Sunday, July 10, 2016

Ellie Alexander's Molasses Chocolate Crinkles

We are so happy to welcome Ellie Alexander, whose new book, Caught Bread Handed (the fourth in her Bakeshop Mystery series), has just been released. Since she comes bearing cookies--with chocolate, no less--we're glad to have her here!


Thanks so much for having me on today! I’m excited to share a favorite family recipe for Molasses Chocolate Crinkles. My mom used to make these for after school treats when I was growing up and I love getting to continue the tradition with my family now. Not to mention the heavenly smell of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves filling my kitchen. 




Baking is always a nice respite from my own head, especially when I’m working on a new book. Often I’ll take a break in the afternoon and spend a couple of hours in the kitchen testing recipes. I can totally lose myself in the process of baking, and sometimes I have the best insights on characters or plot points when I’m up to my elbows in dough. However I don’t always have a ton of time between writing, hurrying to pick up my kiddo at school, and trying to get dinner on the table. One of the best things about these cookies is that they are quick and easy to bake. You can whip them out in the same amount of time it takes to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies, but these have a sweet and spicy taste thanks to the molasses and healthy amounts of chocolate chips which make them feel like an extra special treat.

I mean what’s not to love about molasses and chocolate? It’s like combining two of my favorite cookies in one! Plus, I promise that your kitchen will smell divine when you slide a batch of these beauties into the oven.

I hope you’ll give the recipe a try. Post a comment below with your favorite easy bake. Be sure to include your email as one lucky commenter will receive a signed copy of Caught Bread Handed plus an assortment of sweet teas and gourmet lemonade.

Happy reading and baking!

Ellie


Molasses Chocolate Crinkles

Ingredients:



2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 package chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar in extra bowl


Directions:

Cream butter, sugar and molasses together. Add egg. Then slowly incorporate dry ingredients and spices. 



Once batter is firm add chocolate chips and chill in the refrigerator for one hour. 




Spoon batter into 1-inch balls and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.




Immediately roll in granulated sugar when cookies are hot from the oven.






Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.

You can find her online at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexanderauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BakeshopMystery

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexander/




About Caught Bread Handed

Welcome to Torte―a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the oven is heating up as high as the body count…

Jules Capshaw is still chewing over her husband Carlos’s return to Ashland, Oregon. Could there be too many cooks in the kitchen? Whatever is stirring between those two will have to wait. Despite the Oregon Shakespeare Festival being dark for the winter, the bakeshop is bustling, the dough is rolling, and there’s no rest for the weary…especially when murder is thrown into the mix.

When Mindy Nolan, the owner of a new restaurant in town, turns up dead, the batter at hand thickens. Jules knows that there was bad blood between Mindy and others in town, and tracking down the killer could prove to be an unwelcome treat. And to top it all off, there’s Carlos, who is pleading―with those delicious dark eyes and sexy Spanish accent―for Jules to take him back. Is home where the heart is or will she make a fresh start…and risk getting burned?







102 comments:

  1. My favourite easy bake would be fudgy chocolate brownies. Thanks for the chance to win! grace dot koshida at gmail dot com

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    1. Grace, so fun to see you on here! And, yum to fudgy chocolate brownies!

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  2. Easy Microwave Mug Cakes are my favorites.
    peggyhyndman(at)att(dot)net

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    1. Peggy, I've never heard of microwave mug cakes, that sounds delish and easy!

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  4. What a unique recipe, or at least it was to me :) I love to make a cannoli cheesecake that i cteated, its a very easy bake as you only have yo bake tge crust. Thank you for offering the giveaway, lilflynracer at msn.com.

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    1. Amy, I'm drooling at the sound of a cannoli cheesecake!

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  5. These look so yummy! My easy bake are peanut butter cookies.
    karen(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com

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    1. Karen, my husband loves peanut butter cookies so they are always a staple in our house.

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  6. My grandma used to make molasses cookies. How I miss her baking. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
    Lady(dot)janel(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Janel, food memories are the best. You'll have to let me know if you try them.

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  7. Chocolate chip cookies, fudge, pumpkin bread are a few of my faves

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  8. Those cookies look amazing. I can't wait to make them. My favorite easy bake is my 5 minute caramel corn. Its a favorite of everyone at Christmas and it only takes me about an hour to make it for everyone instead of the two days it takes to make all the cookies I used to bake. utaker555@gmail.com

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    1. You make an excellent point about the amount of time spent on holiday baking. A quick caramel corn is brilliant!

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  9. My favorite easy recipe is Forgotten Cookies.
    The molasses cookies look delicious!
    Ladybear6336e@verizon.net
    MaryC

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    1. What are Forgotten Cookies? They sound perfect for a mystery!

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  10. This is a new to me series. Food and a town named Torte, have to try it. And a quick and easy recipe that includes molasses and chocolate. Sounds great. I like to bake but it's often too time-consuming. Thanks for the recipe and the giveaway.
    sallycootie@gmail.com

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    1. I'd be delighted if you decide to read the series. Happy reading and baking!

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  11. These look delicious! I have good recipes for these separately, but have never tried it together. A favorite easy recipe I have been making of late are Salted Caramel Rice Krispie bars. Not too much more complicated, but sure elevates the rice khakis bar to new heights!

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    1. JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
      Thanks!

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    2. Yes, sometimes mash-ups are the best! And three cheers for elevating Rice Krispies!

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  12. I don't have a special easy bake cookie recipe, just sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies.

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    1. Linda, both of those are on my go-to list for quick bakes! Sometimes simple and easy is the best.

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  13. My favorite go to quick recipe is a lemon cookie using 3 or 4 ingredients including a cake mix and cool whip. Ilove leemon but made all flavors and took to work all the time.
    Oneponychick66@hotmail.com

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    1. You are speaking my language. I LOVE anything with lemon! I'll have to give those a try.

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  14. I still love my no-bake chocolate, oatmeal & peanut butter cookies the best. Love this author's series & have been following her since her first book. Thanks for the chance to win. dowar1952@yahoo.com

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    1. Doward, thank you so much for reading it from the start! You are the best.

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  15. I don't do much baking, but I do like to make old fashioned sugar cookies. You know the kind that you use lard. They taste a little like shortbread as they aren't real sweet. I don't think of them as necessarily easy bake, though. marlene.ezell@gmail.com

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    1. Marlene, I have to admit that I've never used lard. My grandmother used to in her pie crusts, but in a sugar cookie... now I'm intrigued.

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  16. I love to bake and my favorite easy bake would be Ree Drummond's Peach Crisp. You don't even have to peel the peaches! Everyone loves it. I will have to try the molasses cookies soon - they sound delicious. ioncookbooks(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  17. These cookies look tasty. Thank you for the recipe. I like to make blueberry crisp, no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies, or rice krispie treats. Dmskrug3(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. There's nothing better on a summer morning than a fresh blueberry crisp. Thanks for reminding me of that!

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  18. I have to go with brownies. I use a cookie scoop to divide the batter into mini muffin tins, that way the kids can have two and everybody has the exact same sized brownie. In theory this should avoid baked-good inspired fights. llcejka at gmail dot com

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    1. That is such a great idea! I've never tried brownies in muffin tins. I'm going to give that a shot!

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  19. My favorite easy bake is cake bars: yellow cake mix, 1/2 c. milk, 1 egg, 1/3 c. oil--stir.. then add 1 c. white choc. chips and 1/3 c. jimmies. bake in 13X9 X2 greased pan @350 degrees for 20 min. I love molasses cookies and never thought to put chocolate chips in them! Thanks for the review, recipe and chance to win your new book.. salvatoresmom71@yahoo.com

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    1. Amy, thanks for sharing your recipe. These cakes bars sound so good!

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  20. I love to bake lemon bars---so fresh and yummy.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  21. My favorite easy bake is my mom's cookie recipe. They are sorta like a butter cookie. Kristi @ hannah03@bellsouth.net

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    1. Butter and cookies nothing goes better together IMHO.

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  22. These sounds very good thanks for the recipe and review.
    Penney penneyw(AT)sbcglobal.net
    I always loved chocolate chip cookies.

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  23. Thank you for this chance! The book sounds great, and the Crinkles look delicious. My favorite easy bake is chocolate cake I make in my bundt pan. areewekidding@yahoo.com

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    1. I'm thrilled to be a guest today. I'm a huge fan girl of the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen! Yum to chocolate bundt!

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  24. I don't bake these days. When I did, my favorite bake was something like this! Thanks for the chance. dm_richards (at) yahoo(dot) com

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  25. I love making chocolate chip cookies.
    littleone AT shaw
    DOT ca

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  26. Favorite easy bake? That's a hard one. I have a chocolate crinkle cookie recipe, while not "easy", is a winner.

    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  27. My go to is chocolate chip bar cookies . With two sticks of butter and a cup of sugar they aren't the healthiest , but everyone loves them ! kathambre@yahoo.com

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    1. Kathy, anything with two sticks of butter is a winner!

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  28. I love these Molasses cookies. A friend gave me a similar recipe a few years ago. My go to recipe is Scotcharoos: white corn syrup mixed with sugar and brought to a boil. Then add peanut butter and stir until mixed. Add Rice Krispies and then pat into buttered pan. Top with a combination of butterscotch and chocolate chips melted together.

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    1. Dianne, the sound of Scotchsroos has me drooling!

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  29. Not baked - a steamed cake my Mom made - eggs, sugar , flour and vanilla extract.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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    1. A steamed cake? Hmm. As in a water bath? Very interesting!

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  30. My favorite easy bake is...fudge!

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    1. Perfect for the title of the next book in the series FUDGE AND JURY!

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  31. My fave easy bake is peanut butter pie

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  32. My favorite easy bake is brownies. Thanks for the great giveaway. I can't wait to read "Caught Bread Handed". Great series and I'm going to give your recipe a try.

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    1. Forgot to leave my email:
      diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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    2. Forgot to leave my email:
      diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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    3. Dianne, thank you so much for reading the series! I can't wait to hear what you think of the book and recipe.

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  33. My favorite easy bake is brownies. Thanks for the great giveaway. I can't wait to read "Caught Bread Handed". Great series and I'm going to give your recipe a try.

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  34. Oatmeal cookies or peanut butter cookies are my easy bakes.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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    1. Linda, or what about oatmeal peanut butter cookies? ��

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  35. My easy bake cookies are peanut butter cookies with a chocolate Hershey kiss on each one. Your cookies sound wonderful. I will have to make them around fall. Thank you for the giveaway! crossxjo@hotmail.com

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  36. Yum! These sounds so good and different than anything I've made. Peanut butter cookies are my go-to for easy bakes.

    brookeb811 [at] gmail.com

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    1. Brooke, I suggest a baking extravaganza where you make both!

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  37. I am a person who makes everything from scratch due to allergies, so for my easiest cookie, that would be the Forgotten cookies, and for my favorite apple dessert, it would be my APPLE SOMETHING (not a pie, nor a cake, but something else!!) and my fruit cobblers which are very similar to my APPLE SOMETHING. I love making pies and the fastest one is my Key Lime Pie made with sweetened condenses milk and bottles key lime juice ordered online from Key West Florida. I also love to make biscuits and you can sweeten them to use with so many kinds of fruit for fast and easy shortcakes. And the list goes on and on.....

    Will make your molasses chip cookies soon. I love molasses cookies but never made them with chocolate chips.
    We love molasses whoopee pies a lot too. Easy also.
    Congratulations on your release. Looking forward to reading it soon.

    ceblain(AT)tmlponline(DOT)net

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    1. Can I come move in with you? All of these sound amazing!

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  38. Hmm, easy huh? I guess the peanut butter, Hershey kiss cookie is probably the easiest, or any bar cookie. I love the sound of this recipe, I have got to try them, thank you for the recipe.
    momzillasteel at gmail dot com

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    1. Debbie, I promise. If you bake and they aren't easy you can blame me!

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  39. I've loved molasses cookies since I was a kid. Never thought to put chocolate chips in them! Thank you for the recipe & the chance to win.
    sxygrndma48{at}yahoo{dot}com

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  40. Those look tasty, as does the book! My first favorite recipe was for Snickerdoodles in Home Ec., but pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie took first place since then, and a special cheesecake recipe I only make when there will be many to help eat it.

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    1. I'm a sucker for anything pumpkin especially come fall.

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  41. There is nothing like good old fashioned oatmeal cookies. I've only just recently really gotten into baking. 3 weeks ago I made molasses cookies with nuts which was so good and easy. I also love a good no bake cheesecake. Now I need to try this recipe!!! Butterflyboo123 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  42. My easy bake cookies are lemon biscuits which are loved by all. Your cookies look delectable. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Lemon biscuits sound like a perfect breakfast treat!

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  43. Marble Cake is my favorite and best bake treat. Thanks for your recipe and feature. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. My pre-teen calls marble cake chocolate vanilla swirl.

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  44. I have recipe like these that were my sisters favorite. I would make them for her on Christmas and her birthday. The only different is that I would put in raisins and chocolate covered raisins. a half a cup each, maybe more chocolate covered raisins. vlhcats@gmail.com

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    1. Vicki, raisins and chocolate covered raisins sound like a fabulous addition!

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  45. I love to make cupcakes, lemon is one of my favorites, and the easiest to make. I can't wait to read this book, thanks for the chance to win! dnrocker@yahoo.com

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    1. My mother-in-law makes the most divine lemon cupcakes!

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  46. My favorite easy bake would be a no bake, chocolate or cheesecake. Thankyou for the great giveaway opportunity! I hope it includes a crinkle, they look delicious! Jill Broussard; minishoes@msn.com

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    1. I need to find a way to ship cookies with my books!

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    2. I need to find a way to ship cookies with my books!

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  47. What a grand prize! I used to love molasses cookies but haven't had them for years. I will have to try this recipe. My favorite easy bake? Can't think right now.

    ElaineE246 at msn dot com

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  48. Yummy. I always take the easy way out, so my favorite easy bake is homemade cream cheese danish. So easy. Thanks for the chance to win. kayt18(at)comcast(dot)net

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    1. Um, homemade cream cheese Danish doesn't sound like the easy way out to me. Very impressive.

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  49. I don't cook or bake much any more. When I did, I guess one of the easiest was Cherry Crisp. ;)
    Your cookies look good and so does your book. :)
    pmettert@yahoo.com

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