It’s Time for the Holiday Cookie Exchange & Hop!
It’s time to visit your favorite Historical Romance authors and exchange recipes for cookies and other holiday treats! For all the links – visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/17TGhpSEyy/
2025 – The Family Drama Around Aunt Millie’s (but really MeMom’s) Molasses Cookies!
I think we all have those women in our families – older aunts or grandmothers, etc – who baked amazing concoctions and share them on special occasions like birthdays and the holidays? My grandmom taught me to bake but the legend when it came to special treats was really my husband’s aunt Millie. When they would visit her as kids (and adults!), she would sneak little snack bags of her incredible Molasses Cookies into their pockets or hands. For them. For them alone. No need to share!
The legend of Aunt Millie’s Molasses Cookies grew! As new people joined the extended family through marriages, it was whispered that we would get some, too. LOL! Well, Aunt Millie would add a couple to the bags she made and now they would be shared. My husband would count them and carefully split them between us – with any extras going to him!
And yes, as someone who bakes, I asked for the recipe and they were delicious, but not the same somehow as her ‘legendary’ ones! I think Aunt Millie adds something else but that’s her secret!
Recently, my daughter-in-law who loves to bake asked one of my sisters-in-law (Aunt “P”) who she happened to visit) about the recipe and got a copy of it. Which she told me about. But when she told me the recipe – it WAS NOT THE SAME ONE! I tried to gently let her down, but we had to call Aunt Millie’s daughter-in-law to confirm it. It was not the right recipe. Aunt “P”‘s recipe was from another side of the family and NOT THE ONE passed down from MeMom Herman to Aunt Millie! Oh, the shame of it! LOL!
So, I gave the correct recipe (originally written by Aunt Millie herself) to my daughter-in-law and make them myself. Whew! The drama!
Aunt Millie’s (but really MeMom Herman’s) Molasses cookies are sweet and dark with a bit of crispiness on the outside and chewy inside. They melt in your mouth! And here’s the recipe, no drama needed:
Aunt Millie’s MeMom’s Molasses Cookie Recipe!
Ingredients:
¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 egg
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients (EXCEPT sugar)
Beat shortening, add sugar, molasses and egg, add dry ingredients a little at a time
Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes
Scoop into 1” balls and roll in sugar (flour hands to avoid sticking) Place on parchment on baking sheets about 2” apart.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Let cool a few minutes on baking sheet before moving them to a plate.
Cookies will be a little crispy on the outside and chewy inside! Yum!
For the Holiday Cookie Hop – remember to visit all the authors and list their names and treats and send them to Heather@heathermccollum.com to be included.
For all the links – visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/17TGhpSEyy/
For a chance at my little Holiday treat – a 2026 Scotland calendar and a wee giftie from my last Scotland trip – tell me if your family has one (or more) of those baking/cooking/legendary women or tell me your favorite holiday-time-only treat! (sadly, only US entrants can get the above, all others will be eligible for a g!ft card).
And from my house to yours – Happy Holidays – I hope whichever ones you celebrate as we bring 2025 to a close is filled with family, food, friends and good times!
Merry 🎅🏻🎄🤶🏻 Happy 🕎 Happy 
Happy 🎉🥂
It’s Hereeeeee! Historical Authors Halloween Hop!
Your favorite Historical Romance Authors are back with Heather McCollum’s Annual Trick-or-Treat Hop! It begins early on Sunday, October 26th and runs through the end of Halloween on October 31 – and I’m participating! And – I’ve even got my own little CONTEST going, too.
Readers just follow the list of authors and links, find their Halloween treat and add it to their list. Once completed, just email yours to Heather@HeatherMcCollum.com W!nner will be announced on November 1st!
Here’s the whole list if you want to start — jump to mine first on my CONTEST page since you’re here! Then:
Historical Romance Author Trick-or-Treat Hop
2025 Link List
*Once you find all the candy, send your list of author names and their candies to Heather@HeatherMcCollum.com with “Historical Romance Authors Sure Are Sweet” in the subject. The randomly drawn winner will be picked and announced on Saturday, 1 November. *
Have fun! And Happy Halloween Hop!
It’s the Holiday Historical Cookie/Sweets Hop 2023! Grab your biscotti!
Italian cookies that originated in medieval Tuscany – sigh! Cookies that are twice-baked (which is what biscotti means in Italian) and hold up to dunking in tea or milk or chocolate or wine or Prosecco. Another bonus in addition to the wide range possible flavors is that being twice-baked gives them a longer shelf life – so more time to enjoy them! Yes, it’s true – I love biscotti!
My favorite flavors tend to be plain – vanilla (or a touch of almond flavor) is my usual one but I do like chocolate chip, too. Oh, and gingerbread, too. Or one called a Snicker-cookie biscotti that turns out like a sugar cookie with a hint of cinnamon. Mmmmmm. They are easy to make and simply delicious. And although they don’t have a specific link to the Holiday season, I find I make them more near Christmas than other times of year.
I should admit that I turned to trying them because of my cookie-baking failures. It’s true – I can successfully make most other baked goods – gosh, my pound cake is always in demand at family gatherings and events. But cookies? They defeat me. Too flat. Too hard (often compared to small hockey pucks!). Not right. Not enough. So, when I made my first batch of biscotti and they turned out hard and crumbly, I realized they were perfect — LOL!
There are lots of biscotti recipes all over, online and in cookbooks and in family recipes so it’s not difficult to find one to try. I’ve found a great basic recipe along with more recipes that turn them into so many flavors on the Kristine’s Kitchen Blog. I’ve also had some success with recipes from an online site (BiscottiRecipes.org) but it seems to be gone now. Luckily I have print and digital copies of those recipes!
Have you tried making biscottis or other holiday cookies? Are you a Pizzelle maker? Those were my younger sister Mar’s favorites and she made them every year…so good! Or is your Holiday superpower eating them? Hey, bakers need people to enjoy their creations!
Since I’m part of the Historical Authors Holiday Cookie (and Treats) Hop, here’s the list of all the participating authors (many of whom are doing giveaways on their pages so don’t miss them!):
Historical Romance Authors Cookie Hop Link List 2023
(look below for directions if you haven’t seen them)
After you collect the names of all 30 recipes, e-mail the list of authors with their treats to Heather@HeatherMcCollum.com with the subject line: Historical Romance Authors are Sweet. One winner will be chosen on Wednesday, 13 December and announced on the FB event page and on Heather’s website: https://www.heathermccollum.com/ .
For my giveaway, I’m giving one winner who makes a comment below a lovely 2024 Scottish calendar along with a wee Scottish giftie, too! So just tell me if you bake or make Holiday treats or just like to eat them or what your favorites are and I’ll choose a winner TWO WINNERS who will be announced on December 13. Could be one of these calendars below or another of the ones I’ve collected for the New Year! Good luck!
I’m into Midsummer Celebrations!
I’m hooked on another “Midsummer” event! Still celebrating the release of my #MidsummerKnights novella – An Outlaw’s Honor – and now am part of a Midsummer Giveaway —
👉💥It’s the Ultimate Midsummer Giveaway!💥👈
Join 28 of your favorite Historical Romance authors for a fabulous Midsummer Giveaway – as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4! 🏖
Follow your favorite authors on Bookbub or Amazon by clicking on their name and following the instructions. Easy!
So many prizes! So many chances to win!
We’re giving away ten (10) Amazon Gift Cards!!
1 $100 Amazon Gift Card
2 $50 Amazon Gift Cards
3 $25 Amazon Gift Cards
4 $10 Amazon Gift Cards
🤩🥳You can’t win if you don’t enter! 🤩
#EveryBodyIsBeautiful is here!
I got an exciting email a few months back inviting me, as a long-time customer of Woman Within plus sized clothing, to participate in their ‘real women’ campaign! Their plan is to feature women who actually wear their clothing and that is me! I posted informal photos on my Facebook page when the photo shoot happened in February and I have to say it was so much fun and such a fun day being treated like a VIP.
The #EveryBodyIsBeautiful campaign went live today! I hope you’ll stop over and take a look at the other talented and wonderful women who are featured – and thanks to Woman Within for such an opportunity!
Terri
Highland Dream Weavers are here! Join us!
Historical romances set in the Scottish Highlands are favorites of readers (and of mine!) so I’ve teamed up with FIVE other bestselling, award-winning authors to start the Highland Dream Weavers. As our logo say – we are the weavers of dreams, purveyors of stories and lovers of the Highlands! I’m thrilled to be in this group along with Amy Jarecki, Tarah Scott, Carmen Caine, Sue-Ellen Welfonder and Violetta Rand, all very talented authors and nice people, too.
We’ll be posting previews of upcoming books, sharing stories of travels to Scotland, revealing covers, and chatting about all things Scottish and Highlands so I hope you’ll check out our new website and join our Facebook group. If you visit and LIKE our group, you’re in the running for one of two gift cards (a $30 and a $60) to the retailer of your choice.
So, come on over, share some photos of Highlanders or Scotland, ask questions or chat about Scottish romances…we’d love to see you there!
Terri
Cover Reveal — again!!
So, I’ll be having 2 books released within weeks of each other and I wanted to share the Harlequin Historical cover with you all — yes, it’s on my FB page but here it is for you all!!
Stolen by the Highlander ~ March 17(print) April 1 (digital)
STOLEN comes out in print on March 17th and in digital formats on all retailers on April 1st!! Woohooo!! A new series we’re calling “A HIGHLAND FEUDING” about a clan war that last more than 300 years! I hope you’ll give it a try! You can pre-order it now….
GoodReads winners!
Thanks to everyone who entered the GoodReads giveaway for an advanced copy of RISING FIRE: A Novel of the Stone Circles — winners were chosen and Tiffany and Theresa of NY, Lindsey and Elisa of CA and Bobbie of TX will get a copy in the mail! They’re already coming to you! 
ENJOY!!!
Cover Reveal Coming August 12!!
I’ve been telling anyone and everyone who will listen about the gorgeous cover on the first book in my new WARRIORS OF DESTINY series from NAL — RISING FIRE will be a March 2015 release and I couldn’t be more pleased with the cover.
So, this week – Tuesday, August 12, on Heroes and Heartbreakers – I’ll be revealing the cover! I hope you’ll stop over and see it. . . and let me know what you think of it! Here’s a snippet to tease you:
Haha! Mean, aren’t I? You’ll just have to see it on Tuesday!!
Terri
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