Sugar, flour, sprinkles ... we await your creative holiday cookies
Here’s your roughly two-week reminder of this year’s Holiday Cookie Contest. If you haven’t yet decided on a cookie (or cookies) to enter, there’s still time! Cookies must be dropped off at our offices sometime Monday to Thursday starting Oct. 21. Judging will be held throughout that week, with winners chosen on Friday, Oct. 25.
These are the categories for the 12th annual contest:
I Scream, You Scream: Create an original cookie inspired by a favorite ice cream flavor. Think traditional like rocky road or butter pecan, contemporary like Chunky Monkey or Moose Tracks, or any other crazy flavor by any ice cream brand or local ice cream vendor (or frozen custard, for that matter).
Cheesy-Peasy: Dream up a cookie that uses a soft cheese, the likes of cream cheese, goat cheese, ricotta, quark, etc., or a combination. The cheese could be in the dough, the filling and/or the frosting. Feel free to incorporate other festive flavors or ingredients.
No Baking Required: But that’s the only requirement. Components of the cookie can be cooked (for example, a filling), but no oven time. Otherwise, anything goes. Think beyond the classic rum ball.
Open Class: This returning category is for any other kind of original holiday cookie you wish to enter.
Prizes
First-place awards will be given in each category. A Best of Show cookie — chosen from the four category winners — brings a $125 prize; the other three will be ranked second, third and fourth and awarded $75, $50 and $25, respectively. All four winners also will receive two tickets to next year’s USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience in Chicago. The Best of Show winner, in addition, will be asked to serve as a guest judge in the 2020 contest. Runners-up will receive a cookbook.
Rules and procedures
1. Limit of three entries per person.
2. Recipes and cookies must be labeled with the category and entrant’s name.
3. Entries must be original or at least partially so. If adapted from another recipe, the source must be listed, and the changes noted. At least three significant changes should be made.
4. Ingredients should be listed in order of use; directions should be clear and complete.
5. Entrants must bring their baked cookies (1 1⁄2 dozen), clearly marked with their name, address and contact information (including daytime phone number), to the Journal Sentinel lobby, 333 W. State St., between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. any day from Oct. 21 through Oct. 24.
6. Each entry must include a printed copy of the recipe. In addition, whenever possible, a digital version also must be submitted. Send in an email to
by Oct. 24, or submit with your cookies on a thumb drive.
7. Entries will be judged on taste, appearance, festiveness, originality and overall appeal.
8. The Journal Sentinel reserves the right to alter categories based on the number and type of entries received, or to move cookies from one category to another.
The winning recipes, runners-up and selected other finalists will be published in a special Cookie Edition of the Food section on Dec. 4 and posted online.
Questions? Call Nancy Stohs at (414) 224-2382 or email her at
For inspiration, check out previous winners and finalists at