For many of us, December is a great time to (1) reflect on our achievements during the year and (2) celebrate the people who have encouraged us.
When I think about what I’ve done this year, and the people who have helped me, I have to give a big shout out to the members of my writing group. Each one is different, bringing unique strengths to our mix, yet they’re all amazing and accomplished. They’ve been so generous with their time and wise about the craft and the authorpreneur life. I couldn’t have had a good year without them!
And when I think about celebration, I think COOKIES! If you follow my blog, you know I love cookies.
All this to say, during December, weekly posts will feature a different member of my writing group and their favorite holiday cookie recipe. Real authors. Real recipes. This is my way of sharing the holidays with you!
With that, let's kick off with L.C. Hayden (pictured) and her holiday cookies:
Award-winning and bestselling author L.C. Hayden is the creator of the popular Harry Bronson Thriller series, the Aimee Brent Mystery series, the Angels and Miracles series, as well as a young adult standalone and children's books. (Browse all her books on Amazon.) Her mysteries have hit the Kindle, B&N, and Pennsylvania Top Seller Lists, and been finalists for the Agatha and LCC Awards.
Hayden is known for her edge of the seat suspense and surprise endings, and readers prize her twists and turns and fast-paced action. 'Fast-paced' is a good way to describe Hayden herself, because besides writing, she loves pet-parenting her beautiful dog, a Basenji named Shadow, as well as drawing, reading, traveling, scuba diving and spending time with her family.
Her busy days don’t leave a lot of room for baking. But like most of us, she enjoys treats around the holidays and makes it a point to whip up her favorite cookies. Hayden says, "These are easy to do and give me a boost to write that next plot twist."
L.C. Hayden's Favorite Cake Mix Holiday Cookies
Ingredients
1 box of cake mix, any flavor
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
OPTIONAL ADD-INS:
1 cup: Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, M&Ms, raisins, or shredded coconut - let your cookie creativity guide you!
Equipment
1 good-sized mixing bowl
Mixing spoon or spatula
Teaspoon
Measuring cups
Baking sheet
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients well until the batter shows no lumps. If you're making your cookies fancy, stir in the desired add-ins.
Use a teaspoon to drop batter about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. (Depending on the size of your cookies, the recipe yields about two dozen.)
Bake for about eight to 10 minutes. (They should be soft in the middle with firm, lightly browned edges.)
Transfer to a wire rack. Let them cool a little, but you can eat them while they're still warm!
Targeted to come out in 2025, Hayden is deep into creating her next Harry Bronson Thriller. For the latest on her creative journey, visit her on Facebook.
If you try these cookies, let me know in the comments below. And if you’d like to learn more about groups, check out The Write Group.
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