Presenting the Winners from Our Cozy Baking Contest

Grand Prize: Caramel-Pecan Cookie Butter Bars

These cookie butter bars were an instant hit in my house. I love cookie butter and thought this was another tasty way to use it. The cookies freeze well, too. —Sherry Little, Cabot, Arkansas

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1st Place: Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins

These pumpkin crumb cake muffins just scream autumn to me. I love a rich, moist muffin that’s topped with plenty of crumb topping. Honestly, the topping may be the best part. —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California

2nd Place: Apricot, Almond & Pineapple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I created this pineapple sour cream coffee cake recipe for a contest at the Los Angeles County Fair in the 1980s. My kids were very proud of me when my name was called out for first place. The coffee cake would be the perfect partner for your morning coffee or a delightful dessert with a scoop of ice cream. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California

3rd Place: Mint Baileys Bars

This Baileys bars recipe is a combo of two St. Patrick’s Day goodies. You can use any type of chips in the brownies, and you can choose to swirl in the cheesecake instead of using it as a separate topping. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

Runner-Up: Puff Pastry Apple Strudel

This puff pastry apple strudel is such a fun recipe. It can be served alone or with a side salad. Different types of cheese, like goat, feta or jack, can be used in this dish. —Donna-Marie Ryan, Topsfield, Massachusetts

Runner-Up: Butter Pecan Cookie Bars with Penuche Drizzle

I have made these Butter Pecan Cookie Bars for many, many years. They are rich, chewy, nutty and buttery—all the good stuff. They freeze well, that is, if they last long enough. A little drizzle of old-fashioned penuche icing takes them over the top. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California

Runner-Up: Chocolate-Pecan Cupcakes

These Chocolate-Pecan Cracker Cupcakes are inspired by a local restaurant’s pie recipe. They are rich and yummy! If your marshmallow frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, and if it’s too thick, add a little milk or heavy cream. —Bonnie De Jong, Holland, Michigan

Runner-Up: Grapefruit Walnut Bread

This grapefruit walnut bread recipe was inspired by lime, orange and lemon nut loaves I’ve made in the past. Try this new variation! —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

Runner-Up: Italian Cream-Filled Cake

This Italian cream dessert is very simple but fancy enough to serve as a birthday cake. It’s low on sugar and big on flavor. You can swap the lemon zest for orange or lime to change things up. You can also add a layer of jam on top of the first layer of dough—raspberry jam, marmalade jam or even Nutella work well. —Maria Morelli, West Kelowna, British Columbia

Runner-Up: Lingonberry-Cardamom Cake

Our family is Scandinavian, and we love using almonds, cardamom and lingonberries in desserts, as in this cardamom cake. If lingonberry jam is difficult to obtain, you can use pureed cranberry sauce with a little lemon juice to get a similar sweet-tart flavor. Whipped cream is a perfect topping for this Scandinavian-inspired dessert. —Barbara Kvale, Cologne, Minnesota

Runner-Up: Molasses-Graham Cracker Puddings

When I was in college, I would have dinner with a relative after a night class. The restaurant had a graham cracker pudding and I always ordered it. I adapted several recipes to re-create that pudding from years ago. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas