Food Network Is Highlighting Sibling Rivalries In Its New Baking Championship Spin-Off

There is something undeniably heartwarming about watching kids in cooking competitions. When adults take the stage, the competition typically has a certain edge to it, but with kids involved, we can see our own culinary journeys reflected and remember some of the hiccups we all had along the way. Now, Food Network has found a clever way to make this viewing experience even more endearing: pairing up siblings for the teams. According to an exclusive published by Variety, the newest addition to the "Baking Championship" franchise, "Baking Championship: Next Gen," will arrive this winter on January 5, 2026.

The show will feature 12 teams of siblings aged from 8 to 14 competing in a series of challenges to win $25,000, as well as the title of Baking Champions. Previous additions to the franchise have included seasonal themes, such as spring, summer, holiday, and Halloween competitions, as well as a similar "Kids Baking Championship," but this time the franchise is breaking new ground with a familial focus. In an official press release commemorating the series, Betsy Ayala, Head of Content for Food Network, notes that "the sibling dynamic brings out the unique personalities of these young bakers and adds so much fun and sweetness resulting in a nail-biting competition with a lot of heart."

The hosts of the show, Duff Goldman of "Ace of Cakes" fame and Kardea Brown of "Delicious Miss Brown," will be there to both judge the young bakers' creations and give them some guidance along the way. If they're lucky, Goldman may share his experience with the flour-sifting myth and other hard-earned baking wisdom that will save them the trouble of learning it all the hard way. Either way, "Baking Championship: Next Gen" won't be one to miss.

As noted, "Baking Championship: Next Gen" will premiere on Food Network on January 5, 2026 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour skills test. During this test, these young teams will need to step up and display their talents by first making a dozen of their best cupcake recipe, following that with a from-scratch pie. By the end of these tests, two teams will be eliminated, setting the stage for the remaining 10 pairs to continue delving their way into ever-harder challenges over the next eight episodes.

The themes of the challenges are built for the age group that will be participating, but they will be anything but easy. Some of the tests that the participants will face include such tasks as making desserts that look like breakfast foods, crafting cream puff friendship bracelets, and making "animated cakes." Anyone who has tackled a classic cream puff recipe knows that they can be a bit finicky, and we probably aren't even qualified to comment on what an animated cake might entail.

For anyone eager to watch this competition unfold that doesn't have access to Food Network to watch each episode live, worry not. A cable subscription is not required to watch Kardea Brown and Duff Goldman spreading the joy of baking to these budding young pastry chefs. The day after each episode airs on Food Network, it will be available to stream on both HBO Max and Discovery+.