MENU

OFFICIAL 48TH PILLSBURY BAKE-OFF® CONTEST RULES

CONTEST OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AT LEAST 21 YEARS OR OLDER ON DATE OF ENTRY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

I. WHO CAN ENTER?

You are eligible to enter the 48th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest (the “Contest”) if you are 21 years of age or older as of October 1, 2017, and are a legal United States resident residing in one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia at the time of entry.

You are not eligible to enter and will be disqualified if:

  1. You are or ever have been a food professional, such as a chef, food writer, culinary specialist or educator, or someone who creates recipes for pay (including but not limited to the sale of food products made from your original recipes).
  2. You (1) graduated from a culinary school/program or (2) are enrolled in a culinary school/program at any time between October 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018.
  3. You have been a finalist in three or more Bake-Off® Contests, or have previously been a Bake-Off® Grand Prize Winner.
  4. You or a member of your immediate family (parent, children, siblings, spouse, regardless of where they live) are an employee or consultant of General Mills, Inc., Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Cargill, Inc., Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership, Television Food Network, G.P., or any of their respective parents, subsidiaries, and affiliated companies, or any promotion, advertising, judging, or public relations company doing business with any of the above, or any of their respective parents, subsidiaries and affiliated companies, or you live in the same household of such employees (whether related or not).
  5. To be eligible for the Meijer Award, you must choose Meijer as your preferred grocery store on the online Entry form.

II. PRIZES

A. GRAND PRIZE
One Category Winner will be awarded the Grand Prize, which includes:

  1. A check for $50,000; 
  2. A kitchen makeover consisting of a choice of select groups of kitchen suites of GE Appliances, and $25,000 to implement the makeover; 
  3. A trip to New York City, New York around the week of January 15, 2018 and an appearance on the Food Network show The Kitchen. Trip includes round-trip coach air transportation for the Grand Prize Winner and one guest from the major airport nearest Grand Prize Winner’s home, hotel accommodations consisting of one double occupancy room for three to four nights, daily meals, and activities; 
  4. A visit to Grand Prize Winner’s hometown by a Food Network crew, who will photograph and create a video of the winning recipe and story that will be aired on the Food Network and on various social media channels; and 
  5. Grand Prize Winner and his/her recipe will be featured in a 2018 edition of Food Network Magazine. Retail value of the Grand Prize is approximately $92,000.

Retail value of the Grand Prize is approximately $92,000.

B. CATEGORY WINNER PRIZES
The three Category Winners who do not win the Grand Prize will each receive a Category Winner Prize, which includes:

  1. A check for $5,000; 
  2. An option to choose among a select group of kitchen suites from GE Appliances, valued at approximately $10,000, or a $10,000 cash prize from GE Appliances; 
  3. A trip to New York City, New York around the week of January 15, 2018 to be featured on the Food Network show The Kitchen. Trip includes round-trip coach air transportation for each Category Winner and one guest from the major airport nearest Category Winner’s home, hotel accommodations consisting of one double occupancy room for three to four nights, daily meals, and activities; 
  4. A visit to Category Winner’s hometown by a Food Network crew, who will photograph and create a video of their winning recipe and story, to be aired on Food Network and various social media channels; and 
  5.  Category Winners and their recipes will be featured in a 2018 edition of Food Network Magazine. 

Combined retail value of each Category Winner Prize is approximately $20,000.

C. SPECIAL PRIZES

  1. Meijer Award will be awarded to the Potential Finalist with the highest Initial Score, defined below, among all entrants who chose Meijer as their preferred grocery store and who is not a Potential Category Winner. The Meijer Award winner will receive $10,000 worth of gift cards to Meijer stores. The Meijer Award will be determined after the Potential Category Winners, who are ineligible for the Meijer Award. In the event that there is not a qualifying Entry from an eligible entrant, the Award will not be awarded. 
  2. GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award will be awarded to the entrant whose original recipe is judged by the General Mills Food Professionals to demonstrate the most creative update of a traditional recipe using modern ingredients and/or cooking techniques. The GE “good things, for life" Award Winner will receive a GE Café Black Slate appliance package, a personal cooking lesson at home with a noted GE Appliances chef followed by a dinner party with their closest friends, plus $5,000 cash.  Retail value of the GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award is approximately $20,000. The GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award will be determined after the Meijer Award and will not be awarded to a Potential Category Winner or a Meijer Award Winner, regardless of whether the chosen winners accept such prizes. In the event that all eligible Entries have already received another Prize or there is not an eligible Entry, the GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award will not be awarded.

D. TERMS FOR ALL PRIZES
Approximate retail value of all prizes is $182,000. Sponsors reserve the right in their sole and absolute discretion to substitute a prize or prize component with a prize of equal or greater value. Prizes are non-transferable and may not be given, bartered, substituted, sold, or exchanged for cash or another prize. All prize details are at Sponsors’ sole discretion. Prizes are awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied. After accepting the Prize, the Grand Prize Winner is ineligible to enter any subsequent Pillsbury Bake-Off Contests.

III. HOW DO I ENTER?

To enter, go to www.bakeoff.com between 10/1/2017 at 12:00 A.M. CT and 11/10/2017 at 11:59 P.M. CT (“Promotion Period”) and fill out completely the information requested in the online entry form in the English language, including your personal information, your original recipe, and your original story (“Entry”). Entries that do not meet the criteria for both the recipe and story, as described in Section IV, will be disqualified. Entries must be the original content of the entrant. You cannot submit an Entry on someone’s behalf. Acceptance of Entry is not proof that Entry meets the Entry requirements set forth in Section IV. Use of automated processes and devices to submit electronic Entries is not permitted.

IV. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

  1. RECIPE REQUIREMENTS
    1. Your original recipe must use no more than eight (8) total ingredients, including garnishes. The following do not count towards the total number of ingredients:
      • Table, kosher or plain sea salt;
      • Black pepper;
      • Water at any temperature;
      • Cooking spray for pan treatment; or
      • Dusting of flour used to minimize sticking

    2. Your recipe must contain at least one eligible product from the ingredient list below, and you must specify the flavor and product size your recipe requires.

      3. Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Biscuits
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Flaky Layers Original Biscuits 10.2 oz. (5 ct) or 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Flaky Layers Honey Butter Biscuits 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Flaky Layers Butter Tastin'TM Biscuits 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits 10.2 oz. (5 ct) or 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Southern Homestyle Butter Tastin TM ' Biscuits 10.2 oz. (5 ct) or 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Southern Homestyle Southern Recipe Biscuits 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Southern Homestyle Original Biscuits 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Southern Homestyle Honey Butter Biscuits 16.3 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Junior Golden Layers Buttermilk Biscuits 6 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Junior Golden Layers Butter Tastin' TM Biscuits 6 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Junior Golden Layers Honey Butter Biscuits 6 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Junior Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits 6 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Buttermilk Biscuits 24 oz. (24 ct)

      Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
      • Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls 8 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Butter Flake Crescent Rolls 8 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Reduced Fat Crescent Dinner Rolls 8 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Crescents Big & Buttery 12 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Crescents Big & Flaky 12 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Crescent Original Dough Sheet 8 oz. (1 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls 4 oz. (4 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Crescent Roll Honey Butter 8 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Place 'N Bake™ Crescent Rounds 8 oz. (8 ct)

      Pillsbury Bread and Pizza Dough
      • Pillsbury™ Original Crusty French Loaf 11 oz. (13 Inch)
      • Pillsbury™ Original Breadsticks 11 oz. (12 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts 9 Inch 14.1 oz. (2 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Pizza Dough, Classic Crust (13.8 oz.)
      • Pillsbury™ Pizza Dough, Thin Crust (11 oz.)
      • Pillsbury's Best™ Pizza Dough, Classic Crust (14.56 oz.)
      • Pillsbury's Best™ Pizza Dough, Thin Crust (8.21 oz.)

      Pillsbury Sweet Rolls
      • Pillsbury™ Cinnabon® Cinnamon Rolls with Icing 7.3 oz. (5ct) or 12.4 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Cinnabon® Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing 12.4 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Cinnabon® Reduced Fat Cinnamon Rolls with Icing 12.4 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Cinnabon® Orange Rolls with Orange Icing 13.9 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Cinnabon® Flaky Cinnamon Roll with Butter Cream Icing 13 oz. (8 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls with Icing 17.5 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing 17.5 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Extra Rich Sweet Rolls 17.5 oz. (5 ct)
      • Pillsbury™ Grands!TM Flaky Supreme Cinnamon Rolls with Icing 17.5 oz. (5 ct)

      Pillsbury Cookie Dough
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM Chocolate Chip Cookies 24 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM Sugar Cookies 24 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM Chocolate Chip Cookies 12 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM REESE's Mini Pieces Cookies 12 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 12 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM Chocolate Chunk & Chip Cookies 24 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM HERSHEY's Cookies 'n Cream Cookies 12 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!TM Confetti Cookies 12 ct
      • Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough tube 16 oz.
      • Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Peanut Butter Cookie Dough tube 16 oz.
      • Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough tube 16 oz.
      • Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough tube 30 oz.

    3. Your original recipe must be capable of being prepared in 30 minutes or less, not including baking or cooling time.
    4. In your Entry, you must include each recipe ingredient with specific flavor, exact measurements or weights, equipment with exact dimensions or sizes, and complete step-by-step preparation instructions.
    5. Your original recipe cannot have been published in any form, including but not limited to publication in cookbooks, in magazines, on food blogs or on recipe websites unless the recipe features changes considered significant by the judges in their sole and absolute discretion.
    6. Each original recipe can compete in one of the following categories (“Categories”). At the time of submission, you must choose in which Category your Entry will compete.

      7. Category 1: Cozy Breakfasts
      They say it’s the most important meal of the day! We’d say it’s also one of the most delicious. From grab-and-go breakfasts that fuel your family’s busy day, to warm and cozy brunches that bring everyone to the table, share your best, most delicious way to rise and shine.

      Category 2: Appetizers for Any Party
      There are so many reasons to get together with family and friends—Sunday dinners, showers, graduations, holidays, neighborhood parties—which means everyone could always use another appetizer to share. Share your party-favorite recipe that keeps everyone coming back for more!

      Category 3: Dinners with Heart
      The kitchen table is where family memories are made, one meal at a time. And there’s nothing like a great dinner to get everyone talking, sharing, laughing, and connecting. Share the recipe for your family’s favorite dinner made at home.

      Category 4: No-Fuss Desserts
      Desserts make life sweeter. From pies and cakes to cookies and bars, there are so many delicious ways to spread a little cheer in the lives of the people you love. In fact, if happiness had a recipe, we’re pretty sure it would look a lot like a dessert recipe. What’s your best no-fuss dessert recipe?


  2. PERSONAL STORY REQUIREMENTS
    Share the story behind your original recipe.  For example, you could tell us about your recipe’s inspiration, a favorite memory behind the recipe, a secret ingredient, the story of how the recipe came to be, how it brings people together, or how it has become a family tradition.
    1. The story can have a maximum of 2,000 characters.
    2. The story must not make claims that your recipe caused a health benefit, or any other claim that does not reflect a typical consumer experience.
    3. The story must not contain any content that is lewd, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, disparaging, defamatory, libelous, obscene, or that otherwise contains inappropriate content or objectionable material as determined by General Mills in its sole and absolute discretion.
    4. The story must be your original work, created solely by you, and must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other proprietary rights of any person or entity.
    5. The story must not contain any personally identifiable information of another person without that person’s consent.
    6. The story must not contain any commercial content or trademarks other than those of the Sponsors.
    7. The story must not have been previously published or won previous awards.
    8. The story must not contain any material or elements that are not owned by you and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties.

V.  HOW WILL ENTRIES BE JUDGED?

Judges will review all Entries and select a limited number of eligible Entries to become potential finalists (each, a “Potential Finalist”).

  1. CATEGORY, GRAND PRIZE, AND MEIJER AWARD JUDGING
    Potential Finalists’ Entries will be scored taking into consideration the recipe and story criteria and weighting outlined below (the “Initial Score”). The recipe portion counts for 70% of the Initial Score, and the story is 30%.

    1. Recipe Judging
      1. Taste (25%)
      2. Appearance (25%)
      3. Creativity (25%)
      4. Crowd Appeal (25%)

    2. Story Judging
      1. How the recipe ties to the story (40%)
      2. How the story brings to life a family value, tradition, or memory (40%)
      3. Demonstration of passion (20%)

    2. Entrants are only eligible to be selected as the Potential Category Winner in one Category. The Potential Finalist whose Entry has the highest Initial Score in each Category and who has not been selected as the Potential Category Winner in another Category will become a Potential Category Winner for that Category. Once the Potential Category Winners are confirmed as Winners, as described in Section VI, their Entries will be scored by the Food Network judges using the same criteria used to determine the Initial Score. The Category Winner who is awarded the highest score by the Food Network judges will become the Grand Prize Winner.

  2. GE APPLIANCES “good things, for life” AWARD JUDGING     
    The GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award winner will be determined by the General Mills Food Professionals as described elsewhere in the rules, and will not be determined based on the above judging criteria.

  3. GENERAL JUDGING CONDITIONS    
    At any point in the Contest, in the event of a tied score, the Entry with the highest score for taste will be declared the Entry with the higher score. After the Category Winners have been confirmed, the Meijer Award winner will be determined, and then the GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award winner. General Mills reserves the right to not award any or all prizes if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified Entries.

VI. WHAT HAPPENS IF I BECOME A POTENTIAL CATEGORY OR SPECIAL AWARD WINNER (“POTENTIAL WINNER”)?

Potential Category Winners will be notified on or around November 27, 2017. Potential Meijer and GE Appliances “good things, for life” Award winners (“Potential Special Award Winners”) will be notified on or around November 29, 2017. All Potential Winners will be required to sign (1) an affidavit to certify that their Entry complies with all Contest requirements and official rules, (2) a confidentiality agreement, and (3) a liability release/assignment of rights, all of which must be returned within 72 hours of receipt of notification of Potential Winner status. In addition, Potential Category Award Winners must be able to participate in the travel portion of the Prize. If any Potential Winner cannot be contacted or fails to execute and return the required documents within the required time period, is disqualified for any reason, fails or refuses to claim his or her prize for any reason, or is unable to participate for any reason, the prize will be forfeited and the Potential Winner will not be eligible for any prize. The Potential Finalist’s Entry with the Category’s next highest Initial Score will become the Potential Winner. General Mills in its sole discretion may also choose not to replace any Potential Winner(s).

Once Potential Winners are confirmed by General Mills as official winners (“Winners”), General Mills will provide Winners with further Contest procedures and policies, and all Winners agree to comply with such procedures. Winners may be required to make additional promotional appearances for Sponsors. Method of travel and accommodations for such appearances shall be chosen by Sponsors at their expense. Any Potential Winner who does not comply with these requirements or cannot be easily located at the email address or phone number provided will not be eligible for any prize.

If Category Winner resides within a reasonable proximity of New York, New York, in lieu of the round-trip air transportation portion of the trip, General Mills may choose to provide Category Winner with round-trip ground transportation of General Mills’ choice between Winner’s residence and the hotel. No compensation will be awarded in lieu of the difference in the approximate retail value for the trip. Travel must be made through General Mills’ agent, on a carrier of General Mills’ choice. Travel is subject to availability. Category Winner must possess United States government-approved travel documents. General Mills is not responsible for any cancellations, delays, diversions or substitutions, or any act or omission whatsoever with respect to the trip. Except as indicated, all taxes, gratuities, travel insurance, bag check fees, parking fees, laundry service, food, alcoholic beverages, incidentals (including mini-bar), phone charges, merchandise, souvenirs and other expenses not specifically identified are solely the responsibility of the Category Winner. Category Winner must comply with all hotel check-in requirements, including the presentation of a major credit card. Unused components of the trip have no redeemable cash value. All airline tickets issued in connection with the trip are not eligible for frequent flyer miles or upgrades and cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or offer. Lost or stolen tickets, travel vouchers or certificates or similar items, once they are in a Category Winner’s possession, will not be replaced. Travel must be roundtrip. Any unclaimed and/or unused trip elements will be forfeited and will remain the property of General Mills. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these official rules and those set forth by General Mills’ air travel prize supplier, as detailed in the passenger ticket contract issued by such supplier. In the event a Category Winner and/or his or her guests engage in behavior that (as determined by General Mills in its sole discretion) is obnoxious or threatening, illegal or that is intended to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, General Mills reserves the right to terminate the trip or other applicable experience early, in whole or in part, and send the Category Winner and/or his or her guests home with no further compensation and Category Winner may forfeit his/her chance to be awarded the Grand Prize. In the event the Category Winner’s entry had been selected as the Grand Prize Winner by the Food Network judges, as described above, the Grand Prize will be awarded to the Category Winner with the next highest score. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for substantiated disabilities at the sole discretion of General Mills. 

VII. GENERAL CONDITIONS

By entering, you agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsors, Television Food Network, G.P., other participating sponsors and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, their respective representatives and agents, advertising and promotion agencies, promotion partners and prize suppliers, and all of their respective affiliated companies, employees, officers, directors and shareholders, from and against all claims and damages or liability arising in connection with your participation and/or entry in the Contest and/or your receipt or use of any prize awarded in this Contest or due to any injuries, damages or losses to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any prize or participation in any Contest-related activity or participation in this Contest.

By submitting your Entry, you accept all Contest rules and agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges, which will be final. You also agree that your Entry or Entries become the sole property of General Mills, and General Mills reserves the right to edit, adapt, copyright, publish, transfer and use any or all of them, and allow others to do so, without compensation. Except where prohibited, accepting a prize in the Contest constitutes your consent for Sponsors and their nominees to use your Entry, name, likeness, hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media without further payment or consideration. This consent includes, but is not limited to, the Entry and any content gathered by Sponsors.

Sponsors are not responsible for any changes or effects caused to the entrant's computer system as a result of submitting electronic entries. Only entries submitted via the electronic Entry form provided on the website above will be accepted. If the Contest site fails for any reason any Entry received during that time will be deemed a defective Entry. Entries submitted via any other method, including but not limited to U.S. Postal Service, facsimile or other express delivery services, will NOT be accepted. Sponsors and their promotion agencies are not responsible for phone, network, electronic or computer hardware or software failure, or technical failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, fraud, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions, whether caused by Sponsors, entrants or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the promotion or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of submissions which may damage a user’s system or limit a participant’s ability to participate in the promotion.

General Mills may prohibit any individual from participating in the contest or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that said individual is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair practices; violates the Official Rules; or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner at any time during the Contest, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person.

All issues and disputes regarding any aspect of the Contest, including, but not limited to the construction, interpretation and enforceability of these official rules, shall be governed by the laws of the state of Minnesota, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. All suits and claims shall be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction situated in Minneapolis, MN. General Mills reserves the right to cancel this promotion at its sole discretion. Winners will be posted on the Internet at www.bakeoff.com.

Sponsors are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrant, by printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited, to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any aspect of the Contest; (4) printing, typographical, technical, computer, network or human error which may occur in the announcement of the prizes or in any Contest-related matter or materials; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from participation in the Contest and/or downloading of any materials related to this Contest. If for any reason an Entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant’s sole remedy is another Entry in the Contest.

WARNING: Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, General Mills reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. General Mills’ failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Entrant's Personally Identifiable Information. Information collected from entrant is subject to the General Mills Privacy Policy at http://www.generalmills.com/en/Privacy_Policy.aspx.

For Rules or a Winner’s list, visit www.bakeoff.com. The Winner list will be posted after Winner announcement has been made in February 2018.

The 48th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest is sponsored by General Mills Sales, Inc, One General Mills Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55426; Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances, Appliance Park, Louisville, KY 40225; and Cargill, Inc. 15407 McGinty Rd. Wayzata, MN, 55491 (collectively, “Sponsors”).