29+ Hilarious Cooking Fails To Keep in Mind This Holiday Season

The holidays are a time to be thankful for things like having a home or loved ones. One more thing to be grateful for is that none of these chefs are cooking our meals! Here is a roundup of the funniest fails.

Beware of the Gingerbread Man

It is the most wonderful time of the year! Families bake cookies together for Santa and their loved ones. However, hopefully, another batch is coming up because these cookies may not be ready to eat.

This is a total cookie disaster. The baker tried to make yummy Christmas cookies to get into the holiday spirit, but what happened was the complete opposite. They somehow managed to melt all their white icing, which became a puddle on their baking sheet, and burned most of their gingerbread. Better luck next time?

Santa Claus Is Leaving Town

Santa Claus himself is the one who better watch out and not cry after this baking failure. This attempt at a gingerbread house is a total holiday baking fail - the frosting is all over the place. There aren't even decorations on the house! This Reddit user said it was their first and last try at making a gingerbread house. Go figure!

Other Reddit users commented and rallied their support for this first-time gingerbread house baker. They said words of encouragement like, "It is standing… This is better than 60% of most first attempts," and "I think it's very good work for a first timer." We'd love to see the other 40%. Just us?

Anyone Seen My Glasses?

This baker may have kept his eyes on the recipe a little too close because they found a surprise waiting for them once they baked their masterpiece. After baking what looked like a basic cake, the baker baked their own pair of glasses into the cake. How did that happen?!

And we can't help but wonder what was the turn of events that led to glasses being baked into the cake? The world needs to know. Some Reddit users suggested finding a wallet, and another commented, "Maybe the baker got cursed and turned into a bread, don't eat it!"

Charcoal With a Side of Garlic Bread

Sometimes more than one cook in the kitchen is actually a good idea. It would have come in handy in this Reddit user's case. They planned a wonderful Italian dinner with spaghetti, meat sauce, and garlic bread. Except something tells us they forgot about the garlic bread while they were cooking.

What a bummer! What could have been a beautiful candle-lit meal turned into, well, we're not so sure what to call that creation above. The bright side of it all is that at least there was still meat and spaghetti to eat, so that's something. Right?

A Banana Bread Brick

This Reddit user made banana bread. Banana bread is made of mashed bananas and is a sweet treat many people love to eat. When this baker decided to bake one, they added an ingredient that isn't typically on the list. They put an entire bottle of red food coloring into their loaf. Yep.

So, what is typically a delectable treat with chocolate swirls visible looked more like a large red brick that should be left on the construction site. Other Reddit users were not even concerned about the coloring. Instead, they were worried about how the loaf tasted. Consider us intrigued...

2 Broken Teeth Later...

This Reddit user was going on about their life when they realized that something smelled a little off in the kitchen. They recalled the hilarious cooking fail in their caption, "So that's what I forgot to take out of the oven…." What exactly is that?

It looks like the ground floor of the forest with pepperoni life rafts placed throughout. It also resembles what the surface of Mars could potentially be. "Throw it like a frisbee and see how far it goes," another Reddit user joked. Not a bad idea...

Steve Harvey?

Everyone loves a cake that resembles something else. That is part of the whole fun of cakes! Sometimes cakes look like a beloved literary character, like Harry Potter, or other times they can be made to appear like a favorite celebrity. That is what this baker tried to do with their cake.

This user wanted to make something that resembled Family Feud's Steve Harvey - and while there is a resemblance, we've got lots of questions. However, Reddit users seemed to love the cake! One wrote, "So funny, especially the marshmallow teef." Maybe this #fail has a future?

"I Do Not Like Them, Sam-I-Am"

Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day. Getting the day started right with protein, greens, and nutrients is crucial. While this meal seemed to have all the right components to be a balanced and tasty breakfast, something tells us it didn't go as planned.

Granted, it had all the right ingredients - spinach and eggs. And according to the Reddit user who posted it, it was meant to be his mom's spinach omelette. But based on the final presentation, we've got a feeling Dr. Seuss wasn't the only one disappointed by this dish.

Toasted Just Right

Some things are hard to mess up, like microwaving popcorn or toasting bread in the toaster - but some days, no matter how hard someone tries, things will go wrong. That is precisely what happened to this unfortunate toaster. Instead of having warm and gooey pop-tarts to eat, things were a little more than, well, crispy.

They joked about their breakfast mishap on Reddit. "I somehow managed to fail at cooking pop-tarts!" How did they manage to do that? Now that's a special talent. While we've never destroyed our toaster strudels quite the same, we hope this chef has learned their lesson.

The Wonder Sandwich

Following directions is a great skill to have. Most people learn to do it from their parents, their teachers, and even into adulthood, from their bosses. Except, sometimes people can take their assignments too literally - like this person who made an actual ice cream sandwich. Yes, really.

This online user took two pieces of white loaf bread and put vanilla ice cream in the middle. Then, they took a bite out of it. As one Reddit user put it, "Was it any good, though?" They might just be onto something. Or not... Perhaps we'll never know.

Anyone Want Some Hot Dog… Soup?

As the weather turns and the snow starts to fall from the sky, there is nothing like preparing a hot bowl of soup. From chicken noodle to broccoli cheddar, there are many varieties to choose from. However, this one restaurant decided to take things in a different direction...

One employee from a restaurant in Michigan snapped a photo of what their restaurant set out. It was a bowl of soup, but not just any kind of soup - hot dog soup. They served cut-up hot dog pieces in a greenish-brown broth. There is no need to beef with anyone, but what was this restaurant thinking?

Mug Cake Gone Wrong

Microwave munchies have become all the rage for their simplicity and easiness. With a few ingredients, a mug, and a microwave, treats can be made in a matter of minutes. However, what may seem easy to some can be difficult for others. This Reddit user learned that the hard way.

They were attempting to make a mug cake for themselves when things went slightly awry. When they took their dish out of the microwave, the cake had completely melted and boiled over. The would-be cake looked like a volcano had sent lava spewing out from all angles. And we'll certainly be using this as a cautionary tale.

A Science Experiment or a Pizza?

If this were a high school chemistry class, maybe this chef would have gotten an A+ for this science experiment - but unfortunately for them, this is not. When there was a brick oven at their Airbnb, they decided to test it out and make a pizza. Except, things did not turn out as expected.

Their attempt at a pizza looks like it came straight out of the Upside Down from Stranger Things. Where is Eleven?! Other users on Reddit said it looked like a "human brain" or an "exploding whale." Whatever this is meant to be, it definitely does not look like a pizza. That is something everyone can agree on. 

When Bozo Makes a Cake

When this Reddit user's roommate was leaving to study abroad, he wanted to do something nice for him. He decided to make him a clown-themed cake. Why? No one is entirely sure why clowns were picked as the theme. But his attempt came out a little scarier than anticipated.

The cake was decorated with many colors and shaped like a clown. There was no big scandal like an arm falling off or the cake not coming out. The cake did turn out, and that is the scary part. One Reddit user wrote, "This will haunt my dreams tonight." Same.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

Thanksgiving is a day of delicious food... usually. From mashed potatoes and gravy to sweet potato marshmallow casserole, there are so many dishes that we look forward to every single year. There are also dishes that some families will never want to see again. This cooking failure might just be one of those.

One member of this family was kind enough to bring a salad. But not just any salad: it had lettuce, dressing, and all the familiar elements in it. That is, until they added bananas! Not sure where they got this recipe from, but that is certainly one way to monkey around on the holiday.

Not-So Eggcelent Toast

Avocado toast has taken over the world. There are recipes on TikTok for different variations, and it is offered at almost every breakfast or brunch spot. Some even blame avocado toast as the reason that millennials can't afford houses - but that is something else entirely. We're here to talk about this cooking fail.

A Reddit user's school decided to try out serving avocado toast, and their attempt is something else. They got the avocado part of it right, but not much else. On top of the avocado, the school had cut slices of hard-boiled egg. If we were grading this student, we'd be handing out detention slips.

One Way Trip to Santa’s Naughty List

The holidays are a time to get together and spend time with family and friends. Baking together is a great activity to pass the time and try something new. Some people are natural bakers, and others are not. This friendship shows that sometimes it does not matter how one bakes because friendships are built on more than that.

One friend did a fantastic job with their cake, even having a star inserted into the top, resembling a Christmas tree. The other friend's cake was a sight to see and, well, slightly disturbing. It looked like Shrek had decorated it. Clearly, ogres and onions aren't the only things with many layers...

No Breadcrumbs, No Problem

This couple takes turns cooking. For this dinner, it was the husband's turn to cook dinner. When his wife went into the kitchen to check on him and see how he was doing with dinner, he mentioned they were out of breadcrumbs. So, he problem solved… and decided to use crackers.

Not just any cracker, though. The clueless chef covered their casserole in Goldfish! It may be a different take on the cracker, but they deserve points for creativity with this cooking fail. Even though Goldfish may be the snack that smiles back, this may not be the meal to smile back to.

Something's Fishy

This cooking failure has room for improvement. When a Reddit user's girlfriend wanted to cook something new for dinner, she told her boyfriend that she had never cooked fish before. Despite that, she decided to give it a go. However, they ended up with what looked like the bait we would normally feed our fish.

It may not look all that appetizing, but Reddit users offered words of encouragement and shared ideas on turning the scrambled haddock into fish tacos. Hopefully, practice will make perfect, and her next attempt at fish will go better. Though, we suggest she has McDonald's or Pizza Hut on speed dial. Just in case…

50 Shades of Turkey

A turkey is the crown jewel of the Thanksgiving dinner. Some families fry them, while others use the oven to roast them. There are many ways to make a turkey for the ultimate Thanksgiving feast. But this cooking failure took a different direction with the festive meal entirely.

This Reddit user forgot to keep tabs on their turkey, and, well, this was the result of their efforts. Call us crazy, but something tells us that dish might be a tad dry. We hope they've loaded up on the gravy and mashed potatoes. Turkey 1 - Reddit 0.

Mashed? More Like Melted Potatoes

Here's another memorable cooking failure - this time from a student. This student shared on Reddit their school's version of "mashed" potatoes, which certainly do not look mashed at all. It looks like whoever cooked this dish forgot to add the most crucial ingredient in mashed potatoes - the actual potatoes.

One Reddit user teased, "These can't be potatoes," and another shaded, "That looks nothing like mashed potatoes." Safe to say, whoever cooked this dish needs to give us some answers. We just hope this student didn't spend all their lunch money on this.

Feeling Green

Family is there for us through thick and thin. This Reddit user's family proved that. While she was out enjoying time with her son at the park, her mother-in-law served lunch to everyone else. She was warned not to return because of the questionable meal hijacking her kitchen stovetop.

When asked what exactly this cooking failure was, they responded, "I think it's supposed to be a vegetarian lasagna." Whatever it is supposed to be, her in-law's dish doesn't look too appetizing. Though, she did promise to stay with her husband for better or for worse. This is 'worse,' folks.

Some Rules Aren’t Meant To Be Broken

One of the easiest and first things that many people learn to cook while growing up or living alone is how to cook spaghetti. For the most part, it is pretty hard to mess it up. This person decided they would switch things up, though, and it turned out poorly for them.

Instead of boiling the pasta in a pot, as most people do, this cook decided that they were going to try to make their spaghetti in a cup. They posted in their caption on Reddit a cautionary tale to all. They wrote, "Don't try to make pasta in a cup." Safe to say that it will be easy to take that advice.

Nope, That Can't Be Oreos

Everyone seemed to pick up a new hobby during the quarantine. Whether it was taking care of plants, baking sourdough bread, or trying knitting for the very first time, people were coming up with ways to keep themselves occupied while at home. This Reddit user decided to try cooking a new dessert.

After seeing the result of their attempt at making fried Oreos, maybe they should have picked up a different hobby during quarantine. As one Reddit user shaded, "looks like those regurgitated owl pellets I dissected in middle school." So many questions.

Flavor: 10, Presentation: -10

Okay, we don't even know where to start. We should clarify: this dish is spinach shrimp, an Indian recipe. Except this cook's version does not exactly look like that, which they acknowledged on Reddit. "Looked like vomit but were actually quite tasty," they joked.

"The weird thing is, I nailed the flavor I was going for, although I definitely messed up the presentation," they continued. The verdict's still out on that one, bud. However, so long as this guy's happy, that's all that matters. Don't judge the book by its cover, right?

Clean Up on Aisle 2

This cooking failure made an enormous mess! Sometimes the measurements can be correct, and the bake could have been perfect, but gravity has a way of getting in the way. This Reddit user was making a cheesecake, and they dropped it while unmolding it. And while we feel terrible, we've got one question...

How clean is that floor and has it already been 5 seconds? If we've learned anything from Friends, it's that there's no need to cry over spilled milk - well, cheesecake. But don't worry, there's more where that came from. Keep scrolling for more laughs.

Bon Appetit?

In the spirit of trying, an adorable 12-year-old boy wanted to test his skills in the kitchen for breakfast. He decided that he was going to make his family some French toast. He did make it - except it does not look remotely close to what French toast normally looks like. However, we'll let the picture do the talking.

His mom posted the photo on Reddit and even wrote that she encouraged him to continue cooking. He may have done things out of order, but what chef hasn't completely failed at a dish before? Everyone can learn something from this cooking failure. And we hope this young chef doesn't give up just yet!

Yet Another Pizza Fail

We hate to say it, but it seems frozen pizza never ends well. Based on all of these cooking failures, whoever wants to attempt making some Za in the future needs to do some studying beforehand. This Reddit user shared a snap of what happened to their poor pizzas when they tried cooking them.

The pizzas were hanging out in the oven, minding their own business. Then, the pizzas completely melted through! It sent the dough and all the gooey cheese straight to the bottom of the oven. Reddit users offered their condolences in the comments. This cooking failure is one cheesy mess.

Thanksgiving Leftovers That Should Be Left Alone

Arguably, the best part of Thanksgiving isn't the actual meal. It is all the food that is leftover from the feast. Everyone does different things with their leftovers. Some people make them into sandwiches, and others simply reheat and eat the same. This Reddit user shared the creative way her boyfriend used his leftovers.

He took the leftovers from his Thanksgiving meal and put them on top of a pizza. So, he essentially made a Thanksgiving pizza! However, it could look more edible. This cooking failure deserves a round of applause for effort, but it is probably wise to stick with reheating items instead of putting them on a pie.

A Halloween Horror

While the holiday is typically associated with witches, ghouls, and goblins, Halloween night is also known for Trick-Or-Treating. There is always the house that gives out the big candy bars everyone races to, and seeing a home with no lights on is the most disappointing thing. What's more disappointing than that?

Imagine opening a candy bar to see this chalky and dusty chocolate bar! This parent was expecting something way tastier and better looking than what they got from their kid on Halloween night. Then again, maybe this is their punishment for stealing a candy bar from their child...