The Great Minnesota Cookie Book

Last weekend, I wrote that there were two cookie books that bakers needed this year. Today, I’m here to tell you about the second: The Great Minnesota Cookie Book: Award-Winning Recipes from the Star Tribune’s Holiday Cookie Contest by Lee Svitak Dean and Rick Nelson. This book is one of our Eat Your Book Cookbook Club titles later this year.

There is something magical about the holiday season when even the baking challenged feel the call to don aprons and pull out cookie sheets. Personally, I scour newspaper sites for their annual cookie contests looking for the one. You know, the one cookie that no one else will have on their cookie trays. That unique cookie will make me the star of the cookie exchange. Folks share some incredible recipes that they have perfected or that were handed down for ages for these contests. Thankfully, bakers sell out their family secret recipes for the chance to win a contest!

The Star Tribune has been running a cookie contest every year for the last fifteen and have compiled eighty of the best of the best cookies chosen by the contest’s judges. (Note to self, apply to be a cookie judge). One can never have too many cookie recipes and particularly contest winning recipes. Thankfully, The Great Minnesota Cookie Book is filled with unique, one-of-a-kind recipes as well as twists on the classics that everyone needs in their arsenal. The book’s index provides a listing of the variety of these tasty morsels. I recommend starting with the Ricotta cheese cookies, my favorite.  

Our   takes you inside this book and shares the following 

 

 

The publisher is offering three copies of this book to EYB Members in the US and EYB is supplying one copy worldwide, outside the US. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

Which recipe in the index would you try first?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on November 29th, 2018.

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86 Comments

  • matag  on  October 20, 2018

    Italian almond cookies

  • Lynnd219  on  October 20, 2018

    Almond ricotta bars

  • MiMi60  on  October 20, 2018

    Clare-oes

  • Alleycat  on  October 20, 2018

    Cardamom orange zest sugar cookies

  • Kristjudy  on  October 20, 2018

    Chocolate espresso cherry cookies

  • ktwalla  on  October 20, 2018

    Orange Chocolate Cookies

  • stef  on  October 20, 2018

    Kolaches

  • NancyLynn  on  October 20, 2018

    Cherry pinwheels

  • JRumi  on  October 20, 2018

    Clare-oes

  • lauriesk  on  October 20, 2018

    Chocolate-dipped triple coconut haystacks

  • annmartina  on  October 20, 2018

    Nut Goodie thumbprints based on my favorite Minnesota candy bar

  • demomcook  on  October 20, 2018

    French-Swiss butter cookies

  • thecharlah  on  October 20, 2018

    Swedish shortbread cookies

  • antpantsii  on  October 20, 2018

    Orange chocolate cookies
    Oh my

  • riley  on  October 21, 2018

    Orange ginger drops

  • amyz218  on  October 21, 2018

    Cranberry pumpkin seed biscotti

  • Siegal  on  October 21, 2018

    I like alfajores!!

  • leilx  on  October 21, 2018

    So many delicious choices! Apple cardamom pecan stars and chocolate dipped triple coconut cookies sound wonderful!

  • tennyogirl  on  October 21, 2018

    Russian tea cakes

  • eatysmith  on  October 21, 2018

    Cranberry cat kisses!

  • jr0717  on  October 22, 2018

    The double chocolate espresso cherry drops

  • Teffa  on  October 22, 2018

    I would definitely try the Cardamom shortbread cookies first

  • sarahawker  on  October 22, 2018

    Cinnamon bun cookies

  • jnstewart  on  October 22, 2018

    Persian molasses cookies

  • lisa59  on  October 22, 2018

    I would love to try the Nut Goodie Thumbprints! They are so pretty and look so delicious!!

  • debbiehb  on  October 23, 2018

    Chocolate toffee cookies

  • Joyceeong  on  October 23, 2018

    Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

  • kmn4  on  October 23, 2018

    Nancy’s anise-pecan cookies

  • ravensfan  on  October 23, 2018

    Frosted cashew cookies

  • Steben  on  October 24, 2018

    Viennese wafers with lemon

  • janv  on  October 24, 2018

    Grandma Eva’s ginger cream cookies

  • jmay42066  on  October 24, 2018

    Orange Chocolate Cookies

  • sipa  on  October 24, 2018

    Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

  • Mardeen11  on  October 24, 2018

    OMG. Double-chocolate espresso cherry drops!

  • JJWong  on  October 24, 2018

    Russian Tea Cakes

  • Kblg  on  October 24, 2018

    Chocolate-dipped triple coconut haystacks!

  • RSW  on  October 25, 2018

    Double-chocolate espresso cherry drops

  • chasteph  on  October 25, 2018

    Russian tea cakes

  • t.t  on  October 26, 2018

    Kolaches

  • banba1  on  October 27, 2018

    Chocolate toffee cookies

  • heyjude  on  October 27, 2018

    Nut Goodie Thumbprints

  • BMeyer  on  October 27, 2018

    chocolate expresso cherry cookies

  • BMeyer  on  October 27, 2018

    chocolate expresso cherry cookies

  • mpdeb98  on  October 27, 2018

    Peanut stars sandwich cookies

  • Dannausc  on  October 27, 2018

    Snowball clippers

  • Jenamarie  on  October 27, 2018

    Chocolate toffee cookies

  • smartie101  on  October 28, 2018

    Orange Ginger Drops

  • HelenB  on  October 28, 2018

    Almond ricotta bars

  • kennethjohngilmour  on  October 29, 2018

    chocolate-dipped triple coconut haystacks found on page 20

  • lpatterson412  on  October 29, 2018

    Red velvet whoopie pies!

  • jd5761  on  October 30, 2018

    Cardamom shortbread cookies for me

  • dbaerfamily  on  November 1, 2018

    Almond ricotta bars!!

  • EmilyR  on  November 2, 2018

    almond ricotta bars – dreamy!

  • ket06e  on  November 2, 2018

    candy cane sugar cookies sound good!

  • jluvs2bake  on  November 3, 2018

    limoncello kisses

  • Laura1  on  November 9, 2018

    orange chocolate cookies

  • LaurenE  on  November 9, 2018

    Chocolate-dipped triple coconut haystacks

  • lindaeatsherbooks  on  November 10, 2018

    I want to make the cherry almond turnovers.

  • MidwesternerTT  on  November 10, 2018

    Apple cardamom pecan star cookies are on my wish-to-bake list.

  • sarahcooks  on  November 10, 2018

    Pumpkin cookies

  • jamston  on  November 11, 2018

    Cherry almond turnovers

  • choppergirl  on  November 13, 2018

    Chocolate-dipped triple coconut haystacks

  • copeybarb5008  on  November 16, 2018

    CINNAMON BUN COOKIES.

  • Amdona  on  November 16, 2018

    Almond ricotta bars

  • barbarapalermo  on  November 16, 2018

    Orange ginger drops

  • TanyaD  on  November 16, 2018

    Russian tea cakes

  • jfd  on  November 16, 2018

    Cranberry cat kisses

  • Kucz54  on  November 16, 2018

    OMG- there are so many but I would start with Cranberry Cat Cookies

  • luccio  on  November 16, 2018

    Alfajores – I've heard so much about them!

  • Mwmitch  on  November 17, 2018

    Alfajores. YUMMM

  • RickPearson54  on  November 19, 2018

    Pumpkin cookies

  • brigs03  on  November 20, 2018

    Almond sandwich cookies

  • Arinelle  on  November 20, 2018

    Apple cardamom pecan star cookies

  • VWR  on  November 21, 2018

    Cranberry cat kisses

  • dduvall  on  November 24, 2018

    Those cranberry cat kisses look so luscious, that I have to try them first along with the pistachio orange cookies.

  • silversand  on  November 25, 2018

    Mocha cappuccino cookies

  • Lmocooks  on  November 26, 2018

    Alfajores

  • lebarron2001  on  November 27, 2018

    Chocolate-dipped triple coconut haystacks

  • Sand9  on  November 28, 2018

    Orange Kisses

  • orchidlady01  on  November 29, 2018

    Peanut butter chocolate kiss cookies

  • Analyze  on  November 29, 2018

    Apple cardamom pecan star cookies

  • Tanner14  on  November 30, 2018

    Chocolate toffee cookies

  • bakeswithlove2369  on  November 30, 2018

    Pistachio orange cookies or chocolate toffee cookies…they all look so good

  • Grywhp  on  November 30, 2018

    Double chocolate espresso cherry drops

  • rivergait  on  November 30, 2018

    Since I don't like chocolate…Pistachio Orange

  • Analyze  on  December 19, 2018

    Thank-you so much for the giveaway – the cookbook arrived yesterday and it was SUCH a fun read! I loved hearing each winner's story. So many personal stories and so much nostalgia for baking is wrapped up in this book. I was surprised that so many of them won the contest by submitting cookies from other cookbooks, and to be honest, was annoyed at seeing Dorie's famous World Peace Cookies win one of the contests under someone else's name (new cookie name too) with a tiny modification (use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate, is that even a modification?). However, I LOVED the book and all of the delicious looking cookies and stories! Thank-you so much to EYB, Jenny, and the publisher for this giveaway!

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