It's finally here!
An unofficial season of the summertime, "Christmas in July" is essentially the idea of celebrating the holidays in July, whether through books, movies, food, hobbies, or other activities.
So, to celebrate Christmas in July this year, I've compiled a list of three winter and holiday-themed fan-favorite books with a famous holiday cookie recipe to match their genre/type! Enjoy, and don't forget the ice-cold milk for the cookies or your favorite cozy and cool spot to read and munch on these delicious holiday desserts!
Genre/Type: A Classic Retelling
Book Title | Cookie Recipe |
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand | "The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever" from the Joy Food Sunshine blog |
The Afterlife of Holly Chase tells the story of Holly Chase, a teenager who was visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future on the night of Christmas Eve. She was told that she had a chance to become a better person tomorrow and that she should take this chance to help the people around her rather than always being so self-absorbed. That was five years ago, and Holly decided to ignore them. A few days later, she passes away in a car accident and is sent to work at Project Scrooge, a secret company that finds people who need to mend their ways of treating others (just like Holly) and gives them a chance to do so. Holly becomes the new Ghost of Christmas Past, and every year she does the same work of showing that year's Scrooge some of their memories from the past and trying to convince them to change. Every day, Holly wakes up and follows the same monotonous schedule. She never ages, and the world around (except for Project Scrooge) keeps moving on without her. Except, this year is different. This year's Scrooge might just change everything for Holly.
The Afterlife of Holly Chase is the perfect mix of classic retelling with humor, romance, and, of course, the holiday spirit. I not only found myself interested in the novel's plot and characters but also in its valuable themes about second chances and starting over. I sincerely hope there will one day be a sequel for this novel, but, until then, I can bake these cookies to compensate.
When I imagine this book and the novel it was derived from, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, I think of the classic dessert which is typically a universal favorite: the chocolate chip cookie. Therefore, if you decide to make it, the chocolate chip cookie seems to always be remembered as the "classic" cookie, and it will no doubt pair well with this reimagining of A Christmas Carol. If you're looking for a recipe for making chocolate chip cookies, here is one with some fantastic reviews and minimal ingredients needed to make it.
Genre/Type: A Fictional Anthology
Book Title | Cookie Recipe |
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de La Peña, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Stephanie Perkins, Laini Tayler, and Kiersten White, edited by Stephanie Perkins. |
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories brings together everyone's favorite aspects of the holiday season. This novel includes stories about adorable, happily-ever-after movie scenes, the best books to curl up by the fireplace and read, and delicious desserts to make with the family. There's something in here for everyone to enjoy reading about! You'll find stories celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, and more! As the publisher puts it, "You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love."
When I think of My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, it reminds me of a celebration of many diverse stories, cultures, religions, and backgrounds. The cookie recipe which helps me relate to this perfectly is Kitchen Sink cookies, a title that can be misleading but is actually a delicious combination of so many flavors, textures, and colors. Kitchen Sink cookies start with a classic cookie dough base which is added to with a variety of mix-ins. These can include different kinds of dessert chips, marshmallows, savory snacks like pretzels and potato chips, nuts, fruits, and more! Each one brings its own unique taste, flavor, and story to the cookie. With anthologies having such a wide variety of narratives and representation, I believe that these Kitchen Sink cookies are sure to be the perfect match for this book! Kitchen Sink Cookies by the Celebrating Sweets blog is a great start for making these cookies, and you can also use this article from the Allrecipes blog to get some other ideas for mix-ins.
Genre/Type: A Holiday Mystery
Book Title: | Cookie Recipe: |
Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas |
In Top Ten Clues You're Clueless, we meet Chloe, a teenager who works at GoodFoods Market and is having a pretty awful day, despite it being Christmas Eve. From early morning shifts to crazy snowstorms, Chloe just wants to go home. To make matters worse, she and her fellow teenage colleagues are suddenly accused of stealing upwards of $10,000 from the Christmas charity box at the store. If Chloe can work together with the other teens, including her crush, Tyson, they may just be able to find out the real culprit and save the day.
To me, mystery novels are always packed with something exciting, suspenseful, and fresh on every page. A famous holiday cookie that reminds me of this is Mexican Chocolate Earthquake cookies, which are known for their rich taste of chocolate and cayenne pepper. With a spicy kick added to them, these cookies are sure to give you a new and flavorful experience with every bite, leaving you wanting a second or third one as well! Plus, they look pretty cool! You can find a recipe for making these cookies here.
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