Ellie Alexander writes the bestselling Bakeshop Mystery series and the Sloan Krause Mysteries for Macmillan Publishing.
Ellie is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing 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.
Take it away, Ellie.
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Typically my rule has always been that nothing holiday can begin until after Thanksgiving, much to the disappointment of my husband and son. This year all bets are off. That means I’ve been baking a lot of sweet and savory dishes usually reserved for November and December, like these hot chocolate cookies. Although, to be honest hot chocolate is a constant staple in our house. We live in the Siskiyou Mountains in Ashland, Oregon where nighttime temps have been steadily dropping. Fall has been putting on a spectacular show here in the Northwest with a symphony of colors, brilliant sunshine dancing on the top of sepia-toned hills, and cool, crisp evening breezes.
There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with a cup of cocoa and plate of hot chocolate cookies.
In A CUP OF HOLIDAY FEAR, Juliet, my pastry chef turned amateur sleuth, serves these rich and nostalgic cookies during Ashland’s annual Christmas parade, that culminates with Santa and Mrs. Claus illuminating the plaza with thousands of twinkling lights. But you don’t have to wait until the holidays to enjoy these cookies. Whip up a batch anytime of the year. Your tastebuds will thank you!
What about you? Do you have strict rules when it comes to the holidays? Will you save your holiday baking until December or start now?
Happy baking!
Ellie
Hot Chocolate Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup cocoa powder
3 cups flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whip butter in a mixer until
smooth and fluffy. Slowly incorporate sugars, vanilla, and eggs. Turn speed to
low, and add salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, and flour.
Blend at low speed until the batter is well combined. Mix in mini chocolate chips and marshmallows by hand. Form dough into one-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Blend at low speed until the batter is well combined. Mix in mini chocolate chips and marshmallows by hand. Form dough into one-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and serve with your favorite hot chocolate.
GIVEAWAY
I'm going to give away a copy of A CUP OF HOLIDAY FEAR
plus a holiday mug to one lucky commenter.
Remember to leave your email so I may contact you.
Tell me: what's your favorite holiday cookie?
You can find me online at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BakeshopMystery
These cookies sound amazing! There are certain cookies I only bake in December for the holidays. My favorite are tricolor cookies. Cindy226(at)gmail.com
ReplyDeleteTricolor cookies sound so festive!
DeleteThese cookies look so yummy! I mainly bake gingerbread cookies only in December.
ReplyDeletekpowers784(at)yahoo(dot)com
Gingerbread is a MUST during the holidays!
DeleteYum! Rhose look awesome! I love Amish Sugar Cookies and Snickerdoodles! almaj80(at)suddenlink(dot)net Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI never tried to bake Amish Sugar Cookies but I want to try them!
DeleteMy favorite is pizzelle. My mother always started baking for Christmas on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I loved helping. She knew I loved pizzelle and tea, and always sent me back to college with a can full. mhunter972@aol.com
ReplyDeleteYes! Those are so beautiful!
DeleteLooks delicious I want to make these right away! My favorite to bake is cherry wink cookies. My dad loved them. Donakutska7@gmail.com Thank you for the chance here's hoping
ReplyDeleteOooohhh, what are cherry wink cookies?
DeleteMy favorite is Snickerdoodles. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI love snickerdoodles! Yum!
DeleteSorry forgot to add my email:
ReplyDeletePlrusk@msn.com
I love peanut butter blossoms. Thank you for the chance! I love the cover of the book. moonbay7399@gmail.com
ReplyDeletePeanut butter blossoms are my husband’s favorite!
DeleteI like frosted sugar cookies! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYes, and they are so pretty on a holiday cookie plate!
DeleteMy mother's molasses sugar cookies! schmokercarol(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYou can’t go wrong with a good molasses!
DeleteIf you haven’t read this series you need to start. It’s amazing.
ReplyDeleteAwwww, thank you so much, Sue!
DeleteMy favorite cookies for ANY occasion are my daughter's double chocolate, white chocolate, macadamia nut cookies. Although I'm not ordering any lately what with the High Holidays messing with my diet all by them selves.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter’s cookies sound delish!
DeleteMy moms fruitcake cookies. We have some that try the cookies that have hated fruitcake and love these cookies. They always disappear so fast.
ReplyDeleteButterflycmc@yahoo.com
A friend just shared her fruitcake cookie recipe with me. I can’t wait to try them.
DeleteRed velvet cookies - positive.ideas.4you@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteYou had me at red velvet!
DeleteOh those hot chocolate cookies look good! I loved my Mom's molasses cookies. Sadly, she has passed and I can't make them like she did so they're not the same. Also love just about anything with chocolate. Rwilson@ws4r.com
ReplyDeleteI’ve struggled to recreate some of my mom’s recipes too, but I will say that being in the kitchen makes me feel connected to her.
DeleteI bake a cookie with a graham cracker crust and a praline top. Yummy!
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
Yum!
DeleteI like snickerdoodles but don’t get them very often.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
One of my favorite Christmas cookies has to be the cutout sugar cookies. They are not only delicious but they bring back so many wonderful memories of my brother and I spending hours decorating them when we were kids. As an adult, I realized how smart Mom was to create not only a bonding time with siblings, but she also had a time that she knew we were occupied, having fun and not arguing during school break which siblings often do.
ReplyDeleteAlso love my recipe for Ozark Honey Oatmeal Cookies because they are easy to package or ship for goody boxes to share with loved one, they don't get stale but rather taste even better with time and everyone seems to enjoy them.
Another cookie would be one I somewhat invented with lots of goodies in them like white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and pecans. Love it because it has all the baking ingredients I loved in other cookies all baked into one cookie.
The recipe for Hot Chocolate Cookies will definitely be added to my cookie file. Sounds wonderfully delicious!
Since it's now just hubby and I, we don't stand on the after Thanksgiving rule that we once did. Now if we want what is considered holiday food or to watch a Christmas movie, we do it whether it's December or June. Life is just too short to put off the things we enjoy!
Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy of "A CUP OF HOLIDAY FEAR"! I can't wait for the opportunity to read it.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Oh, you should just come over to my kitchen and we’ll get baking!
DeleteI love gingerbread cookies at the holidays. Thanks for the chance! cking78503(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteColorful iced sugar cookies equals Christmas season.💕
ReplyDeleteThese cookies sound amazing & I will definitely try them. My favorite holiday cookie is decorated sugar cookies
ReplyDeletejwhaley4@aol.com
These look so good! I'm glad to have a new recipe. I just love a decorated frosted sugar cookie. They're so fun to do with the kids. tami.norman@gail.com
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate chip for anytime and mom's sugar cookies at Christmas, though your hot chocolate cookies look so good I might end up with a new favorite.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway. I've been reading the Bakeshop books for awhile and can't wait to read Cup of Holiday Fear. Just discovered the Sloan Krause series, which is amazing too. Keep it up!
kozo8989@hotmail.com
That’s fabulous! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying both series. And, you’ll have to let me know how the cookies turn out!
DeleteI use to have strict rules about Christmas. No decorations until Black Friday. However, I started thinking about Christmas in June. Of course, all shopping has to be done before Black Friday. I'm not like that anymore. I read Christmas books throughout the year. I actually have a Christmas tree up now. We did Christmas in July to make me feel better. Since the tree is out of the way and you don't see it, unless you know to look, it's still up.
ReplyDeleteThis cookies look and sound amazing. I'm definitely going to to try these. My favorite cookies are sugar cookies. Frosted or not, doesn't matter.
I would LOVE to win this prize.
kvmatlock (at) gmail (dot) com
Wow, my husband would LOVE to come to your house. I still have a strict no Christmas until after Thanksgiving rule!