Holiday baking, that's months away, right?

Last update: October 7, 2009 - 6:04 PM

Wrong. The deadline for our seventh annual holiday cookie contest is coming up fast. It's easy, it's fun and who knows? You and your recipe could be winners.

We're crazy about original recipes (our 2005 winner, Michelle Clark of St. Paul, created a spicy chocolate classic that we're still baking), but we also value cookies discovered in newspapers, cookbooks, magazines, websites and other sources that have grown into cherished holiday traditions.

A tip: We see plenty of spritz, candied wreaths, Russian tea cakes and other standards, so be sure to make your submission stand out with a cookie that even the most prolific of bakers will want to add to their repertoire.

Finalists will be featured in Taste, and the winner will receive a $200 gift certificate from a local cooking store. All finalists will be invited to demonstrate their cookie-baking process at the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis on Dec. 5.

Because we love a good story, we ask that you include a letter that explains the recipe's origins and its role in your holiday celebrations. Good luck, and good baking.

TASTE HOLIDAY COOKIE CONTEST

Along with your recipe and story, please include your name, address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address. Deadline is noon Oct. 30. By mail: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488. By e-mail: taste@startribune.com.