One of the first rules of fiction is “write what you know.” Since cinnamon scones are one of my favorite treats, it was only natural that they’d be on the menu at the Briar Patch Bakery, a popular spot in The Wedding Bell Mysteries.
Bridal boutique owner and aspiring mystery author Maddie Bell starts each day at the bakery, where she writes two pages of her work in progress before walking across the street to open her shop. She finds the bakery’s cinnamon scones almost as hard to resist as Hemlock, North Carolina’s new sheriff, Jackson Bradley, who has offered to serve as the expert source for her books.
This recipe is easy enough to whip up on the spur of the moment – or for a delicious holiday morning treat. I hope you’ll bake a batch, brew yourself a cup of tea, and curl up with Slay Bells Ring, book one in The Wedding Bell Mysteries.
Briar Patch Cinnamon Scones
This recipe is adapted from a recipe a friend shared with me many years ago.
INGREDIENTS
3 1/4 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (65 g) plus 2 tbsp. sugar, divided
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup (170 g) cold butter, cubed
1 cup (240 g) sour cream (or buttermilk, but if using buttermilk, omit half & half)
half & half (only if using sour cream), 1 or 2 tbsp., enough to bring the
dough together
1 package (10 oz.) cinnamon baking chips
2 tbsp. butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
#1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
#2. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I use my hands for this.
#3. Stir in sour cream (or buttermilk) just until moistened. If it’s too dry, stir in enough half & half to get the right consistency.
#4. Fold in chips.
#5. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 10-12 times or until dough is no longer sticky.
#6. Divide the dough in half; gently pat or roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.
Optional: Brush with butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. I don’t do this because I prefer the scones not to be too sweet. So, I leave out this step, but it’s up to your taste.
#7. Cut each circle into six wedges.
#8. Separate wedges and place them on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
#9. Bake at 425° for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with butter or plain.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Download your free copy of the Recipes to Die for cookbook today!
French toast is always a favorite in my house. It’s usually something I reserve for weekends or a holiday, so when I was mulling over dishes that could be an extra-special breakfast specialty at Malone’s Diner in Paws, Claws, and Curses, the first book in my Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery series, it was the natural choice.
What usually sets my French toast apart from others is a trick I learned from a chef at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel years ago, and that’s to replace the traditional custard mixture with melted French vanilla ice cream. Sometimes I also add a touch of orange zest.
To put a sweet holiday spin on this recipe, I’ve replaced the melted ice cream with another special occasion favorite in my house: eggnog. I’d like to think the Citrus Grove locals who hang out at Malone’s Diner would appreciate it as much as my family does.
Eggnog French Toast
Inspired by the Custard French Toast served at Malone’s Diner in Paws, Claws, and Curses by DeAnna Drake
INGREDIENTS
For the French Toast:
2 cups eggnog
3 large eggs
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
Butter or non-stick cooking spray
12 slices of bread, thick-cut
Optional Toppings:
Butter
Powdered sugar
Maple syrup
Berries
Whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat griddle or large frying pan. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggnog, eggs, and cinnamon until well blended. Pour the egg mixture into a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Dip both sides of a slice of bread into the egg mixture.
Prepare the griddle or pan with butter or cooking spray. Cook the bread in batches until golden, a few minutes each side. Keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.
Serve with your favorite toppings.
For Custard French Toast: Replace the eggnog with 2 cups melted French vanilla ice cream.
For Orange Cream French Toast: Follow the directions for Custard French Toast, omit the cinnamon and replace with a teaspoon of orange zest and a teaspoon of orange extract.
DEANNA DRAKE is the editor of RECIPES TO DIE FOR: Holiday 2024 Edition and the author of Paws, Claws, and Curses and the rest of the Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery series. DeAnnaDrake.com
The holiday season is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a collection of delicious, heartwarming recipes from eight of Tule Publishing’s most beloved cozy mystery authors? We’ve created Recipes to Die For: Holiday 2024 Edition,” where the spirit of the season meets the irresistible charm of cozy mysteries, and your favorite authors share not just stories, but some incredible holiday dishes!
Imagine your kitchen filled with the delightful scents of spiced cookies, simmering soups, and other home-cooked comfort foods—just like the cozy kitchens you have read about in your beloved mysteries. This cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes. It’s a festive collaboration between authors whose stories and characters have charmed readers time and again. Each recipe comes with a personal touch—a treasured family dish, a treat inspired by the pages of the author’s novels, or a holiday memory that shaped their love for cooking.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen, there’s something here for everyone. From a mouthwatering breakfast and savory dinners to decadent desserts, these recipes are designed to bring a little extra magic to your festivities.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. As you cook your way through the book, you’ll get to know the talented women behind some of your favorite cozy reads—and perhaps discover a few new mysteries to add to your TBR pile!
So, grab your apron, clear out the kitchen, and get ready to whip up some culinary magic with recipes that are as comforting as a cozy mystery on a snowy day. Recipes to Die For is here to help make your holiday season a little tastier, and a lot more fun!
UP NEXT:
For the next 8 days, you’ll be treated to a special look inside the cookbook. You can also pick up your own free copy of Recipes to Die For today!
DEANNA DRAKE is the editor of RECIPES TO DIE FOR: Holiday 2024 Edition and the author of Paws, Claws, and Curses and the rest of the Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery series. DeAnnaDrake.com
In the mood for a heart-warming cozy mystery to dig into alongside your freshly-baked, gooey batch of cinnamon rolls? Look no further than these five baking-themed reads to kickstart your heart and inspire your sweet tooth this fall season!
Filled to the brim with suspense, quirky, lovable sidekicks, and enough baking inspiration to make your whisks spin, these cozy suggestions will warm up your TBR faster than your conventional oven!
Prepare your aprons and ready your recipe book, because these five cozy baking mysteries are guaranteed to whet your appetite for the cozy baking season!
If you’re a fan of Joanne Fluke, Jenn McKinlay, and Ellie Alexander, then A Case for the Cookie Baker by Candace Havens is perfect for you!
It’s all fun and games until the last cookie crumbles…
Ainsley McGregor and the entire town of Sweet River, Texas, are preparing for the annual summer celebration. And thanks to the extra tourist traffic, Ainsley’s shop, Bless Your Art, has never been busier. Good thing her new friend, Lizzie, has opened a bakery nearby and provides Ainsley and her staff with tasty treats and daily sugar rushes. It’s all cookies and fun, until someone ends up dead in the bakery and her new pal is the prime suspect.
Ainsley is convinced Lizzie is innocent. Unfortunately, her brother, the town sheriff, and her boyfriend, Jake, have some not-so-secret suspicions. With a town full of strangers who just might be suspects, Ainsley finds herself targeted by a killer. Even as her world crumbles faster than a cookie, she’s determined to prove her friend’s innocence—if she can stay alive long enough.
Emmie Lyn’s Cookies and a Killer combines delectable desserts, magic, adorable pet sidekicks, and murder for a perfect seasonal cozy mystery.
The launching of a new bakery and fundraiser in town should be cause for celebration, not a murder investigation. Just when Nikki Knight thinks things might be getting back to normal in Frog Hollow, her friend Carla’s business manager is found dead at the scene of her new, year-round Christmas bakery.
When Dale, the gourmet grocer next door, suggests that the cookie fundraiser be held at his place, Nikki and the Accidental Ghost Detective team suspect foul play.
But all signs are pointing to Carla and some strange magical happenings. Can Dash and Nikki sniff out this case before the cookie crumbles?
Every family has secrets, especially the sweet ones…
When talented baker Rosie Hart delivers cakes and cookies to her newest clients, The Sweet Treat candy store, she finds herself embroiled in yet another murder case. Will she ever catch a break?
Her elderly clients, The Percival sisters, are shocked when their long-lost great nephew appears with no warning. The sisters have never met nor heard of the man, but he’s family so they accept him with open arms. He immediately begins to tear up his aunts’ home, so when he turns up dead, Rosie feels only a sense of relief. Until she realizes the police suspect the sisters.
Rosie is as convinced of their innocence as she is of the deliciousness of her popular salted caramel cupcakes. But as the body count begins to rise and new secrets are unearthed, she begins to wonder if the sweet artisan candy makers are hiding more than their family recipes.
Ginger Danger by Emmie Lyn is perfect for readers who love small-town, idyllic settings, a budding romance, lovable animals, and mystery-solving!
It’s no secret that I, Sunny Shaw, am a magnet for mayhem right here on beautiful Blueberry Bay.
So, when a woman goes missing just before the grand opening of Shakes and Cakes, I think…it could be worse. And of course that’s exactly what happens when missing turns into dead. It’s hard to cry over a disastrous opening when there’s a murderer running around and things aren’t about to get any easier!
Oh my, Jasper, how will we ever juggle my nasty neighbor, a stalker, a murderer, finding homes for kittens AND serving the best shakes and cakes in Pineville?
The answer to that million dollar question might save my business but can we shake things up to keep my friends out of jail and me alive to see another day?
A small town surely can’t have any more skeletons in its garden, can it?
I’m Aubrey Rose, and after solving a decades long cold case in Willow Cove, I was ready to hang up my amateur detective hat. But when Willow Cove’s oldest and most revered resident, Edith Thomas, is found dead—everyone is suddenly looking to me for answers.
I didn’t plan on getting involved, but how can I say no when even Edith’s son is asking for my help? Now, I need to discover who would want to kill a sweet little lady whose worst offense was baking deliciously addictive chocolate chip muffins.
With handyman Gavin, and his terrier sidekick at my side, we’ll need to dig into Edith’s past and discover if this lovely senior had any scandals in her past.
