Cream Cheese Snowcaps and a #Christmas #giveaway

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  It’s beginning to look a lot like – National Cookie Day! 

Officially, December 4 is the day, but a holiday this delish can’t be confined to twenty-four hours, can it?

These Snowcaps are new to our celebration. They’re tasty little morsels that melt in your mouth—and if they leave a little powdered sugar on your fingers, you know what to do! They’re a bit reminiscent of the ever-popular Russian Teacakes, aka Mexican Wedding Cakes and Snowballs, but perfect for the cookie monster who doesn’t like nuts. (Talk about a monster!) The cream cheese gives them a slight tang that counters the powdered sugar nicely.

What, you might wonder, is lemon extract? A fancy way of saying lemon juice? No. It’s made from soaking the peel in alcohol to get at the oils, giving it a strong lemon flavor without the acidity or pucker factor. (You can make your own; I didn’t.) 

As I write this, snow is falling, making these cookies the perfect little treat with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee. I assure you, they are equally tasty after dinner.

Because when it comes to cookies, why limit the fun?

I’m sweetening the celebration by offering one lucky reader a copy of “The Christmas Stranger: A Food Lovers’ Village Short Story.” Details below. 

PS: I finally figured out how to embed a PDF of the recipe for easy printing. 

Scroll down to the 💕 for the link. 

Cream Cheese Snowcaps 

½ cup butter

3-4 ounces cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond, vanilla, or lemon extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup powdered sugar

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese till combined and softened. 

Add sugar and extract, and beat till fluffy. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.

 Add to cream cheese mixture and beat until well-mixed. Cover and chill dough 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. 

Bake 15-17 minutes, until bottoms of cookies turn golden and the tops begin to color. 

Remove and cool a few minutes. Place half the powdered sugar in a plastic bag and shake a few cookies at a time in the sugar. Add more sugar to the bag as needed. 

Cool completely on a wire rack. Shake cooled cookies in the powdered sugar again, if you’d like. (Some sugar may have been absorbed into the warm cookies.)

Makes 24 to 30 cookies. 

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF! 

Have you started your holiday baking? How are you celebrating National Cookie Day? What are your must-haves for holiday cookies? One reader will win an e-copy of "The Christmas Stranger: A Food Lovers' Village Short Story. (The story was originally published in Carried to the Grave and Other Stories, so if you have that collection, you've already got the story.)

And if all this talk of Christmas cookies and books whets your appetite for more, take a look at As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles: A Food Lovers' Village Mystery and Peppermint Barked: A Spice Shop Mystery. Both are available in paperback, ebook, and audio. And remember, books fit perfectly in any holiday stocking! 

Have you read the latest Spice Shop mystery, Lavender Lies Bleeding?

At Seattle Spice Shop, owner Pepper Reece has whipped up the perfect blend of food, friends, and flavor. But the sweet smell of success can be hazardous . . .  

Spring is in full bloom in Pike Place Market, where Pepper is celebrating lavender’s culinary uses and planning a festival she hopes will become an annual event. When her friend Lavender Liz offers to share tips for promoting the much-loved—and occasionally maligned—herb, Pepper makes a trek to the charming town of Salmon Falls. But someone has badly damaged Liz’s greenhouse, throwing a wrench in the feisty grower’s plans for expansion. Suspicions quickly focus on an employee who’s taken to the hills. 

Then Liz is found dead among her precious plants, stabbed by a pruning knife. In Salmon Falls, there’s one in every pocket. 

Pepper digs in, untangling the tensions between Liz and a local restaurateur with eyes on a picturesque but neglected farm, a jealous ex-boyfriend determined to profit from Liz’s success, and a local growers’ cooperative. She’s also hot on the scent of a trail of her own, sniffing out the history of her sweet dog, Arf. 

As Pepper’s questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

ALL GOD'S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES: A STAGECOACH MARY FIELDS COLLECTION, now available in in paperback and ebook 

Take a step back in time with All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection of historical short mysteries, featuring the Agatha-Award winning "All God's Sparrows" and other stories imagining the life of real-life historical figure Mary Fields, born into slavery in 1832, during the last thirty years of her life, in Montana. Out September 17, 2024 from Beyond the Page Publishing.  

“Finely researched and richly detailed, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories is a wonderful collection. I loved learning about this fascinating woman . . . and what a character she is! Kudos to Leslie Budewitz for bringing her to life so vividly.” —Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of Crow Mary

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody, standalone suspense, most recently Blind Faith. She is the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories: Best Nonfiction (2011), Best First Novel (2013), and Best Short Story (2018). Her latest books are To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop Mystery and All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection, in September 2024. Watch for Lavender Lies Bleeding, the 9th Spice Shop Mystery, on July 15, 2025.

A past president of Sisters in Crime and former national board member of Mystery Writers of America, Leslie lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti #giveaway & #recipe Kim Davis

 

KIM DAVIS: It's the first of December and in my kitchen that means COOKIES! Ever since my granddaughters started preschool (oh so many years ago) my favorite holiday tradition of baking cookies for their teachers started. By the time my special needs granddaughter reached 7th grade, she alone had about 50 people (teachers, aides, therapists, volunteers, etc.) who deserved to be recognized for their dedication to helping those who need it most... often a difficult and thankless task. By the time she aged out of the school system, I was baking over 3,000 cookies each holiday season, so I guess you could say I know a thing or two about cookies 😋While I don't bake as many any longer, I still give out a lot of cookies (over 1,000) to friends, family, and neighbors. Given how hectic the holidays are, one of my go-to cookie recipes for giving is Cinnamon Chip Biscotti! Not only are they delicious (my youngest college-aged granddaughter requests these for any special occasion), but they can be made at least three weeks ahead of time (I've been told by recipients that they last longer), plus are sturdy enough to ship without crumbling into a million little pieces. 

Since it's the start of the holiday season, I'm giving away a copy of FROSTED YULETIDE MURDER, the fourth book in my Cupcake Catering Mysteries. Not only is there a holiday mystery, but there are several cookie recipes included in the book. Contest is open worldwide but print is limited to US residents only and ends December 3, 2025 at midnight. Scroll down to see how to enter. 

Have a delicious holiday month! 

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cinnamon chips / cinnamon sweet bits*

Instructions

In the bowl of a standing mixer beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. 

Add eggs and beat until thoroughly blended. Add vanilla and blend.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder together. 

Slowly add to butter mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly incorporated.

Stir in the cinnamon chips / cinnamon sweet bits.

Leaving the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Divide dough into six equal pieces and shape into logs about 8 – 10 inches long. Long & skinny logs are better than short & wide logs since the dough spreads while baking. If needed, spritz your hands with non-stick cooking spray while handling the dough.

Place on parchment lined baking sheets, 2 logs per sheet approx. 8 inches apart. Slightly flatten the logs then bake 25 – 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Be aware if you prick a cinnamon chip it won’t give you an accurate read. Try to get the dough only.

Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut logs crosswise into 1/2 inch wide slices. A serrated bread knife works best.

Place slices, cut side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Return to oven and bake 6 minutes at 325 degrees (F). Turn each slice over and bake an addition 7 to 9 minutes, until slightly golden brown.

 Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet then remove and let completely cool on wire rack. Biscotti will harden as they cool. 

Notes

*Hershey’s makes cinnamon chips but I typically only find them during the holidays at my local grocery store. King Arthur Flour carries Cinnamon Sweet Bits and can be mail ordered year-round. 

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks (or more). 

These sturdy cookies are excellent for shipping to family and friends! 

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF of the recipe!💕

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
 

CALLING ALL COOKIE LOVERS!

If you love cookies as much as I do, I have a cookie collection over at my blog, 

Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder! 

Take a look for Christmas cookie ideas and get recipes to try out.
Click on the graphic or here to visit:

COOKIE COLLECTION 

And now for the giveaway:

To celebrate the Christmas holidays, I'm giving away a copy of Frosted Yuletide Murder. Print is limited to US residents only, and all others will receive an ebook. 

Readers, do you have a recipe that is an absolute must to make during the holiday season?

Comment below and include your email (yourname at yourserver dot com) for a chance to win Frosted Yuletide Murder. (Contest ends 11:59pm on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

🎄🎄🎄

If you're looking to purchase Frosted Yuletide Murder for yourself or for someone else as a gift, the book is on sale for the entire month of December! Click below for purchase links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Other book retailers

Cooking With Friends: Poutine with a Plot Twist from agent Nadia Lynch by Ang Pompano

Ang Pompano: Please welcome today’s guest, my wonderful agent, Nadia Lynch from Talcott Notch Literary. In addition to being an incredible advocate for writers, she’s also a dedicated book lover and a true connoisseur of comfort food. I’m delighted to have her here today to share a cozy seasonal recipe and a little glimpse into her world.

Annette and me at lunch with fellow foodie Nadia Lynch

Nadia: Thank you so much to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen for having me, and a special thank you to Ang! I am so happy to be here, and I’m a big fan of Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen and the delicious creativity that comes out of this kitchen.

I love my work as a literary agent at Talcott Notch Literary. I have the pleasure of representing Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen’s own Ang Pompano. Just like a great recipe, Ang’s stories offer all the essential ingredients of an engaging read with rich atmosphere, memorable characters, a warm sense of heart, and plenty of suspense to keep you eagerly turning the pages.

I crave that kind of escape you can only find in books, especially as the cold weather starts to creep in, I find myself getting ready to hunker down and hibernate. Still, it is important for me to keep some sense of routine and connection, which makes this the perfect time to gather with my friends for book club. And, arguably just as essential as the book itself, is the comfort food we share. Nothing brings me more comfort than poutine. As a dual citizen who is half Canadian, it is one of the dishes that fills me with the most nostalgia.

Living in Connecticut means I cannot easily find an authentic poutine, so I make my own version at home with ingredients I can find here in the States. It may not be the most traditional take, but it is warm, satisfying, and exactly what I need on a cold night. For me, comfort food has to be simple and quick. This is not an authentic recipe, but it still gives me that same feeling of warmth and family.

I do not even know if I can really call this a poutine, because more often than not, I swap out frozen French fries for frozen tater tots. That might be sacrilegious to any Canadian reading this, but I love how crisp tater tots get in the oven. They hold their texture beautifully under hot gravy and add an extra layer of crunch. In my house, we call it “Sad Poutine,” because I recognize it is nowhere near the true Québécois version I want, but it does exactly what it needs to do.

A Simple, Cozy Weeknight Poutine

Ingredients (Serves 4 as a snack)

Note: The gravy pictured is the St. Hubert poutine gravy. St. Hubert is a well-known Canadian restaurant chain, especially in Québec, famous for its rotisserie chicken. If you are in the States, you may have trouble finding this specific brand, but substituting with your favorite gravy will work perfectly. If you are visiting Canada, look for the St. Hubert poutine gravy at a local grocery store. This one was purchased at Maxi. Pro tip: This is the souvenir your friends and family actually want.

• 1 bag frozen French fries or 1 bag of frozen tater tots
• 2 cups of cheese curds (I find mine at my local Aldi)
• 1 jar beef gravy (or turkey gravy for a lighter flavor)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: chopped chives or scallions

Instructions

• 1. Preheat your oven according to the instructions on the French fries package. Spread the fries on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden.

• While the fries are baking, warm the gravy in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth and heated through.

• When the fries are ready, move them to a large bowl or serving platter. Sprinkle the cheese curds over the hot fries so they begin to soften.

• Pour the warm gravy over the top. Season with salt and pepper.

• Finish with a sprinkle of chives or scallions if you like a little color.

Note: Again, this is not intended to be a traditional poutine. It is quick, comforting, and perfect for sharing with friends during a cozy book club night.

Ang: Thanks for being here today, Nadia, and for sharing your poutine recipe. That looks like the perfect comfort food. I’ve only had poutine once, and that was at EPCOT, so I’m not entirely sure how authentic it was. Your version, adapted to the ingredients we can find here in the U.S., looks great. And best of all, it’s quick and easy.  I’m definitely going to give it a try!

Mystery foodies: Have you ever had authentic Poutine? What did you think? Do you have an old family recipe that has had to be adapted because the ingredients aren’t available in your area? Drop a comment and your email address below and get a chance to win a copy of Blood Ties and Deadly Lies.

Ang Pompano is a mystery author, editor, publisher and blogger. He writes the Blue Palmetto Detective Agency, and the Reluctant Food Columnist series, both published by Level Best Books. In addition to his writing, Ang is a co-founder of Crime Spell Books and serves as co-editor of the Best New England Crime Stories anthology. He blogs about food on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette, an artist, and their two rescue dogs, Dexter and Alfie.

When It’s Time for Leaving by Ang Pompano

Buy Link

Al DeLucia walked away from the police—and his past. But when his long-lost father leaves him a detective agency in Savannah, Al finds himself trapped between family secrets and a murder on the agency’s dock. Partnered with Maxine Brophy, a fierce detective who doesn’t trust him, Al is pulled into a deadly search through Savannah and the Okefenokee Swamp—where the truth about the case, and his father, may cost him everything.

Blood Ties and Deadly Lies by Ang Pompano

Buy Link

Al DeLucia returns to Sachem Creek expecting a kayak race and a chance to confront his childhood bully, Abe Cromwell. Instead, he finds a dead lawyer, a web of deceit, and Abe claiming they’re brothers by DNA. Reluctantly joined by Maxine Brophy, his formidable partner and girlfriend, Al dives into a murder investigation that exposes land swindles, hidden maps, and buried family secrets. In a town where the past won’t stay buried, Al must face truths that could upend everything.

Coming Soon: Diet of Death 

the first in the Reluctant Food Columnist series.

Snakeberry: Best New England Crime Stories 2025

Edited by Christine Bagley, Susan Oleksiw, Ang Pompano, and Leslie Wheeler

 BUY LINK

Readers root for criminals in fiction—and sometimes in real life—for many reasons: fighting injustice, acting on temptation, or simply getting away with a daring act, as in Sean Harding’s The Books Job. Crime fiction often probes justice, offering no easy answers but satisfying conclusions. Women in Gabriela Stiteler’s Money Well Spent and Chris Knopf’s Submission make choices we understand, while Cheryl Malone’s ranger in As the Crows Fly confronts moral ambiguity. Beth Hogan’s Willful Blindness and Bruce Robert Coffin’s Writer’s Block mislead readers before revealing the truth.

Twists are a staple of mystery. In Laurel Hanson’s Out of the Reach, an early twist sets the stage, echoed in Bonnar Spring’s At the End of the Day. Conscience shapes characters too: Nikki Knight’s Other Voices Carry explores diverging paths in crime, while Christine Bagley’s Sakura shows morality surfacing under pressure. Some villains—like Dale Phillips’s gas jockey in Gas or Judith Carlough’s writer in Catch and Release—drive the story, leaving readers conflicted.

Historical stories offer clarity: Sarah Smith’s The Woman Who Loved Her Husband’s Teeth depicts a war bride’s determined search, Paula Messina’s Perfect celebrates teenage cleverness, and Ang Pompano’s Minnie the Air Raid Warden highlights resourcefulness. Contemporary tales show women mastering technology to their advantage, as in Leslie Wheeler’s Graham 2.0 and Kat Fast’s Virtually Yours.

Many stories leave readers both satisfied and thoughtful: Brenda Buchanan’s Cape Jewell ends with a wiser heroine, Susan Oleksiw’s The Receptionist delivers a hard lesson, Avram Lavinsky’s The Long Shot evokes 1950s New York tensions, and Moe Moeller’s The Last Stone from the House of Usher offers a modern, near-happy ending.

Across this anthology, writers share the skill to yield to complex narrators, as in Stephen D. Rogers’s Chekhov, Sartre, and the Unity of Effect. Once again, this year’s collection delivers surprises and satisfaction. Welcome to crime in 2025.