The recipes are in and now the power is in your hands — voting is officially open in the Tribune’s 39th annual Holiday Cookie Contest.
Many of this year’s entries are cherished recipes that have been passed down from friends and family for many years. Readers can vote online once a day for their favorite recipe until 11:59 p.m. Oct. 24. If you don’t see the voting form below, try refreshing the page or going to chicagotribune.secondstreetapp.com/Holiday-Cookie-Contest-2025.
Once voting is closed, the 12 recipes that received the most votes will be baked by Tribune staff for judging. The food team has the option to turn that into a baker’s dozen of finalists if we believe one recipe merits addition via the “Joe Gray Save,” named after a former dining editor.
This year, guest judges Justin Lerias of Del Sur, Reema Patel of Sarima Cafe and Asa Balanoff Naiditch of Blame Butter will decide our winning cookies. Judging will take place Oct. 29, and winners will be notified by Oct. 31.
We’ll publish the three winning recipes in print and online Dec. 3. First place wins $250 cash; second place, $150; third place, $50.
Check out last year’s winning recipes here. For more winning recipes from previous years, check out “Holiday Cookies, Second Edition” at chicagotribune.com/holidaycookies.
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