A Deadly Hook by Karen A. Phillips

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I’m happy to welcome Karen A. Phillips to Salty Inspirations with her latest Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery, A Deadly Hook. Today, she’s sharing her favorite soft cut-out sugar cookie recipe, perfect for cozy afternoons and reading mysteries!

Soft Cut-out Sugar Cookies by Karen A. Phillips

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Soft Cut-out Sugar Cookies by Karen A. Phillips

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The only sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever need! These easy bakery-style treats are soft, thick, and perfect for decorating.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the cookies

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• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or reduce to 1/4 teaspoon for a more subtle flavor)

For the Frosting

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• 2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 egg whites

Instructions

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
   
2. In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine. Add vanilla extract and almond extract; mix until incorporated.
   
3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; mix on low until a soft dough forms.
   
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of lightly-floured parchment paper or a lightly-floured silicone mat. With a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems sticky.
   
5. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or overnight).
   
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
   
7. Carefully remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. Arrange the shapes about 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
   
8. You can re-roll the dough scraps to cut out additional cookies, but you will need to chill the cut-out dough on the baking sheets in the fridge or freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking. This will give the dough a chance to firm up again so that the cookies don’t spread in the oven.
   
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

For the Icing:

1. In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, milk, and egg whites with an electric mixer until thick and glossy.
2. Add more powdered sugar if the icing seems too thin (the size of the eggs can affect consistency).
3. Just play with it until it’s right. The icing should be stiff enough to “stand still” and not run when piped.

Notes

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

A DEADLY HOOK (Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery) by Karen A Phillips

About A Deadly Hook

A Deadly Hook (Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery) Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting – Sierra Nevada Mountains of California Publisher : River Rock Press Publication date : February 5, 2026 Print length : 288 pages Paperback ISBN-13 : 979-8987675274 Digital ISBN-13 : 979-8987675267 ASIN : B0GLF5LF5W

What do Bigfoot and boxing have in common? Meet Raquel (AKA Rocky) Nelson, a retired single woman with a big heart and a deadly punch!

Rocky was looking forward to a carefree camping trip in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her fraternal twin sister, Bridget, and their two favorite men. A recent Bigfoot sighting lures Bridget’s new boyfriend, Jeff, into a search for the elusive beast, but the weekend turns deadly. When Jeff becomes the prime suspect, Bridget pleads for Rocky’s help. Reluctantly, Rocky is pulled back into the role she thought she’d left behind, and once more heads back into the wilderness—this time hunting not a myth, but a murderer.

About Karen A. Phillips

Karen A. Phillips lives in Northern California and writes humorous, fun, action-packed mysteries. Her characters are engaging and fearless. She has several short stories published in various anthologies. The Rocky Nelson Boxing Mysteries combine her love of boxing and the mystery genre. Sign up for her newsletter at: KarenAPhillips.com

Author Links

Website
Facebook
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Bluesky
Goodreads

Purchase Link

Amazon

Tour Participants

March 13 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
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Excerpt from A Deadly Hook: A Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery by Karen A. Phillips

It all started with a fateful camping trip . . .

Sometime in the night, a scream woke me. I groaned in frustration. Not again.

“Rocky,” Bridget whispered. “Did you hear that?”

“It’s probably those darn boys. If they don’t knock it off, I’m going to read them the riot act.”

She nudged my shoulder. “I don’t think it was them. Come on, get up.”

“Okay. Okay.” I wriggled free from the sleeping bag and threw on my shoes. I grabbed my Leatherman and shoved it in my pants pocket. It was the only weapon I had, other than my fists. I slipped on my headlamp, unzipped the tent, and stuck my head out.

Angelo was already outside.

Bridget and I scrambled from the tent to join him.

“Was it the Rangers?” I asked.

Angelo’s face registered concern. “Maybe, but it didn’t sound like they were messing around this time.”

“Where’s Jeff?” Bridget asked. She looked around. “Jeff!” she called out.

I sensed movement before Jeff suddenly burst from the underbrush, running toward us from the opposite direction of the Divide Ranger camp. He held the FLIR imaging camera. All three of us turned to him, our headlamps illuminating his face. He looked excited, not frightened, or worried.

“I’m here,” he said, then took a moment to catch his breath. “I was looking for any signs of cryptid activity when I heard the scream.”

Bridget rushed to him. “Thank goodness. I was worried.”

Jeff put his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead.

I looked at Angelo. “Was it a mountain lion? I’ve heard they scream like a woman.”

I knew, if we encountered a lion, to make myself look big and create a lot of noise to scare it away. I didn’t want Angelo to have to use his gun.

Angelo shook his head. “I don’t think it was a lion. I’m thinking one of the boys might be in trouble.”

“We’d better check,” I said. “Someone could be hurt.”

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Thank you, Karen A. Phillips, for sharing this delicious cookie recipe! Be sure to add A Deadly Hook to your TBR, explore more cozy mysteries, and enjoy browsing Salty Inspirations for more treats and author features.

As always, thanks for stopping by for some Salty Inspirations!—Michelle❤️