10 Best Baking Shows Streaming Right Now

While people like Julia Child, Philip Harben, and Joyce Chen first laid the groundwork for televised cooking shows in the 1950s and '60s, it wouldn't take off as its own full-fledged genre until the era of reality TV several decades later. Soon, watching people cook food became so popular that entire cable stations were eventually built around the concept. And considering that "Hell's Kitchen" is one of the longest-running reality shows of all time, it's clear that shows about food prep remain a major draw.

We already did a list of the best cooking shows of all time, some of which certainly included both cooking and baking. But herein, we want to highlight shows that are built entirely around the latter. Whether reality competitions, lifestyle shows, or some other subgenre, all of these shows focus on baked goods, the people who bake them, and the people who enjoy them. More specifically, we wanted to bring attention to baking shows that are currently available to stream on one or more services — including as many free, non-subscription services as possible — as of the publication of this article, with none scheduled for removal from said service in the immediate future.

Cupcakes are just fun. They are fun to look at, fun to eat, and apparently, fun to watch people make as evidenced by the success of Food Network's "Cupcake Wars." Following a similar formula to "Chopped," "Cupcake Wars" sees four bakers compete in a three-round elimination competition wherein they have to bake cupcakes while following certain criteria — unique ingredients, fun themes, and in-person events, to name a few.

While a lot of shows of this ilk tend to run their course after a season or three, "Cupcake Wars" stuck around for an impressive 10 seasons. Debuting in 2009, it's not only the oldest baking competition on this list, but one of the first of its kind, period. So if you enjoy baking shows, "Cupcake Wars" deserves your thanks. 

Hosts: Justin Willman, Jonathan Bennett

Judges: Candace Nelson, Florian Bellanger

Originally aired on: Food Network

Years: 2009-2018

Where to watch: Tubi, HBO Max

It might seem like "Cake Wars" would've been the OG and "Cupcake Wars" the successor, but it's actually the opposite. After the success of "Cupcake Wars," it was basically a no-brainer to take the concept and apply it to entire cakes, which allow for bigger and more elaborate creations. It didn't last as long as "Cupcake Wars" at only five seasons — four regular seasons and a fifth "Champs" season (though there were Christmas specials in between too) — but that probably had more to do with the concept having run its course by then rather than "Cake Wars" being an inferior show. 

While "Cupcake Wars" worked up to the novelty episodes, "Cake Wars" kicked off with them. The first episode was themed after "The Simpsons," while a Nickelodeon-themed episode during Season 3 included Tom Kenny, who plays "SpongeBob SquarePants" in the show, as one of the guest judges. 

Host: Jonathan Bennett
Judges: Ron Ben-Israel, Waylynn Lucas
Originally aired on: Food Network
Years: 2015-2017
Where to watch: Tubi, Pluto

A lot of what Netflix has to offer in the reality space is more akin to reality TV shows like "Love is Blind" which focus on relationships, dating, and young adults in skimpy bathing suits. But the streamer has also brought the heat in terms of beefing up the food show genre, including a few noteworthy shows about baking and sweet food in particular. And one of the best is the reality competition "School of Chocolate."

Acclaimed French-Swiss chocolatier Amaury Guichon serves as host, teacher, and judge all in one as he both mentors and then judges eight contestants in a series of increasingly elaborate challenges. Because he's teaching the contestants and not strictly judging them, "School of Chocolate" feels more like watching a baking class than a reality competition, which sets it apart from most shows in this space. It unfortunately only got a single eight-episode season on Netflix, but on the plus side, that makes it a sweet and easy binge. 

Presenter: Amaury Guichon

Originally aired on: Netflix

Year: 2021

Where to watch: Netflix

Not all baking shows are competitions. Some, like "Cake Boss," are more traditional reality shows that are built around bakers and bakeries but are just as much about the personalities and the business of the industry as the sweet treats themselves. "Cake Boss" is one of the most popular and longest-running of this particular variety of baking shows, due in no small part to the larger than life personality of titular label holder Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro Jr. 

Valastro runs Carlo's Bake Shop with his wife, siblings, and various other spouses and relatives. The show revolves around both the bakery's products and its employees — and while the latter is ultimately the primary focus, the show spends plenty of time on the impressive desserts that Valastro and crew create. "Cake Boss" ran for eight seasons on TLC, switching to Discovery Family for its ninth and final season. Valastro also hosted his own competition show called "Cake Boss: Next Great Baker," though that's a little trickier to find on streaming.  

Cast: Buddy Valastro, Mauro Castano, Joey Faugno

Originally aired on: TLC

Years: 2009-2020

Where to watch: Tubi, HBO Max

Another Netflix entry, "Bake Squad" also takes a unique approach to the reality baking competition formula. Rather than new contestants each episode, the same four bakers – Maya-Camille Broussard, Ashley Holt, Gonzo Jimenez, Christophe Rull — return each week to compete against one another to impress a specific client. However, the competitive aspect is more of a friendly one, as there are no prizes. The client simply picks the dessert they like best, and that is that episode's de facto winner.

Most of the events are fairly standard affairs, from bar mitzvahs to weddings, but there's usually some fun angle that makes the results far more than just basic cakes and dessert platters. But it's the personalities of the contestants and their camaraderie that really makes "Bake Squad" stand out. Here's hoping it's not the last time we see them do something together. 

Host: Christina Tosi

Bakers: Maya-Camille Broussard, Ashley Holt, Gonzo Jimenez, Christophe Rull

Originally aired on: Netflix

Years: 2021-2023

Where to watch: Netflix

A popular trend on social media is to have amateur bakers try to recreate some elaborate dessert they saw a professional do — perhaps on one of the shows on this very list — only to fail in hilariously spectacular fashion. And thus came the inspiration for "Nailed It!," a show in which contestants are tasked with not only recreating a dessert they are shown a picture of but also having to complete it in a timed competition.

Needless to say, most of them fail, but that's part of the fun. And speaking of fun, "Nailed It!" isn't about mocking or shaming the contestants for not replicating the dessert. It's all playful teasing, laughing with them rather than at them. Comedian Nicole Byer makes the perfect host for the proceedings, with her warm presence and infectious laugh impossible to feel belittled by. Even Jacques Torres, the chef who is brought in to do the actual "judging," keeps the feedback to light constructive criticism at worst. 

Host: Nicole Byer

Judge: Jacques Torres

Originally aired on: Netflix

Years: 2018-2022

Where to watch: Netflix

The precursor to Food Network was The Cooking Channel, which initially focused on how-to shows from existing celebrity chefs. It took Bravo to take the first big swing at bringing food into the world of reality television, with the network's "Top Chef" going on to become one of the best reality TV shows of the 2000s. Once that foundation was laid and proved to be massively popular, Food Network soon followed suit with its own reality cooking and baking shows.

Among the first batch of reality baking shows was "Ace of Cakes," which is set in Baltimore's custom cake shop Charm City Cakes. Like "Cake Boss," "Ace of Cakes" is both a showcase of what Charm City Cakes creates and the people who do the creating, led by founder Duff Goldman. At the time, Duff and his friends/co-workers being Gen Xers with tattoos who rode motorcycles was a side of the baking industry that a lot of people hadn't seen before, and this really helped to make the industry feel a little more "hip" than it previously had. 

Cast: Duff Goldman, Geof Manthorne, Mary Alice Yeskey

Creators: Lauren Lexton, Tom Rogan

Originally aired on: Food Network

Years: 2006-2011

Where to watch: Tubi, Plex

Baking shows aren't exclusively the realm of cable TV and streaming services. In fact, Fox got in on the baking game in 2021 with the debut of the inventive "Crime Scene Kitchen." Hosted by Joel McHale, the show tasks its contestants with investigating a messy kitchen where a dessert had been created — the "crime scene" referred to in the title — and they have to deduce what dessert was made based on the scattered ingredients, the tools that have been used, and other such clues. After that, they need to actually recreate the dessert.

In the blog for the Auguste Escoffier School for the Culinary Arts, "Crime Scene Kitchen" was called a must-watch show for its pastry students. "Not only is the show entertaining, but baking and pastry students can watch it and dig into how to reverse engineer a recipe," the blog explains, praising the show for the way it takes the concept of a traditional baking competition show but works it backwards. As of this writing, "Crime Scene Kitchen" is still ongoing, with Season 4 yet forthcoming. 

Host: Joel McHale

Judges: Curtis Stone, Yolanda Gampp

Originally aired on: Fox

Years: 2021-Present

Where to watch: Tubi, Hulu

Not only is "The Great British Baking Show" one of best baking shows and best food shows, but it's one the best reality TV shows of all time, period. Much of its excellence comes from its polite and friendly vibe, with contestants often even stepping in to help each other out if someone gets into a jam.

The other component that makes the show work so well are the judges and hosts. Current judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith definitely aren't afraid to give firm criticism, but it never feels mean — unlike fellow British cooking show judge Gordon Ramsey, nobody is cursing or throwing plates here. The revolving panel of hosts can be hit or miss, with the tenure of comedian Matt Lucas seen as a low point for the series. But otherwise, the comedian hosts typically add a nice dose of that signature dry English humor to the proceedings that serves as the icing on the cake. Well, maybe calling it the drizzle on the profiterole would be the more apt metaphor here. 

Hosts: Noel Fielding, Mel Giedroyc, Alison Hammond, Sue Perkins

Judges: Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith

Originally aired on: BBC

Years: 2017-Present

Where to watch: Roku Channel, Netflix

It's impossible to watch "The Great British Baking Show" and not fall in love with most of the contestants. To that end, it's almost surprising that dozens of solo baking shows haven't spawned from the show's contestants, especially since the one we got can sit alongside the original show as one of the best baking shows around.

Nadiya Hussain won Season 6 of "The Great British Baking Show," and was a fan favorite from the beginning with her sweet disposition, warm screen presence, and of course, her formidable baking skills. She definitely deserved her own show, "Nadiya Bakes," and it was just as charming as one would've expected. Across the show's eight episodes, Hussain discusses some of her favorite desserts and demonstrates how they're made as she gives a background on them and her personal history in relationship to them.

While "Nadiya Bakes" deserved to last much longer than a single eight-episode season, Hussain has at least remained a steady presence on TV — also hosting the shows "Nadiya's British Food Adventure" and "Nadiya's Family Favorites." Both are excellent, but they aren't strictly baking shows so they weren't eligible for this list. 

Starring: Nadiya Hussain

Director: Katy Fryer

Originally aired on: BBC

Year: 2020

Where to watch: Netflix