Welcome to Julia’s Cooking Challenge!

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I'm officially launching Julia's Cooking Challenge for the first time in September 2026! I've wanted to do this for a long time, and I'm so excited that we'll finally cook together every month and share your creations along the way.

About Julia's Cooking Challenge

A brand-new challenge starts here every month! I'll feature one main recipe plus an alternate, and you can make either one and submit your photo through a widget BELOW anytime during the challenge month. At the end of the month, one entry will be randomly selected to win a $250 Amazon gift card, and I'll announce the winner right here. If you're already subscribed to my emails, you'll hear about each new challenge there too - or simply come back to this page to see what we're cooking next!

And I hope you'll join us in the Julia's Album Community (a new feature on my website), too! Share what you made, tell us what you changed, swap tips, ask questions, and see how other Julia's Album readers made the same recipe their own.

 

Julia's Cooking Challenge

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Julia's Cooking Challenge? Julia's Cooking Challenge is a monthly event where we all make the same recipe together! Each month, I'll feature a new recipe to try, along with an alternate recipe. It's a fun way to try something new, get creative in the kitchen, and see how everyone puts their own spin on the same recipe.
2. When does a new challenge begin? A new challenge starts on the 1st of each month and runs through the end of the month. You can make the recipe and submit your entry at any time during the challenge month-there's no need to wait until the end.
3. How do I participate? Make either the featured challenge recipe or the alternate recipe, take a photo of your finished dish, and upload it through the entry form above. Enter your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. Once your photo is submitted, you're entered!
4. Is there a bonus entry? Yes! You can earn a bonus entry by leaving a star rating and a comment on either the challenge recipe or the alternate recipe. The bonus entry is completely optional.
5. Can I enter with both the challenge recipe and the alternate recipe? You're welcome to make both, but you can submit only one recipe photo as your main entry each month. Choose either the featured recipe or the alternate for your entry.
6. Can I submit more than one photo? Please submit just one photo for your official entry. Multiple photos or making the recipe more than once won't create additional entries.
7. Can I make substitutions or change the recipe? Absolutely. Reasonable substitutions are welcome! Swap a protein, adjust ingredients for dietary needs, or use what's available to you. Check the recipe post first, since I often include recommended substitutions and variations.
8. What if the featured recipe isn't something I want to make? That's what the alternate recipe is for! You can make the alternate and use it for your entry instead. Or simply skip that month and join us for the next challenge.
9. What's the prize? One randomly selected winner will receive a $250 Amazon gift card.
10. How is the winner selected? The winner is selected completely at random through Gleam.io (the widget through which you submit your photo entry). This is not a cooking or photography competition, so your cooking experience, plating, photography skills, rating, or comment won't affect your chances of winning.
11. When will the winner be announced? The winner will be contacted directly by email and announced on this page when the following month's challenge begins.
12. Can I participate if I live outside the United States? Yes! Julia's Cooking Challenge is open to participants outside the U.S. as well. The winner must be able to use a US Amazon gift card.
13. Do I need to be 18 to enter? Anyone can cook along, but the person officially submitting the contest entry must be 18 or older. Younger cooks should have appropriate adult supervision, and an adult should submit the entry.
14. Are AI-generated photos allowed? No. Your entry must be a real photo of the food you actually made. AI-generated images or images substantially altered with AI are not eligible, and entries may be checked for AI use.
15. Can my photo include people? Please keep the food as the main subject of your entry. Hands are fine, but please don't submit photos featuring identifiable faces.
16. Do I have to share my photo on social media? No. Social media sharing is completely optional and does not replace submitting your photo through the official entry form. If you do share your creation, use #juliasalbum so I can find it!
17. Where can I find this month's recipe and previous challenges? The current challenge recipe is featured at the top of this page. Previous challenge recipes and winners will also be collected here as the challenge grows.
18. Do I need to subscribe to Julia's Album emails to participate? No. Email subscription is not required to participate. Subscribing simply means you'll receive notifications about new challenges and other Julia's Album recipes and updates. If you're already a subscriber, you'll hear about each new challenge through my regular emails. You can also check this page anytime for the current challenge.
19. Is participating required if I'm an email subscriber? Not at all. There is never any requirement to participate. Join the months that interest you, skip the ones that don't, or simply follow along for the recipes.
20. Where can I connect with other people doing the challenge? Join Julia's Album community (a new feature of my site!) to share your results, ask questions, discuss substitutions, and see what other readers are making throughout the month.