40 AWARD-WINNING RECIPES

I have rallied my fellow food bloggers to bring you this delicious collection of 40 Award-winning recipes! Everything from award-winning breakfasts to lunches, to main dishes, snacks, appetizers, snacks and desserts. This collection includes my award-winning burger recipe, award-winning chocolate chip cookie recipe, award-winning soup, an award-winning banana bread recipe, award-winning apple pie and everything in between! All of these recipes won contests around the world.

collage of 3 photos of award-winning recipes with white text on black background in the middle

Have you ever wondered what makes a contest-winning recipe? Well, for one, they to be good enough to win over a panel of judges. Now you can cook with confidence knowing these recipes are tried and true!

AWARD-WINNING BREAKFASTS

Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie
With Wild blueberries, oatmeal, dried apricots, a banana, and peanut this Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie was a winner in the "Wild Your Smoothie Recipe Contest"! Bonus: it’s not only almost too gorgeous to eat, it’s also lactose free!
Check out this recipe
oatmeal and blueberry smoothie in glass on wooden surface, with sprinklings of ingredients around it
📋 Maple Sausage Brunch Bites Recipe
If you are looking for breakfast or brunch potluck ideas, this Potatoes Romanoff inspired award-winning Maple Sausage Brunch Bites breakfast dish, made with hashbrowns, sour cream, cheese, onions and maple sausage, is the perfect solution! It's make-ahead, portable, finger food that's easy to reheat!

3 brunch bites on a white plate
📋 Pecan Brown Butter Granola Recipe
This award-winning healthy Pecan Brown Butter Granola gets its nice caramel flavor from the brown butter, is chock-full of healthy stuff like sunflower seeds, honey oats, wheat germ, sesame seeds, chia, and coconut, minus the preservatives. This homemade granola doesn't take long to make and is the perfect busy morning breakfast!

homemade granola in a jar, with a spoon, shot from above
Breakfast Peach Danish
Nothing can go wrong when a day starts out with these Peach Breakfast Danish. Made with puff pastry, fresh peaches and a sweet cheese filling, you will love this award-winning peach recipe.
Check out this recipe
award-winning peach breakfast danishes on a white lattice plate
📋 PB&J Pancake Sandwich Recipe
This award-winning and healthy PB&J Pancake Sandwich is fruit, jam and yogurt filling, sandwiched between two peanut butter pancakes. It's a pancake breakfast sandwich that can be made with a sandwich maker, a waffle iron or in a frying pan (pancakes can be cut into desired shapes).

PB&J pancake sandwich on white plate with peanut butter, yogurt and red napkin in the background
Probiotic Pumpkin Pear Smoothie
This dairy free smoothie is the perfect balance of sweet, fruity, earthy, and spicy. It’s like autumn in a glass. (Grand prize in the Good Belly Reboot Blogger Smoothie Recipe Contest
Check out this recipe
pumpkin pear smoothies on blue surface with pears in background
One-Punnet Strawberry Jam
This Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam (1st prize winning) is super quick & delicious and requires no added pectin or special equipment.

strawberry jam in a jar with strawberries around it on yellow surface

AWARD-WINNING LUNCHES

Irish Apple Pie Twice-Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Melted Dubliner cheese, tart apples, sweet apple butter, and cinnamon bread combine to make this amazing, award winning Irish Apple Pie Twice-Grilled Cheese.
Check out this recipe
Irish apple Pie twice grilled cheese on a white plate with a green background
🥣 Creamy Carrot Soup Recipe (Award-winning)
This Award-winning Creamy Carrot Soup with beef is a one pot meal that is healthy, hearty, and delicious! Substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef or eliminate the meat all together and make it vegetarian.

creamy carrot soup in a white bowl with bread on a plate in the background
Award-Winning Lobster BLT Sandwich
Make this (1st place blue ribbon) Award Winning Lobster BLT Sandwich, it has succulent lobster, applewood smoked bacon and a quick, easy dill-caper aioli!
Check out this recipe
Award-winning lobster BLT. stacked on a white cutting board with red and white checkered napkins
The Cheesiest Indulgent Mac-n-Cheese
The Cheesiest Indulgent Mac-n-Cheese to make the kid in you rejoice. With its extra creamy sauce, you’ll be hard-pressed not to mutter “Mmmmm” with every single bite. This dish won the SideChef Mac & Cheese Taste Off!
Check out this recipe
The Cheesiest Indulgent Mac-n-Cheese
Vegan Hummus Toasted Sandwich
The combination of sweet and smoky butternut squash, tangy hummus, creamy avocado and crisp, peppery rocket (arugula) makes this sandwich so delicious you won't even notice the lack of cheese. This sandwich won the UK national newspaper The Guardian's Best Toasted Sandwich recipe contest!
Check out this recipe
Vegan Hummus sandwich on a white plate with blue background
Homemade Spaghetti O's (Allergy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Kick the can and make this healthy award-winning recipe for the kids instead! Homemade Spaghetti O's that are allergy-free, gluten-free, and vegan! A super easy lunch or dinner that's kid-friendly and mom-approved!
Check out this recipe
Homemade Spaghetti O's in a white bowl with a spoon in bowl

AWARD-WINNING MAIN DISHES

Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu Stromboli
This Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu Stromboli was the prize winner in Tyson crispy chicken recipe challenge. With crispy chicken strips, ham and freshly prepared pizza dough from the grocery store, slathered it with Ranch dressing this recipe is an excellent choice for your Super Bowl party or any get-together!
Check out this recipe
whole crispy chicken cordon bleu stromboli with sauce on the side
Idaho Beef
This Idaho Beef is an award-winning recipe that was created for a "celebrity" beef cookoff at the Western Idaho Fair in Boise, Idaho back in 1999. In this cook's family, it's called "Owyhee Beef" -the name is a tribute to a part of Idaho history many people don't know about.
Check out this recipe
Idaho Beef
Easy 30 Minute Brown Butter Chicken Pasta
This super easy Easy 30 Minute Brown Butter Chicken Pasta won an award in a cooking competition and it will help you win dinner time with it’s amazing flavor!
Check out this recipe
30 minute brown butter pasta in white bowl
Award Winning Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey Ribs
These Award-Winning Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey Ribs use Canada’s Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey in the sauce. An unusual and very tasty take on ribs!
Check out this recipe
Spicy Orange Ginger Chicken
This award-winning Orange Ginger Chicken recipe is a healthier homemade alternative to takeout or Trader Joe’s. The whole family will love this stir fried chicken breast glazed in orange ginger sauce. On 10/15/13, this recipe was chosen as the winner of Whole Foods Market Cooking’s “Your Best Stovetop Chicken” contest
Check out this recipe
orange ginger chicken in a white bowl
📋 Sirloin Burger (with beets) recipe
Wild West goes Uptown! This award-winning gourmet grilled sirloin burger is made with beets, ground sirloin, cranberry orange aioli, peanut butter BBQ sauce, creamy brie cheese, roasted apples and onions on grilled buns.

gourmet sirloin burger with beets on a white plate with bowl of beets in the background
Harvest Squash Casserole {How To Cook Spaghetti Squash}
Harvest squash casserole marries the flavors and textures of fall into a beautiful, delicious side dish. It was a winner in a Mondavi wine recipe contest.
Check out this recipe
½ bowl showing of harvest squash recipe in a white bowl with a spoon
Italian Meatloaf with Ricotta Cheese
This Award-winning Italian meatloaf with ricotta cheese (Polpettone alla Ricotta) is juicy, tender and delicious. It is the ultimate comfort food that’s perfect for family dinner.
Check out this recipe
meatloaf on a bed of pasta
SLOW-COOKED BEEF STEW AND DUMPLINGS (DUTCH OVEN)
Hearty Beef Stew and dumplings is pure comfort on a cold winter's night. Simple to prepare and slow-cooked, it's a crowd-pleasing meal to serve up. This version, with the addition of pickled walnuts and blue cheese, is a little more exciting than most. (Opies Pickled Walnut Christmas Competition 2019 - first place with a monetary prize)
Check out this recipe
slow cooked beef stew and dumplings in black bowl with a glass ow wine in the background

AWARD-WINNING SIDE DISHES

Mandarin Wild Rice Salad
This Mandarin Wild Rice Salad recipe has been in our family for years. It’s a hearty salad with cranberries, pecans, green onions, and mandarins with a delightful orange vinaigrette. It won 3rd place in the Mandarin Festival in Auburn, California years ago.
Check out this recipe
mandarin wild rice salad in bowl with green background
Sweet Potato Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing
This Sweet Potato Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing won best recipe in the "Eat Well Event Recipe contest in 2011. It can be served cold or room temperature. If you haven’t tried sweet potatoes in potato salad, it’s time to start.
Check out this recipe
Sweet potato salad with chili lime dressing in a white bowl (with half the bowl showing)
📋 Sausage and Apple Rice Recipe
This award-winning Gluten-free Sausage & Apple Rice with dehydrated/dried apples, sage, wild rice, spinach and pine nuts is a great fall dish and perfect for a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish @7 WW points on the blue plan per serving!

apple rice with sausage on a white plate with pine cones in the background
Irish Soda Bread
A family recipe that we make every week! This is a multiple blue ribbon baking contest winner, perfect for a breakfast bread. Great for any time of year. Of course, perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day with your Irish breakfast, corned beef, or Guinness stew!
Check out this recipe
📋Pierogi Potato Salad Recipe
If you love perogies and are looking for potluck ideas, you will love this gluten-free Pierogi Potato salad. This Ukrainian salad is an award-winning potato salad that's perfect for a summer BBQ, a potluck, cookout or even when you are camping/glamping this summer! 

Pierogi Potato salad in a Ukrainian print dish with wooden spoon and checkered red and white towel in the background

AWARD-WINNING APPETIZERS

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
These Chesapeake Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings are based on an award winning recipe from a popular Irish Pub in Baltimore that I developed years ago.
Check out this recipe
chicken wings in a basket with veggies and dip
Thai Salsa Roja
This Thai Salsa Roja won first place in a salsa competition. There's a secret ingredient that really gives this salsa a unique but flavorful twist
Check out this recipe
Thai Salsa Roja in red and white bowl with blue pattern
📋 Turkey Brie Crostini Recipe
This award-winning Turkey Brie Crostini is a unique and delicious easy turkey appetizer, made with leftover turkey or deli meat. This crostini recipe only takes a few minutes to throw together and it's the perfect easy Christmas appetizer, although it's ideal for any occasion!

2 Turkey Brie Crostini on a white plate with more on black platter in background

AWARD-WINNING SNACKS

ABCD Muffins | Apple, Banana, Date & Coconut
Our award-winning ABCD Muffins are great for kids and are packed with apple, banana, coconut and dates making them a perfect lunch box option!
Check out this recipe
ABCD muffins on a blue checkered plate with white stripes
Espresso Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate
This espresso banana bread laced with rich coffee flavor and chunks of dark chocolate is perfectly sweet and indulgent. It's also plant-based and a recipe contest winner!
Check out this recipe
Espresso Banana Bread on a white plate
🍪 Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach Cookie Recipe
These healthy award-winning Healthy Chocolate Chip Spinach cookies are made with fresh spinach, pineapple and banana and are kid friendly. Now you can have your chocolate chip cookies and healthy food too!

AWARD-WINNING DESSERTS

Chocolate Orange Cake
This award-winning cake is a deliciously decadent and rich chocolate orange cake covered in a dark Terry's chocolate orange flavoured ganache and topped with segments of Terry's chocolate orange. This cake won first place in the best cake category in a village fete contest!
Check out this recipe
chocolate orange cake on a white stand with dark blue background
📋 Award-winning Deluxe Apple Pie
This award-winning Deluxe Apple Pie recipe has the perfect balance of tart to sweet with green apples and lemon zest in the filling. But the butter and whipped cream make it extra rich and creamy! 

A piece of Deluxe apple pie with ice cream | award-winning apple pie
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
This is my award-winning version of a Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, made with my special walnut shortbread crust. The simple, tangy cream cheese layer is topped with juicy, ripe strawberries covered in a sweet glaze that makes a beautiful dessert that you just can't resist! This is a much-loved family favorite recipe pulled from the worn, splattered pages of a tattered family cookbook created for a family reunion decades ago!
Check out this recipe
strawberry cream cheese pie in a white pie dish
Pumpkin Bars {Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting}
The best prize-winning pumpkin bars, a blue ribbon winner! Moist and delicious pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting.
Check out this recipe
pumpkin bar on a blue flowered plate with piece being held on a fork, with another piece in the background
Rhubarb Crumble
This recipe for berry rhubarb crumble won a $5,000 prize!Tangy rhubarb combined with sweet strawberries and blueberries makes for a delicious dessert.
Check out this recipe
rhubarb crumble in a white bowl, with a fork and ice cream on top
Bourbon Peach Cheesecake Mousse
A pecan graham crust and Bourbon peaches give this award winning no-bake cheesecake mousse recipe it's southern flair! It was the Grand Prize Winner of the Sweet ‘n Southern Desserts Recipe Contest hosted by Dixie Crystals at the Blog Life University Conference 2016!
Check out this recipe
Bourbon Peach cheescake mousse in jars
Chai Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake
A Pumpkin Layer Cake with chai spices, a thin layer of pumpkin cashew filling, and topped off with creamy dairy free cinnamon buttercream frosting. (Won reader’s choice in the Go Dairy Free/Simply Organic bake off)
Check out this recipe
slice of pumpkin layer cake on a white plate with pumpkin in the background

So if you're looking for award-winning recipes, these recipes are guaranteed winners that are sure to impress your family and friends.