Hannah Swensen’s debut novel. This cozy mystery began my love for murder mystery and baking novels. The fun has just begun for this talented baker. Enjoy her iconic cookie recipe.
This book was adapted into a fun movie, but be sure you read the book first!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Outline and Tone:
This Hannah Swenson murder mystery book was the first novel with recipes I ever read. I discovered the book while substitute teaching for a Family and Consumer Science teacher, I picked it up and quickly realized I needed to get the book for myself.
Since this is the first in a long line of Hannah Swenson novels, I will tell you a bit about it the premise for the series. Hannah owns a bakery in a small town in Minnesota. This fact is convenient for a series that contains recipes. Many of the recipes included in the book are either tried-and-true recipes from her bakery that people (who sometimes end up being murdered) ask for or the recipe is some new idea Hannah has to try out (which always seems to be a success).
Hannah develops an unusual habit of finding dead bodies and does a pretty good job solving the mystery too whether she ends up working alongside law enforcement or on her own. Murder is not the only topic that ties the series together, she also has an ongoing love triangle. She has 2 boyfriends, a dentist and a police detective. Somehow in this small town, it seems to work. Hang in there though, because she does eventually make a decision. Not in this book but several books into the series.
During her investigations she is always giving away free baked goods and has enough cups of coffee to keep her going. Many times I have longed to be a part of her small town of Lake Eden, for the cookies and coffee, not for the murders.
The author:
Joanne Fluke published her first Hannah Swenson novel, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, in 2001. Since then she has been a New York Times bestselling author several times. She is a popular guest on her local television station and she always uploads her interview to her Youtube Channel. She even has many interviews organized by the book. Some of her books have been made into movies on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel. Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery can be found https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/. Joanne Fluke will interact with fans on her Twitter and her Facebook accounts.
What is not to like?:
As a first novel in a series, the author has to spend time introducing the characters. Because of this, sometimes it seems that the story moves a little slow. But hang in there! It is worth getting to know these characters because you are about to fall in love with them all. Before long you will either be Team Norman or Team Mike. I can’t decide!
The verdict:
Read it and join the entertaining ride of solving murders! There are so many books in the Hannah Swenson series. The recipes are almost innumerable and tasty. Hannah, her family, and her love interests make a good team to entertain you throughout the entire series. If you would like more information about Joanne Fluke or Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, you can find great reviews on Goodreads.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Cozy Mystery Novel with Recipes
Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies
Assemble the ingredients
You will notice I have many generic items. My rule is to try a generic item and if the quality is poor or is not worth the money I save by buying generic, then I will go back to the name brand item. When you see generic items in my pictures, that means I believe them to be as good as the name brand for the recipe.
I melt the butter in a microwave safe liquid measuring cup like this OXO one. Using a liquid measuring cup makes it easy to pour the melted butter into the mixing bowl.
Easy to read measure marks on inside of cup. Dishwasher safe.
After you have mixed the wet and dry ingredients together add the corn flakes and chocolate chips. The corn flakes are the secret ingredient that gives the cookies and extra crunch or chewy texture. Since you have already crushed the flakes, stir them in gently, so they don’t get crushed too much more.
Molly’s suggestions:
If time allows, after assembling the dough, refrigerate for 1-24 hours. Chilled cookie dough will produce a tastier and sturdier cookie while maintaining the chewy factor.
When you are ready to bake, roll the cookies into balls, but remember to flatten them with the back of a silicone spatula before you bake them.
After baking, cool for just 2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack so they don’t stick to the cookie sheet. I love this three tiered wire rack to cool all my cookies while taking up only a small amount of counter space. I like to eat a cookie while it is still warm with a cold glass of milk, chocolate milk if I have it!
What I would do differently next time?
This is a great recipe. There is not much to change, but if you do like your cookies with a little crunch, I would sprinkle a few crushed corn flakes on top of the cookies prior to baking. Or, if you are a super sweet tooth, you could sprinkle some crushed frosted flakes.
Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
- 1 Cup white sugar
- 1 Cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs, beaten (you can beat them up with a fork)
- 2 ½ Cups flour (not sifted)
- 2 Cups crushed corn flakes (just crush them with your hands) [this is the secret ingredient]
- 1-2 Cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt butter, add the sugars and stir. Add soda, salt, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Mix well. Then add flour and stir it in. Add crushed corn flakes and chocolate chips and mix it all thoroughly.
- Form dough into walnut-sized balls with your fingers and place on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. Press down slightly with a floured or greased spatula.
- [Molly’s suggestions: If time allows, after assembling the dough, refrigerate for 1-24 hours. Chilled cookie dough will produce a tastier and sturdier cookie while maintaining the chewy factor.]
- Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack until they’re completely cool. (The rack is important- it makes them crisp).
- Yield: 6 to 8 dozen, depending on cookie size.
- If the cookies spread out too much in the oven, reduce temp to 350 F, and do not flatten before baking.
More wonderful cookies to try!
Chocolate Mint Cookies from Chocolate Cream Pie Murder
Molasses Sugar Cookies from An Appetite for Murder
