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I’m Piper Cook, and I absolutely love writing small-town holiday romance stories. The worlds I build are magical with glistening snowfall, twinkling lights, and super-hot alphas who fall hard and fast for the women who capture their hearts. Many of my stories revolve around found family (friends we call family) and the families my characters are born into. Since I’m also a food and drink enthusiast, my stories usually include desserts, spirited cocktails, and hot chocolates. That’s a major reason many of my books share a common theme: gathering at a dinner table, backyard barbecue, or a nightly bonfire after work.
Where there’s food, there is friendship and laughter.
My Mistletoe Mountain series is built around the small town of Frosty Pines, the four Garland brothers, and a mischievous reindeer who’s always stirring up trouble and hilarity. It begins at the Reindeer Inn, where love simmers hot and steamy on the surface, and fresh-baked cookies are always at the ready. If you love Hallmark movies, with big city slickers coming home for the holidays and rugged mountain men who fall head over heels in love, I’m certain you’ll enjoy the entire Mistletoe Mountain series.
It was always my intention to write a holiday cookbook for this series since it includes main characters who are innkeepers, bakers, and event coordinators, all of which include yummy holiday treats. Needless to say, this year the holidays snuck up on me, and I ran out of time. Psst…I was secretly writing a surprise holiday story for my Snowflake Falls Naughty Elves series, so there’s that.
Since there isn’t a cookbook for Mistletoe Mountain—yet—you get the first look at one of the recipes I plan on including in that book. I made these Almond Meltaways for my annual Christmas party, and they were a huge hit! They’re super easy to make, but fair warning… they’ll disappear before you can say Jack Frost.
ALMOND MELTAWAYS
Cookie Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (softened at room temperature)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons almond extract
Frosting Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon almond extract
Sliced almonds
Cookie Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture is creamy. Add egg and almond extract. Mix again until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix again, scraping the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is combined. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out dollops of cookie dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Flatten the balls to approximately ¼ inch thick using the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a glass. Place on a cookie sheet approximately 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The edges should barely start to turn golden brown. Times may vary by oven. Remove from the oven and cool for five minutes on the cookie sheet. Move cookies to a cooling rack.
Frosting Instructions:
Place powdered sugar, almond extract and 1 tablespoon of water in a bowl. Stir. Add more water a little at a time, stirring after each addition until the frosting is roughly the consistency of white school glue; easy to drizzle, but not too runny.
When cookies are completely cooled, drizzle frosting over each cookie. Sprinkle a few sliced almonds over the frosting before it dries. Allow the frosting to set up before serving.
Get to Know Piper Cook
I write short, steamy, blue-collar romance set in small towns with sexy alphas and sassy women. I hope my stories inspire you, light a fire in your heart, and make you laugh and sometimes cry for joy. But most of all, I hope you reach The End with love in your heart for the characters you chose to spend time with.
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Mistletoe Mischief by Piper Cook
Right now, Mistletoe Mischief is on sale for $0.99 for a limited time. Pairs well with cozy socks, comfy blankets, and yummy cookies.
Also available to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Big city curves. Mountain man heat. He’s about to unwrap the season’s naughtiest gift.
Natalie Meadows swore she left Frosty Pines in her rearview for good. But when her family’s beloved inn faces foreclosure days before Christmas, she trades courtrooms for snow boots and returns to the mountain town she never planned to see again. She’s braced for a fight, but nothing prepared her for the rugged mountain man with a sinful smirk and hands that promise trouble.
They’re supposed to be saving the inn. Definitely not kissing under mistletoe. But Malachi Garland is one spark away from lighting her up.
Warning: If you love small-town holiday romance packed with rom-com moments where opposites attract and our blue-collar mountain man hero falls first, this short and steamy read is for you.
Mistletoe Mischief is a small town romance with close proximity, simmering attraction, and a rom-com vibe.