Holiday cookie contest: Here’s how to enter

Last year’s winner was a recipe for Festive Stuffed Cookie Butter Cookies.
The Dayton Daily News Holiday Cookie Contest returned this year after a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured are the White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: Jim Noelker

Credit: Jim Noelker

The Dayton Daily News Holiday Cookie Contest returned this year after a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured are the White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Cookies. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

It’s that time of year again! The Dayton Daily News, Journal-News and Springfield News-Sun holiday cookie contest is back, and we’re asking those throughout the region to submit their best, easy-to-follow cookie recipes.

Last year, the holiday cookie contest returned with a twist after a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new twist was having our staff make the cookies instead of having contestants bring a dozen cookies to our office.

We had more than 30 local bakers submit their favorite holiday recipes. Dana Tatar of Oakwood came in first place with her recipe for Festive Stuffed Cookie Butter Cookies, followed by Rebekah Lermond of Union with her recipe for Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies and Jelena Staub of Oakwood with her recipe for Brown Butter Espresso Chip Cookies.

The Dayton Daily News has conducted a holiday cookie contest since 1990, and bakers from across the region have submitted thousands of recipes over those three decades.

Here’s how you can enter:

Email the recipe with exact measurements and instructions to food and dining reporter Natalie Jones at natalie.jones@coxinc.com. Please include your first and last name, the city you reside in and a brief description about how you came across the cookie recipe and what makes it special to you. Also include your phone number and email in case our team has additional questions. If you are a winner, that’s how you will be notified.

Sorry, we cannot accept postal mail submissions at this time.

What will happen next:

Those interested in submitting a recipe have until Nov. 15.

Our team will choose 10 of the cookie recipes to bake. The judges will then try the cookies on Nov. 22 and a first-, second- and third-place winner will be selected. The winners will be contacted before Nov. 27, and a story will be published in the newspaper Dec. 8, recognizing our favorite cookie recipes.

Frequently asked questions:

  • Do I have to share my recipe to the public? If you plan to submit a recipe, you must be OK with us sharing your recipe to the public.
  • Who can enter? Entrants must be 18 or older, live in the Dayton Daily News, Journal-News and Springfield News-Sun circulation areas and be home bakers. No professional bakers or chefs.
  • What do I get if I win? The first-place winner receives a $100 Kroger gift card. The second-place winner receives a $75 Kroger gift card and the third-place winner receives a $50 Kroger gift card.
  • Who should I contact with questions? Natalie Jones at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.

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