'The Great American Baking Show' premieres Thursday, Dec. 1

Mary Berry, Nia Vardalos, Ian Gomez & Johnny Iuzzini return to American adaption of UK's most-watched television show

On your marks, get set, bake! The most festive and friendliest competition on television is back. In a two-hour season premiere, "The Great American Baking Show" (formerly "The Great Holiday Baking Show") returns with slices of cake and plates of cookies, Thursday, Dec. 1 (9-11 p.m. EST), on ABC.

Based on the hit U.K. series "The Great British Bake Off," "The Great American Baking Show" features 10 all-new bakers from across the country battling through eight themed episodes, 24 challenges, and weekly eliminations, all in the hopes to be crowned "America's Best Amateur Baker." Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and husband Ian Gomez ("Cougar Town") return as hosts. James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini is once again joined by Britain's "Royal Queen of Baking," Mary Berry, to judge the competition.

Hour one is cake. For their very first "Signature Bake," the bakers are tasked with making Bundt cakes inspired by winter flavors. Next up, a technical challenge of Berry's recipe for apple almond cake. And lastly, "The Showstopper Bake" has these bakers constructing fantastical multi-tiered holiday celebration cakes.

Hour two is cookies. In their "Signature Challenge," the bakers tackle bar cookies, showcasing everything from compotes to crumbles. In the Technical, Iuzzini challenges the bakers with a cookie that must be baked twice: biscotti. Then, in the "Showstopper Bake," the bakers build elaborate 3D iced cookie scenes.