions. For instance, you've probably come across a lineup of Halloween and Holiday baking shows that are worth adding to your watchlist. The number and variety of shows aside, the real question here is: are they all worth watching? Well, yes and no.

Many shows follow a unique concept, are edited well, and are just fun, so they're definitely worth checking out. However, just like there are plenty of food competition shows that flopped, there are certain baking shows that didn't live up to the hype because they are absurd, unprofessionally hosted, and sometimes also a bit corny.

To help you decide which ones are worth your time and which aren't, we've created this list. And to start on a positive note, we'll talk about all the baking shows you should watch first. This list was based on factors such as IMDb ratings, Reddit threads, and various reviews, so that it's as unbiased as possible.

If you've been looking for a baking competition where professional bakers put their best foot forward in not just one, but several rounds, you should add "Sugar Rush" to your watchlist. This Netflix show is binge-worthy because the contestants are professionals who own small businesses or work as executive bakers, so you know the stakes are high, and they will make desserts that look like masterpieces.

Every episode of "Sugar Rush" features four new teams of two chefs. In the first round of this competition, they're supposed to make cupcakes. But the ones these chefs make aren't your regular chocolate or vanilla cupcakes with buttercream. They go outside the box and think of flavors that you would've never imagined could work together (they are professionals, after all). In the second round, the contestants make a confection of their choice. The chefs get really creative and make desserts like tarts, chocolates, and entremets. The last round is all about making large, out-of-this-world cakes. Each episode follows a theme, and the bakers are expected to create their desserts in all three rounds based on that. And the prize? $10,000.

This show is judged by legends like Candace Nelson and Adriano Zumbo. It has a decent 7.0 rating on IMDb, and people have also said good things about it on Reddit, with most mentioning that they really enjoy the show. Though the last season of "Sugar Rush" came out in 2020 (including the Christmas spin-off), it is surely worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

Another Netflix original, "Bake Squad," should be added to your watchlist right away. This show features four professional bakers (the squad) who compete with each other in every episode. In each episode, a client tasks the squad with creating a dessert by specifying the occasion, theme, and preferred flavors. The squad then gets to work creating their wonderful masterpieces.

Each baker in the squad is a master at a particular skill, and all of them help each other out when they want to try something that another baker is good at. For instance, Ashley, who is called "the queen of cakes" by host Christina Tosi, helps other members multiple times throughout the two seasons when they want cake decorating tips. The overall friendly vibe of the show makes it very refreshing. In fact, a few Reddit users seem to love that aspect and hence recommend watching the show. No wonder that most episodes have received ratings of over 7 on IMDb.

Another fun bit about "Bake Squad" is that Christina Tosi isn't the judge. Instead, it's the clients who ask the squad to make those desserts. And unlike many other cooking shows where you don't know what happens to the leftover food, here, the dessert actually ends up at the client's event. Seeing them enjoy and appreciate the desserts is a lot of fun, and all of this together makes this show worth your time.

You've probably seen many reels by French chef Amaury Guichon on Instagram making massive chocolate showpieces. If that seems intriguing enough to you, you'll definitely love the baking show "School of Chocolate", which is hosted and judged by him. This show has an IMDb rating of 7.6, so evidently, those who have seen it really love it.

While this single-season Netflix show is also a baking competition with professional chefs as contestants, it has a pretty unique approach. Every episode starts with Chef Amaury teaching the contestants how to work with chocolate properly. From top tips for tempering chocolate like a pro to how to make molds using plastic and acetate sheets, he covers all these techniques. He then gives them two assignments where they are supposed to create desserts with chocolate that appear like everyday objects. He also guides those who are slightly weaker than everyone else to help them improve. The best thing about this show is that, though it's a competition, there's no elimination as such. Many viewers seem to particularly love this aspect of the show and have stated the same on Reddit.

That said, there is a 'best in class' by the end of the last episode (technically the winner), as there should be — it is a competition after all. All in all, since this show will probably be unlike any other you've seen, you should give it a go.

If you'd like to watch a baking show that has passionate home bakers rather than professional chefs, "The Great British Bake Off" (or "The Great British Baking Show "as it's called in America) is the show for you. This show is lighthearted and fun, and with 16 seasons and an IMDb rating of 8.6, it has clearly been thriving.

It's a competition show where novice bakers face off in a white tent. Just like most other shows, the contestants face challenges, and finally, one of them wins by the end of each season. You may think that this sounds similar to any other baking competition, so what makes it so great that everyone loves it? Well, the main reason is that everyone is really nice to each other, unlike many other cooking or baking competitions. That's what makes it worth a watch. Many Redditors have specifically pointed out that they love this about the show, with one of them writing, "One of my favourite baking shows and unlike most reality shows does not try to manipulate contestants against each other or create artificial stress for them." Other than that, it also has a great lineup of judges, with Nigella Lawson appearing in the upcoming season. If you love her cooking shows, that gives you one more reason to watch this iconic baking competition.

So far, we've only covered baking competitions, which are fun. But sometimes, you just want to sit back and watch a chef with a soothing voice make their favorite recipes. Well, if that's what you're into, "Nadiya Bakes" is a baking show that you'll probably love. With an IMDb rating of 7.2, it is hosted by a former "The Great British Bake Off" champion, Nadiya Hussain, and viewers adore her charming persona. Most of them have expressed the same on Reddit, with one of them writing, "I love her personality and am so glad to see her doing her thing!" That said, Nadiya's amazing personality isn't the only thing that makes this show a hit and worth watching. Reviewers have also stated that the dishes she makes, or rather bakes, are all beautiful and easy to recreate at home.

The premise of the show, as you've probably already guessed, is that Nadiya Hussain bakes delicious treats, both sweet and savory, but all with her own twist, which makes them stand out. And since she won one of the most famous baking shows, it isn't surprising that her recipes are great. No wonder she was chosen to make the Queen's birthday cake back in 2016.

The cherry on top (pun intended) in her show is that she also features other chefs who are masters at certain skills. "Nadiya Bakes" only has one season, so it's likely you'll binge-watch all the episodes multiple times.

"Nailed It!" isn't like any other quintessential baking show you might have seen so far. It's funny, quirky, and features amateur bakers with a passion, but not much skill. That's what truly sets it apart from other shows.

This show has two rounds of competition, with three new contestants in each episode. They are shown certain desserts for inspiration, such as cupcakes, pancakes, or cake pops, and then asked to remake them in the first round. Whoever wins gets a little prize. All of them move on to the second round, where they are asked to recreate a cake made by the guest judge. The best part is that the winner of each episode gets $10,000.

Since the participants aren't the best at baking, the desserts they make barely ever resemble those they are supposed to recreate. The host and judges also have really funny reactions, and no one seems to put down any of the contestants despite their questionable-looking desserts. This fun premise is what makes "Nailed It!" a great watch. Many Redditors love this aspect of the show, as, of course, no one is watching it to get baking tips. Unsurprisingly, "Nailed It!" also has a rating of 7.4 on IMDb. If you're not a great baker, you should watch this show, as it will feel very relatable and fun.

In theory, "Cakealikes" is a baking show that has all the elements to be a top hit – skilled bakers as contestants, celebrity chefs and cake artists as judges, and a decent theme. However, it's still a miss among viewers. It has a rating of only 3.2 on IMDb, so this is a show you can surely skip. But before we get into why "Cakealikes" isn't worth your time, let us briefly explain what it's about.

The theme of this show is pretty simple. Each episode has three teams. Unlike other baking competitions where contestants make several desserts, in this show, they just have to make one cake. But it isn't just any cake, as every episode revolves around a certain celebrity or a group of celebrities (like Lady Gaga, RuPaul, Kim Kardashian, and the Brady Bunch), and the contestants have to make a large cake that looks exactly like them (hence, the name "Cakealikes"). The prize? Every episode has a winning team that gets $10,000.

Now, let's get to all that's wrong with this show. On IMDb, users have gone so far as to call this show a joke, mainly because most of them found the judges highly unprofessional and annoying. People have shared similar opinions on Reddit. Some viewers have also mentioned on both platforms that the cakes made by the contestants look very amateurish, even though they are professional bakers, and hence, the show doesn't deliver what it promises. Given these reviews, you're probably better off watching another baking show.

Unlike the previous entry, this show hasn't necessarily been called bad by viewers. At the same time, it isn't so great either, and so, you won't be missing out on anything if you skip it. "Blue Ribbon Baking Championship" has a 6.8 rating on IMDb, but most of the reviews are mixed. Many viewers think the show is a knockoff of "The Great British Bake Off," but misses the mark.

The concept of this show is seemingly interesting, though a little outdated. It's a baking competition show with multiple contestants, two rounds in each episode, an elimination at the end of every episode, and a winner who gets a massive cash prize. The only thing that sets this show apart is that the contestants have all won blue ribbons at state fairs around the country.

Those who don't like "Blue Ribbon Baking Championship" have two major problems with it: one of the judges, Sandra Lee, and how unfair the judging overall is. In fact, one reviewer blatantly wrote on Rotten Tomatoes, "This show just proves that the judges have already decided who they want to win." This surely isn't a good sign and indicates you should invest your time in a different show.

This one is a bit of a controversial pick when it comes to shows worth skipping, as it does have a fan following. But we have reasons why we've added it here.

First, for those who don't know, "Is It Cake?" follows this concept: In each episode, three contestants are supposed to make a cake that looks like a certain everyday object. Then, the cake is placed on a podium next to multiple pieces of the same object, and a panel of three guest judges guesses which one is the cake from a distance. The host cuts into that object to check if it's cake, and if the judges get it wrong, the contestant gets a cash prize. There's also a winner at the end of each season. While this concept is fun, it does get boring and repetitive soon. And even though this is a baking competition, it doesn't explore the baking aspect in as much depth as some other shows, which is a bummer for sure.

Other than that, many viewers also have an issue with the host, Mikey Day. Multiple users on IMDb have pointed out that he seems to try too hard and cracks corny jokes all the time, which sort of ruins the experience for them. The overall rating of "Is It Cake?" on IMDb is just 6.1, making it a pretty average show that you can pass on.