The 2025 Minnesota Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest is now open

Perhaps you were inspired by all the blue-ribbon winning cookies at the State Fair. Or maybe you’ve been working all year to perfect the ideal holiday cookie recipe. Now it’s your time to shine.

As we put the fair behind us and tiptoe up to fall, it’s time to submit your entry to the 23rd annual Minnesota Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest.

Since 2003, our contest has introduced cookies that have become beloved standards in Minnesota kitchens, including Almond Triangles, Good Thai Dings, Kit Kat Christmas Bars and our fun 2024 winner, Elf Thumbprints, created by Heather Pfeiffer of Chaska. Your recipes could join the winners’ circle — and make this contest the sweetest one yet.

The rules: There aren’t many, but they are important. We love original recipes, but if you’ve encountered a new-to-you recipe in a cookbook, newspaper, magazine, website or other source that you’ve adopted and made your own, feel free to submit it. Just be sure to note its origin.

The recipe: The purpose of the contest is to provide Star Tribune readers with new gotta-bake recipes. Please steer clear of spritz, chocolate crinkles, sugar cookie cutouts, Russian Tea Cakes and other tried-and-true favorites. We’ve seen them all, and everyone has their favorite. Consider this your challenge to be creative.

How to submit: All entries must include the recipe — and the story behind it — along with your name, street address, daytime phone number and email address. If submitting via email, include “Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest” in the subject line and send it to cookies@startribune.com. Please include all text in the body of the email, not as an attachment. Photos are extremely helpful, but not required.

If using U.S. mail, send to Minnesota Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest, Star Tribune, 650 3rd Av. S., Suite 1300, Minneapolis, MN 55488. All snail mail entries must be postmarked by Friday, Oct. 10, to reach us in time.

Prizes: The winner and four finalists will appear in the Dec. 4 issue of Taste and become a permanent part of our Cookie Finder. And there are prizes, too: The winner will receive a $200 gift card to Cooks of Crocus Hill cooking store, and the four finalists will receive $50 gift cards. All will be featured during our Cookie Wonderland celebration; stay tuned for details.