Recipes

Explore Cafe Crimes–inspired recipes from Simone Stier’s cozy mystery series—sweet treats, coffee creations and Southern flavors straight from Magnolia Grove.

Parker’s Grandmother’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional—but Parker’s best friend swears by walnuts!)

 Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
  5. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
  6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
  7. Bake 9–11 minutes or until golden brown.

If your cookies mysteriously disappear before they cool (purely hypothetical, of course), don’t worry—I won’t judge. 

Banana Pudding Southern Staple

Ingredients:

  • 1 box vanilla instant pudding (3.4 oz)
  • 2 cups cold milk
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 container whipped topping (8 oz)
  • 1 box vanilla wafers
  • 4 bananas, sliced

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk until thickened.
  2. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping.
  3. In a trifle dish or large bowl or glass jars, layer wafers, pudding mixture and banana slices.
  4. Repeat layers and top with extra whipped topping and crushed wafers.
  5. Chill for at least 2 hours—if someone doesn’t eat it first.

Recipe Hazel’s Famous Butter Pecan Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Instructions:

Cool on a wire rack (or eat one warm—Hazel won’t tell).for No-Bake Chocolate Mousse

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–5 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.

Cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

Mix in eggs and vanilla until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients.

Fold in the toasted pecans. (Try not to snack on too many—Hazel says self-control is a virtue.)

Scoop dough onto the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

No-Bake Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp sugar (optional)
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • Whipped cream + berries to top (optional but delightful)

Instructions:

Spoon into ramekins or cute mugs, chill for 2 hours, and enjoy!

Heat ½ cup cream in a small saucepan until just simmering.

Pour over the chocolate chips in a bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

Let cool to room temp.

In a separate bowl, whip remaining ½ cup cream with sugar and salt until soft peaks form.

Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

4th of July BBQ Recipe: Parker’s Tangy Carolina Slaw

Perfect as a crunchy topping on pulled pork sandwiches or served alongside brisket.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small head of green cabbage, finely shredded
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mayo, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Toss with cabbage and carrots until well coated. Let it chill for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy with your favorite BBQ!

Peach Crumble Chaos

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 5–6 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp flour (to thicken)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional, but cozy)

For the crumble topping:

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Instructions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 baking dish or pie pan.
  2. Toss peaches with sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon. Spread evenly in the dish.
  3. In a bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.
  4. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the peaches.
  5. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly.
  6. Cool slightly before serving. Best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Hazel’s Famous Sweetheart Sprinkles Shortbread Cookies 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup colorful sprinkles

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. Gradually add flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
  5. Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a small amount of colorful sprinkles directly on top of each heart. Gently press the sprinkles into the dough to ensure they stick during baking
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Add more sprinkles to the top.
  7. Let cool and enjoy with your favorite cozy mystery!

Hazel’s Delicious Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses (dark molasses preferred for a richer flavor)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats—Hazel says it’s non-negotiable for perfectly soft cookies.
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugartogether until light and fluffy. It should look like buttery heaven at this point.
  4. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla to the butter mixture, beating until smooth.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Overmixing is a no-no unless you want your cookies to double as hockey pucks.
  6. Scoop out 1-tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll them between your palms, then roll them in the granulated sugar. Hazel swears by the extra sparkle this adds.
  7. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffy and slightly cracked on top. They’ll look underbaked but will firm up as they cool—patience, darling.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Hazel might sneak one at this stage, purely for quality control purposes.

Hazel’s A Dash of Lemon Delight Tarts

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet refrigerated pie dough (or use pre-made mini tart shells)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • Optional: powdered sugar or whipped cream for topping

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Roll out pie dough and cut into small circles to fit a mini muffin tin, or use pre-made shells.
  3. Press dough into tin and prick the bottoms with a fork.
  4. In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and melted butter until smooth.
  5. Pour filling into each shell, filling about 3/4 full.
  6. Bake for 15–18 minutes or until filling is set and lightly golden.
  7. Cool, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Hazel’s Blueberry Bliss Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ – ½ cup milk
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • Zest of 1 lemon (optional but very Hazel)
  • Turbinado sugar for topping (optional, but adds a nice crunch)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a muffin tin with 9–10 paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix oil, egg, vanilla, and milk. Start with ⅓ cup milk and add a splash more if batter is too thick.
  4. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until just combined.
  5. Fold in blueberries and lemon zest, being careful not to overmix.
  6. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Sprinkle tops with turbinado sugar if desired.
  7. Bake 18–20 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.

Hazel’s Hazel’s Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Scones

“It’s a pie. It’s a cookie. It’s a scone. It’s a fall flavor bomb and yes, I meant to do that.” – Hazel

Ingredients

Dry:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• Pinch of cardamom (optional)

Wet:

• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• ½ cup pumpkin puree

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup heavy cream (plus extra for brushing)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Snickerdoodle Topping:

• ¼ cup turbinado sugar (or regular granulated)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Optional Glaze:• ¾ cup powdered sugar

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1–2 tbsp milk or cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a big ol’ bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
  3. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter (or a knife), until it’s coarse and crumbly.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, egg, cream, and vanilla.
  5. Gently combine wet with dry until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix. Dough should be barely combined, where the flour is mostly incorporated but the mixture is still rough, uneven, and slightly dry in spots
  6. Plop dough onto a floured surface. Pat into a 1-inch thick round and cut into 8 wedges (or 10 if you’re being dainty).
  7. Place wedges on the baking sheet. Brush tops with cream, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar.
  8. Bake for 16–18 minutes, until tops are golden.
  9. Let cool slightly before drizzling with glaze

Parade of Praline Pie (no-bake)

Serves: 8
Time: 20 min hands-on, 3–4 hrs chill

Ingredients

  • 1 ready graham cracker crust (9-inch)
  • 1½ cups chopped pecans, toasted
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream, divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tub whipped topping (8 oz), thawed
    (or whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tbsp sugar to soft peaks)

Make it

  1. Toast pecans: In a dry skillet over medium heat, stir pecans 3–4 min until fragrant. Set aside.
  2. Praline layer: In a small saucepan melt butter with brown sugar. Cook 2–3 min, whisking, until glossy and bubbling. Off heat whisk in ¼ cup heavy cream, vanilla, salt. Stir in 1 cup toasted pecans. Cool 5–10 min, then spread into crust.
  3. Cream filling: Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in remaining ¼ cup cream until fluffy. Fold in whipped topping.
  4. Assemble: Spread cream layer over the praline. Chill 3–4 hours until set.
  5. Finish: Top with remaining toasted pecans. Optional drizzle: warm 2 tbsp store-bought caramel and zigzag over the top.

Tips & twists

  • Chocolate-praline: Scatter ½ cup mini chips over the praline before adding the cream.
  • Salted vibe: Finish with flaky salt.
  • Make-ahead: Pie keeps 2 days chilled. Add nuts just before serving for crunch.
  • From-scratch crust: Mix 1½ cups graham crumbs with 6 tbsp melted butter, 3 tbsp sugar. Press into a pie plate. Bake 8 min at 350°F, cool.