For the 39th annual Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest, 32 readers submitted recipes for sweet treats, including biscotti and shortbread, bars and balls, and classic chocolate chip and sugar cookies. Some recipes were decades old, passed down from grandparents, aunts, neighbors and friends, and tweaked as the years have gone by.

We saw takes on viral flavors, such as Dubai chocolate, and classic holiday flavors, including gluhwein and eggnog. Some entries included more nontraditional cookie ingredients, such as avocado and hummus, while others embraced classic seasonal spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon. Some recipes had roots in Jewish, Czech and Italian traditions.

More than 1,800 readers cast over 3,800 votes to decide the 12 finalists that Tribune staffers baked for judging. Guest judge

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