KIM DAVIS: Tomorrow is a the release day for ESSENTIALS OF DEATH, the second book in the Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries! As I was reading through it for the fiftieth time, hunting for any last pesky typos that escaped the attention of the editor, proofreader, and myself, I starting making note of any food mentioned during the story so that I could come up recipes to share on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. My protagonist, Carissa, loves to eat and she's dating the patisserie owner which means lots of goodies. One of the treats she indulges in are chocolate pecan brownie cookies. And while the recipe isn't included in the book, I couldn't help but want to create a recipe for celebrating my new book. These cookies are ultra rich and when warm, the good kind of gooey that goes perfect with a glass of cold milk and a good book in the other hand.
Be sure to scroll down to the bottom for a chance to win an audiobook copy of Essentials of Murder.
Chocolate
Pecan Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or substitute a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon espresso powder or
instant coffee such as Starbucks VIA
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (semi
sweet or dark)
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Place the butter in a microwave-safe large bowl, and heat until melted. Stir in the espresso powder or instant coffee until dissolved. Set aside until just barely warm.
Once the butter mixture has cooled some, whisk in the cocoa powder until well mixed.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined.
Fold the chocolate chips and the pecans
into the batter.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
If the cookie dough is too stiff once you remove from the refrigerator, allow to come to room temperature for 20 minutes.
Scoop the dough into golf ball-sized pieces and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 to 3 inches between the cookies since the cookies will spread.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, turning the cookie sheet half way through the baking time. The center should appear slightly undercooked. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before eating… if you can wait that long!
Store leftover cookies at room temperature, in an airtight container, layering the cookies between wax paper.
💕 Click here for a free printable PDF of the recipe!💕
Releasing September 23, 2025!
To purchase, click on the book or this title: ESSENTIALS OF DEATH
About Essentials of Death:
After a scandalous arrest in San Francisco, Carissa Carmichael has moved back to her small Southern California hometown to start over as she opens her Aromatherapy Apothecary shop and reflexology services. A tourist destination, Oak Creek Valley, seems the perfect place to put the past behind her, but it seems no one will let her forget, especially her high school nemesis, Lacie. When Carissa finds her frenemy murdered after having a public altercation at the town's playwright conference and festival, she becomes the primary suspect. It doesn't help that the tarot cards she drew earlier in the day foretold the nature of the murder weapon. Despite her father's position as Oak Creek Valley's chief of police, the detective assigned to the case assumes she's guilty.
When tarot death cards begin turning up to taunt her, Carissa not only has to prove her innocence to keep her freedom, she has to make sure death doesn't come calling for her or those she loves. With the suspects acting as slippery as the essential oils she distills, it's up to Carissa to apply pressure and sniff out the truth before it's too late.
Books available at most online retailers
Amazon
* Barnes
& Noble * Kobo
* Apple
Cupcake
Catering Mysteries * Essentials of
Murder
About the Author:
Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery
series, and the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series. She has
also written several children’s nature articles published in a variety of
magazines. For ten years she’s written the Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of
Murder culinary cozy mystery blog, in which she features reviews of cozy
mysteries along with a recipe from the book, and photos of the prepared dish.
And now she’s a member of Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen!
Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers
of America, and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
She lives in Southern California with her husband and
rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for
several plotlines. When she’s not spending time with her granddaughters or
chasing Missy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, working
on blogs, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats to share.
Click here to sign up here for Kim’s newsletter: Newsletter
Connect with Kim on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Bluesky, Bookbub,
Goodreads,
and website
And now for the giveaway:
To celebrate the release of ESSENTIALS OF DEATH, I’m giving away an audiobook copy of Essentials of Murder.
Readers, do you
have a favorite dessert you make to celebrate a special occasion or an accomplishment?
Comment below and include your email (yourname at
yourserver dot com) for a chance to win an audiobook copy of Essentials of Murder, the first book in the Aromatherapy Apothecary Mysteries. (Contest ends 11:59pm on Wednesday,
September 24, 2025, and is open to everyone.)
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