As Chicago embraces autumn, the annual Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest marks its 40th edition. Participants are encouraged to submit their favorite holiday cookie recipes in hopes of becoming a winner. Unlike previous years, this year’s judges will include former winners and finalists, honoring the readers who have long supported this tradition.
One of the judges is Erin Traynor, a two-time finalist from Lockport. In 2018, her almond coffee cookies entered the contest, followed by her ‘drunk uncle’ cookies in 2019. Traynor, 57, grew up surrounded by baking, with her mother and grandmothers deeply involved in the kitchen. Her family’s connection to baking is highlighted by her grandmother’s management of the Fingerhut bakery in Berwyn. Traynor prefers butter-based cookies and enjoys incorporating nuts and fruits. She opts for traditional holiday cookies like gingerbread and sugar cookies, inspired by flavors such as a chocolate orange.
Alicia Andry, second-place prize winner in 2017, drew inspiration from Thanksgiving with her sweet potato cookies, complete with sweet potato frosting. Andry, a 44-year-old South Loop resident, owns a pediatric physical therapy practice and has ventured into selling cookies. Learning to cook from a chef grandmother and pastry chef grandfather, she stresses the joy and connectedness holiday cookies bring to people’s lives. Andry favors soft, chewy cookies where flavor takes precedence over presentation.
Teenagers Serena Daley and Maggie Dring joined the winner’s circle in 2017, placing third with a cookie blending s’mores and Rice Krispies Treats. Now 26, Daley works in the candy industry. Her baking passion began with an Easy Bake Oven. She emphasizes originality and whimsy in cookies, appreciating how personal stories and cultural traditions influence recipes. Daley values fun in baking, reflecting fond memories created with friends during high school.
How to Enter
Participants can enter the Tribune Cookie Contest by submitting their recipe, a 200-word description detailing its significance, and a photo of the cookies via the form provided. Ensure recipes are personal creations; reproductions of other works will be rejected. This contest is open to residents of Illinois, Lake County in Indiana, and Kenosha County in Wisconsin. Entrants must be at least 13 years old. Past winners or professional chefs are not eligible. Review detailed rules and policies at chicagotribune.com/cookiecontestrules.
Deadline and Voting
Submissions close at 11:59 p.m. on October 9. Voting commences on October 12, where readers may vote daily for their preferred recipes to reach the taste-testing phase. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on October 23. The Tribune food team and guest judges will sample the top 12 recipes, selected by popular vote, while reserving the option to advance additional entries if deemed necessary.
Prizes
First place wins $250, second place $150, and third place $50. Winners will be declared online and in print on December 2.
For inspiration, peruse last year’s winning recipes and the food team’s list of recommended cookies in Chicago. The cookbook ‘Holiday Cookies, Second Edition’ also includes notable winning dessert recipes from previous years.