We are thrilled to announce grand prize winners of this year’s Culinary Challenge. Congratulations to our winners and stay tuned to our social media channels for more entries that will Inspire the Possibilities™ of what you can create with Cosmic Crisp® in your own kitchen.
The culinary challenge launches in:
More About The
Recipe
Get inspired with these Culinary Challenge Recipes!
Erin McDowell fell in love with baking at 14 years old and never looked back. She worked at a bakery at 16 and gained professional training at The Culinary Institute of America. For the past 10 years she’s made an impact in digital and print food media with her work appearing in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Food Network, Bon Appetit, Food52, and more.
Her first book,The Fearless Baker (2017) was named one of the Best Baking Books of the year by the New York Times. Erin’s second book, The Book on Pie, (2020) is a New York Times Bestseller. Her latest, Savory Baking (2022) is about baking beyond sweets – for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between! She hosted the award-winning series Bake it Up a Notch, and has recently launched a new series called Happy Baking where she shares deep-dives into baking methods and troubleshooting common mistakes.
Erin is a genuine fan of the Cosmic Crisp® apple and is excited to serve as our 2024 Culinary Challenge Master Judge.
Prizes
Three grand prize winners in each category of Baking, Snacking & Entertaining will win a fabulous Baking Essentials Prize Pack full of Erin McDowell’s go-to culinary faves, her signed cookbooks, and a special online meet and greet with our amazing Master Judge. Added bonuses include Cosmic Crisp® merch, apples and seeing their winning recipes promoted to our global community!
Grand Prize List – Valued at Over $950
Five lucky fans who enter the Culinary Challenge without a recipe have a chance to win a special prize pack curated for Cosmic Crisp® aficionados valued at over $200. These prize packs include both of Erin McDowell’s cookbooks (Savory Baking & The Book On Pie), a gift card to shop Cosmic Crisp® merch and (of course) apples!
Get Inspired
Ready to Imagine the Possibilities™ of how Cosmic Crisp® apples create winning recipes? Take a look at these awe-inspiring ideas from last year’s Culinary Challenge.
View all Culinary Challenge recipes.
Follow On Instagram
Follow us on Instagram for all of the Cosmic Crisp® Apple Culinary Challenge updates and inspo. You can also use the hashtag #CC24 to submit a recipe entry.
All lift, no ordinary lime 🍎🍋
Hang on tight — golden calamansi limes meet ruby red Cosmic Crisp® apples for an exotic, ultra zesty & wildly floral ride 🌴 @2townscider just dropped their newest flavor: Golden Lime Cosmic Crisp® Imperial Cider 👏
Ready for takeoff? Find the Paradise Planet Variety Pack near you - comment "CIDER FINDER" 🛒
Not your childhood applesauce 🍎🍑 Peaches found their perfect match in Cosmic Crisp®. No added sugar, just two fruits at their peak & simmered down into a naturally sweet & lightly spiced sauce.
Ingredients:
🍎 4 Large Cosmic Crisp® Apples, Diced
🍑 24 Oz Frozen Peach Slices
🍋 1 Lemon, Juiced
💧 3/4 Cup Filtered Water
Directions
1. Add all ingredients to a large pot. Cover with a lid and place over medium heat.
2. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently until the fruit has cooked down & is soft all the way through. A fork should easily pierce an apple. If the mixture is bubbling too much, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add everything to a blender, working in batches if needed. Blend until completely smooth, then pour back into the pot.
3. Place back over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for about 10-15 minutes to cook down/thicken a bit more. This step is optional but recommended.
4. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
#cosmiccrisp #peaches #applesauce #healthysnackideas #wholesomefood
Cosmic Crisp® is almost harvest ready 🍎🌳 Swipe to meet @applegirlkait & some team members - first harvests, years in the field & their go-to apple - plus a throwback to last year`s harvest 👏
Spoiler: it`s Cosmic Crisp® 😉
For the love of burrata & Cosmic Crisp®, we made this 🍎🤍
Crispy sourdough, creamy burrata, perfectly balanced apple matchsticks, fresh basil & a drizzle of balsamic. This is the lunch you’ll make on repeat all autumn.
Comment “BURRATA” for the recipe!
#cosmiccrisp #burrata #toasttuesday #toastbread #snackvideo
The moment Cougs & Cosmic Crisp® fans wait all year for 🍎🎈
The Harvest Market is coming back to Mooberry Track @wsupullman on Friday, September 25 & October 2 from 4–6 pm. Two back-to-back Fridays of:
🍎 Fresh Cosmic Crisp® samples,
🏀 Meet WSU athletes,
🧀 Explore Cougar-made foods and products, &
🎈 View + take pictures with the Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon
Cougs & Cosmic Crisp® fans, this is your ultimate kickoff to game day weekend! 🎉🍎
Real Cosmic Crisp® stans ones don’t need the 3507 sticker 🍎✨ @julietteamie_ took one bite & instantly recognized her favorite apple.
Could you pass the blind taste test? Don’t forget to tag us in your blind taste tests.
#cosmiccrisp #apples #tastetest #snackfood
Cosmic Crisp® said oxidation? Never heard of her 🍎🧬
Cultivated with naturally higher levels of sugar & acidity, this helps make the apple incredibly slow-to-brown. Translation? No sad brown apples ever 👏
🍎🛒 Find the apple at a store near you via our store locator!
📸: @noshincolor
Your happy hour just got a Cosmic Crisp® upgrade 🍎 Sweet, crisp & refreshing.
Which one are you trying first? 👇
#cosmiccrisp #apples #drinkrecipes #happyhourtime #mocktails
Glad you asked 🍎 Cosmic Crisp® is closer than you think. Find America`s new favorite apple at a store near you. Link in bio 🛒👆
Your favorite apple in two months 🍎🌳 Ruby red, crisp & perfectly balanced - this Cosmic Crisp® photo dump is your official harvest season preview 🍎
The king of apples has a family secret 👑🍎
Honeycrisp is actually one of Cosmic Crisp®`s parent varieties, giving it its perfectly balanced flavor, unbelievable juiciness & crisp crunch. @olivianeelyy knew the upgrade was in the bloodline 😉
📸: @oliviaaneely
#cosmiccrisp #apples #snacktime #snackreview #freshproduce
Your organic Cosmic Crisp® era starts now 🍎 Look for the PLU sticker starting with 9 — that’s your sign. You’re welcome 😉
#cosmiccrisp #wholefoods #apples #grocerystore #groceryhaul
Your Cosmic Crisp® dip personality says a lot about you 🍎 Chocolate protein, cheesecake, vanilla yogurt, peanut butter or whipped ricotta — rank your top 3 below 👇
@thecravenorthwest recap we didn`t want to end 🍎✨
Cosmic Crisp® sampling, @wsucahnrs representing Washington`s finest & a community of food lovers who showed up. Thank you @wsucahnrs for being the best partners in showing all that Washington has to offer 🫶
#cosmiccrisp #wsupullman #cravenorthwest #wsucahnrs
The ultimate parent hack? Hiding Cosmic Crisp® apples in a snack they`ll actually beg for 🍎🥹 @reclaimedhealthjayde gets it.
Ingredients:
🍎 2 Cosmic Crisp® Apples, Cored & Diced
🤎 8-10 Medjool Dates, Soaked 10 minutes & Pitted
🥥 1/2 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
🤎 1 Tsp Cinnamon
🤍 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
🌱 3 Tbsp Grass-Fed Gelatin
💧 1/3 Cup Water
Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, add the gelatin with the water. Mix well & allow to sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
2. In a medium sized pot, add apples, soaked dates, coconut milk, cinnamon & sea salt. Simmer for 6–8 minutes until the apples soften and the dates begin to break down. Add the vanilla.
3. Place the mixture carefully into a high speed blender & blend until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pot on low heat & whisk in gelatin until dissolved.
4. Next, pour the mixture into silicone molds & chill 2–3 hours until firm. Pop them out & enjoy!
📸: @washington.apples
#cosmiccrisp #gummies #gutfriendly #apples #healthysnackideas
