Plot Synopsis

Hazel Stanley (Tiya Sircar), an aspiring architect, understands the importance of a good plan. But when her own life plans falls apart, Hazel will have to find a new recipe for success. On the last day of her internship at a top New York City architecture firm, Hazel learns she is being passed over for her dream job. Devastated and needing a change of scenery, she heads to the Chicago suburb of Oak Park to spend the holidays with her father, Ted (Sugith Varughese). But her happy homecoming is short-lived. Hazel soon discovers that her family's once-thriving bakery, Hazelnut, has fallen on hard times since the passing of her mother, Judy, who had been a prize-winning baker. Now devoid of customers and in a state of total disrepair, the shop is in the process of being renovated by local contractor James Meadows (Marc Bendavid), who also helps her father out as an unofficial assistant baker. But despite James's best efforts, Hazelnut is currently no match for the trendy, new bakery that just opened across the street, which -- adding insult to injury -- is owned by Hazel's onetime best friend-turned-bitter rival, Shelby (Kyana Teresa). It is going to take a Christmas miracle to save the bakery...and Hazel might just have found one. Chicago's own "Cookie King," Mark Clemmons (Duff Goldman) is judging the annual Christmas Bakeoff and, this year, the grand prize for the best gingerbread creation is a whopping $100,000. Together, Hazel and James pool their talents to craft an amazing gingerbread design that will not only be a feast for the eyes but also a delight for the palate. However, the duo's competition is fierce, including from Shelby, and unforeseen complications threaten to crumble not only their brilliant design but also their budding romance. The film stars Tiya Sircar as Hazel Stanley, Marc Bendavid as James Meadows, Sugith Varughese as Ted Stanley, Kyana Teresa as Shelby, Karen Glave as Nina Marsden, Fereshteh Samimi as Yasmin, Maja Vujicic as Claire, Alison Brooks as Ruth Burton, with Food Network's own Duff Goldman as Mark Clemmons.