Food Network’s two fan-favorite Halloween competitions are back for 2026, and they premiere on back-to-back nights. Halloween Wars returns first with its 16th season on Sunday, September 13 at 9|8c, and Halloween Baking Championship follows with its 12th season on Monday, September 14 at 9|8c. Both shows open with two-hour premieres, and new episodes stream the next day on HBO Max.
Halloween Wars Season 16: “Back from the Dead”
Halloween Wars kicks off a “Back from the Dead” season, bringing back all-star pumpkin carvers, cake artists, and sugar masters, some defending former titles and others hunting for redemption. Jonathan Bennett returns as host, joined by judges Shinmin Li and Andrew Fuller, who award $30,000 to the winning team.
The two-hour premiere runs two rounds. It opens with head-to-head battles that Food Network says could put even the strongest teams of former champions in jeopardy, then drops the losing teams into a “Do or Die” showdown where one team is eliminated. On social, host Jonathan will take on mini-Halloween challenges while Shinmin and Andrew share home-baking tips, all under #HalloweenWars.
Halloween Baking Championship Season 12: The Museum of Unnatural History
The following night, Halloween Baking Championship returns with 10 bakers competing for the title and a $25,000 prize. Host John Henson plays curator of this year’s setting, the grand foyer of the Museum of Unnatural History, where exhibits like Possessed Pests, Demon Masks, and a Vault of Bones inspire the challenges. Judges Stephanie Boswell, Aarti Sequeira, and Zac Young decide who survives to bake another day.
The two-hour premiere opens with a Haunted Heat built around each baker’s “Best Halloween Ever,” with the winner taking $1,000 and the top three staying safe. The rest face a “Bake for Your Life” round, creating “Hideous Mask Desserts” inspired by the museum’s Hall of Humanity, and the least successful baker goes home. Follow along on social with #HalloweenBakingChampionship.
How to Watch
Halloween Wars Season 16 premieres Sunday, September 13, and Halloween Baking Championship Season 12 premieres Monday, September 14, both at 9|8c on Food Network. Episodes of both series stream the next day on HBO Max. For more of what to watch this season, see our Halloween TV specials 2026 guide.
