Food: Midwest Living Cookies

Top Cookie Bakers Win State Fair Honors

The best cookie bakers from across the state put their top creations to the test in the Midwest Living Cookies competition judged Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14, at the 2024 Iowa State Fair.

Robin Abraham of Cedar Falls won First Place Overall and a $500 cash award.

Greg Woods of Des Moines claimed Second Place Overall and a $350 cash award.

Ginny Ray of Des Moines earned Third Place Overall and a $150 cash award.

Cheryl Ashwill of Des Moines won the Sweepstakes award.

Ginny Ray of Des Moines received the Reserve Sweepstakes Award.

Entries were judged on flavor, texture and general appearance.

Complete results follow:

Bar Cookies - Apple Bars (frosted or unfrosted)

1) Natalie Larson, Des Moines

2) None

3) None

Bar Cookies – Blondies

1) Abby Kaska, Solon

2) Marilyn Culver, Des Moines

3) Cheryl Ashwell, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Brownies, Frosted (with or without nuts)

1) Meredith Willey, Norwalk

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Dawn Shaw, Pella

Bar Cookies - Brownies, Unfrosted (with or without nuts)

1) Jessica Zabel, Ankeny

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Mariah Button, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Brownies, Flavored (frosted or unfrosted; with or without nuts; such as mint, mocha,

raspberry, swirled, etc.)

1) Meredith Willey, Norwalk

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Molly Thomas, Centerville

Bar Cookies - Butterscotch Bars

1) Meredith Willey, Norwalk

2) Kathleen Haley Taylor, Knoxville

3) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Jam Bars

1) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

2) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

3) Diane Rauh, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Lemon Bars

1) Joseph Barsetti, West Des Moines

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Regina Kennedy, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Peanut Butter Bars

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Roger Baker, Ankeny

3) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Pecan Bars

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Pam Van Essen, Ottumwa

3) None

Bar Cookies - Pumpkin Bars (frosted or unfrosted)

1) Amy Goodspeed, West Branch

2) Roger Baker, Ankeny

3) Larry Stohr, Altoona

Bar Cookies - Rice Krispy Bars

1) Terri Treft, Sioux City

2) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

3) Jeni Johnson, Roland

Bar Cookies - One-Layer Bar Cookie Other Than Named

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Roger Baker, Ankeny

3) Kathy Poetting, Des Moines

Bar Cookies - Two-Layer Bars Other Than Named

1) Margaret Stoffregen, Des Moines

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Kris Davis Johnson, Altoona

Bar Cookies - Three-Layer Bars Other Than Named

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Margaret Stoffregen, Des Moines

3) Sharon Lesan, Ankeny

Bar Cookies - Four-or-More-Layer Bars Other Than Named

1) Sharon Lesan, Ankeny

2) Terri Treft, Sioux City

3) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

Molded or Pressed - Chocolate Crinkles

1) Amanda Szuch, Ankeny

2) Jacob Petersen, Knoxville

3) Larry Stohr, Altoona

Molded or Pressed – Coconut

1) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

2) Rita Barsetti, Des Moines

3) Amanda Szuch, Ankeny

Molded or Pressed - Crackles/Crinkles (any flavor)

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

3) Jennifer Simonton, Waukee

Molded or Pressed - Filled Cookies

1) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

2) Larry Stohr, Altoona

3) Amy Mertes, Carson

Molded or Pressed – Gingersnaps

1) Jake Garrison, Altoona

2) Diane Rauh, Des Moines

3) Michael Kephart, Carlisle

Molded or Pressed – Molasses

1) Diane Rauh, Des Moines

2) Amy Goodspeed, West Branch

3) Julie Hering Kent, Oakland

Molded or Pressed - Peanut Blossoms

1) Jennifer Simonton, Waukee

2) Brian Keul, West Des Moines

3) Natalie Larson, Des Moines

Molded or Pressed - Peanut Butter Balls

1) Jacob Petersen, Knoxville

2) Christina McCleary, Des Moines

3) Terri Treft, Sioux City

Molded or Pressed - Peanut Butter

1) Robin Abraham, Cedar Falls

2) Natalie Larson, Des Moines

3) Lashelle Woods, Newton

Molded or Pressed - Shortbread, flavored

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Natalie Larson, Des Moines

3) Jeffrey King, Newton

Molded or Pressed - Shortbread, plain

1) Joseph Barsetti, West Des Moines

2) Jennifer Swinton, Waukee

3) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

Molded or Pressed – Snickerdoodles

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Jessica Zabel, Ankeny

3) Samantha Hilbert, Urbandale

Molded or Pressed - Snowballs

1) Larry Stohr, Altoona

2) Kathleen Haley Taylor, Knoxville

3) Kris Davis Johnson, Altoona

Molded or Pressed – Spritz

1) Amanda Szuch, Ankeny

2) Margaret Stoffregen, Des Moines

3) Amy Goodspeed, West Branch

Molded or Pressed - Sugar (not rolled or cut)

1) Michael Kephart, Carlisle

2) Valerie Singer, Altoona

3) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

Molded or Pressed - Thumbprint (any filling permitted)

1) Jennifer Simonton, Waukee

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Laura Morse, Council Bluffs

Molded or Pressed - Cookie Other Than Named

1) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

2) Joseph Barsetti, West Des Moines

3) Brooke Mickelson, Clive

Global Cookies - Biscotti (any flavor)

1) Jeffrey King, Newton

2) Lauren Probst, Windsor Heights

3) None

Global Cookies - Chinese Almond

1) Robin Abraham, Cedar Falls

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) None

Global Cookies – German

1) Jeffrey King, Newton

2) None

3) None

Global Cookies – Italian

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

3) Jeffrey King, Newton

Global Cookies - Latin American (Mexico, Central America or South America)

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Larry Stohr, Altoona

3) None

Global Cookies - Macarons (French-style)

1) Dawn Shaw, Pella

2) Pam Van Essen, Ottumwa

3) None

Global Cookies – Scandinavian

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Michael Kephart, Carlisle

3) Chris Myers, Boone

Global Cookies - Global Cookie Other Than Named

1) Greg Woods, Des Moines

2) Jeffrey King, Newton

3) Sharon Lesan, Ankeny

Drop Cookies - Chocolate Base

1) Kaitlyn Beaman, Des Moines

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Larry Stohr, Altoona

Drop Cookies - Chocolate Chip, With Nuts (traditional)

1) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

2) Renee Olson, McCallsburg

3) Kaitlyn Beaman, Des Moines

Drop Cookies - Chocolate Chip, Without Nuts (traditional)

1) Brian Keul, West Des Moines

2) Mallory Weiser, Des Moines

3) Amanda Szuch, Ankeny

Drop Cookies - Coconut Macaroons

1) Dawn Shaw, Pella

2) Phyllis Olson, Newton

3) Valerie Singer, Altoona

Drop Cookies - Dried Fruit (other than Oatmeal Raisin)

1) Kaitlyn Beaman, Des Moines

2) Margaret Stoffregen, Des Moines

3) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

Drop Cookies - Frosted Drop (any flavor)

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Phyllis Olson, Newton

3) Brooke Mickelson, Clive

Meringue Drop

1) Nicki Studer, Indianola

2) None

3) None

Drop Cookies – Monster

1) Barb Finney, Pella

2) Clarissa Ridgway, Johnston

3) Sheila Kennedy, West Des Moines

Drop Cookies - No-Bake

1) Colette Wortman, Urbandale

2) June Newman, Garner

3) Kaley Dusenbery, Des Moines

Drop Cookies - Oatmeal Butterscotch (with or without nuts)

1) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

2) Larry Stohr, Altoona

3) Jessica Zabel, Ankeny

Drop Cookies - Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (with or without nuts)

1) Renee Olsen, McCallsburg

2) Samantha Hilbert, Urbandale

3) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

Drop Cookies - Oatmeal Raisin (with or without nuts)

1) Melissa Toney, Lamoni

2) Carolyn Maschmann, Marshalltown

3) Clarissa Ridgway, Johnston

Oatmeal (other than named)

1) Margaret Stoffregen, Des Moines

2) Donna Kimberley, Collins

3) Phyllis Olson, Newton

Drop Cookies - Peanut Butter Base

1) Maria Monahan, West Des Moines

2) Anna Williams, Ames

3) Donna Kimberley, Collins

Drop Cookies - Potato Chip

1) Terri Sinclair, Cumming

2) Mary Cownie, West Des Moines

3) Amanda Szuch, Ankeny

Drop Cookies – Ranger

1) Melissa Toney, Lamoni

2) Phyllis Olson, Newton

3) Valerie Singer, Altoona

Drop Cookies - Sugar

1) Alissa Puffett, West Des Moines

2) Molly Thomas, Centerville

3) Phyllis Olson, Newton

Drop Cookies - White Chocolate

1) Martha Kunkle, Carlisle

2) Larry Stohr, Altoona

3) Roger Baker, Ankeny

Drop Cookies - Drop Cookies Other Than Named

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Brianna Glenn, Des Moines

3) Anita Van Gundy, Des Moines

Health Cookies - Cookies Made with a Sugar Substitute

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Terri Treft, Sioux City

3) None

4)

Health Cookies - Gluten Free

1) Robin Abraham, Cedar Falls

2) Rita Cashman Becker, Fort Madison

3) Meredith Hodges, Des Moines

Health Cookies – Vegan

1) Robin Abraham, Cedar Falls

2) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

3) None

Health Cookies - Whole Grain

1) Pam Van Essen, Ottumwa

2) Carolyn Maschmann, Marshalltown

3) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

Refrigerated and Rolled - Icebox (sliced)

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Marianne Carlson, Jefferson

3) Lauren Probst, Windsor Heights

Refrigerated and Rolled - Rolled Gingerbread

1) Brenda Klyn, Pella

2) None

3) None

Refrigerated and Rolled - Rolled Sugar (frosted)

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Lauren Probst, Windsor Heights

3) Valerie Singer, Altoona

Refrigerated and Rolled - Rolled Sugar, Unfrosted

1) Ginny Ray, Des Moines

2) Brenda Klyn, Pella

3) Kristi Krafka, Cambridge

Refrigerated and Rolled - Sandwich Cookies

1) Margaret Stoffregen, Des Moines

2) Sharon Lesan, Ankeny

3) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

Refrigerated and Rolled - Rolled Cookies Other Than Named

1) Lauren Probst, Windsor Heights

2) Luann Sutter, Ankeny

3) Amy Mertes, Carson

Cake Mix Cookies - Bar (frosted or unfrosted)

1) Terri Treft, Sioux City

2) Pam Van Essen, Ottumwa

3) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

Cake Mix Cookies - Drop or Shaped (frosted or unfrosted)

1) Jacob Petersen, Knoxville

2) Cheryl Ashwill, Des Moines

3) Diana Bedwell, Norwalk

Youth - Bar Cookie (age 12 and under)

1) Joseph Cownie, West Des Moines

2) Anna Petersen, Knoxville

3) Rosa Woods, Des Moines

Youth - Bar Cookie (age 13-17)

1) Grace Ott, Ankeny

2) Mia Frangopol, Mingo

3) Lily Zabel, Ankeny

Youth - Drop Cookie (age 12 and under)

1) Anna Petersen, Knoxville

2) Gwen Livingston, Shannon City

3) Joseph Cownie, West Des Moines

Youth - Drop Cookie (age 13-17)

1) Mia Frangopol, Mingo

2) Kiley Campbell, Carlisle

3) Aubrey Ginther, Urbandale

Youth - Rolled Cookie (age 12 and under)

1) Joseph Cownie, West Des Moines

2) Brooklyn Sievers, Ames

3) None

Youth - Rolled Cookie (age 13-17)

1) Mia Frangopol, Mingo

2) Lily Zabel, Ankeny

3) Emerson Hilbert, Urbandale

Youth - Unbaked Cookie (age 12 and under)

1) Mia Meyer, Cedar Rapids

2) Anna Petersen, Knoxville

3) Nora Petersen, Knoxville

Youth - Unbaked Cookie (age 13-17)

1) Emerson Hilbert, Urbandale

2) Mia Frangopol, Mingo

3) Lily Zabel, Ankeny

Youth - Cookies Other Than Named (age 12 and under)

1) Cora Oleson, Des Moines

2) Nora Petersen, Knoxville

3) Wyatt Swinton, Ankeny

Youth - Cookies Other Than Named (age 13-17)

1) Grace Ott, Ankeny

2) Mia Frangopol, Mingo

3) Claire Tigges, Waukee

The Iowa State Fair Food Department is the largest of any state fair in the country. There were 140 divisions, 726 classes and nearly 6,400 entries at this year’s Fair. Food Department judging is held in the Elwell Family Food Center.