Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest Celebrates 40 Years

Chicago is transitioning into autumn, which signals the commencement of the Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest. This year marks the competition’s 40th anniversary. It’s time to bring out your signature holiday cookie recipe and participate. In previous contests, professional bakers or Tribune journalists were the judges. However, this year, previous winners and finalists will take on the role, honoring the readers who have been part of this tradition.

Meet the Judges

Erin Traynor, a two-time finalist, reached the baking stage with her almond coffee cookies in 2018 and drunk uncle cookies in 2019. The 57-year-old from Lockport was surrounded by baking influences from an early age. Her grandmother managed the Fingerhut bakery in Berwyn. Traynor prefers butter-based cookies featuring nuts and fruits. She enjoys creating traditional holiday cookies such as gingerbread and sugar cookies, as well as her special ‘Orange You Glad It’s Christmas’ cookies, which combine chocolate and orange flavors. “I look forward to seeing cookies with personal significance and the stories behind them,” Traynor remarked. “Whimsy in cookies brings me joy as well.”

Alicia Andry claimed second place in 2017 with cookies inspired by Thanksgiving pie. Her sweet potato cookies featured a sweet potato frosting. The 44-year-old from South Loop operates a pediatric physical therapy practice and sells cookies. Cooking is a part of her legacy, with a chef grandmother and pastry chef grandfather. “Holiday cookies, whether new or nostalgic, bring people together,” Andry explained. She values flavor over presentation and enjoys soft, buttery cookies.

Serena Daley and her friend Maggie Dring created a third-place cookie in 2017, blending s’mores and Rice Krispies Treats. Daley, from Lakeview, began baking with an Easy Bake Oven. Now 26 and working in the candy industry, Daley appreciates surprise flavor twists in classic cookies. “Every culture and family has unique go-to holiday cookie recipes,” she said. She looks for originality and whimsy, valuing the fun reflected in the cookies. Despite placing third, the best memories for her involve baking with friends in high school.

How to Enter

Submit your recipe with a 200-word story about its significance and a photo through the form at the bottom of the page. Ensure your recipe is original, as copied works are disqualified. The contest is open to residents of Illinois, Lake County in Indiana, and Kenosha County in Wisconsin. Participants must be at least 13 years old. Last year’s top three winners and food professionals are ineligible. Full rules are available at chicagotribune.com/cookiecontestrules.

Important Dates

• Submission deadline: 11:59 p.m., Oct. 9
• Voting begins: Oct. 12
• Voting ends: 11:59 p.m., Oct. 23
• Final winners announcement: Dec. 2

Readers can vote once per day for their favorite recipes. The top 12 voted recipes will advance to a taste-testing by guest judges. The Tribune food team may select an additional recipe for the finals.

Prizes

• First place: $250
• Second place: $150
• Third place: $50

Discover inspiration from previous winners’ stories and the Chicago Tribune’s guide to top cookies in the city. Additionally, consider “Holiday Cookies, Second Edition,” a cookbook featuring past winning recipes.