Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery

Name: Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery
Genre: Small Town, Pet, Complete Strangers
Released: 2015-01-01
Duration: 1 h 23 min
Rating: 6.8
Cast: Alison Sweeney, Cameron Mathison, Lisa Durupt, Toby Levins, Juliana Wimbles

6.8/10 · 2,741 ratings20151h 23mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery poster

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The premise

A baker in small-town Minnesota turns amateur sleuth after finding her friend and delivery driver shot to death behind her shop.

Themes:Small town secrets The facade of wealth Intuition vs. Professionalism Family loyalty

How unusual is it?

Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.

Who’s in it

Our Girl

Alison Sweeney

as Hannah

Our Guy

Cameron Mathison

as Mike

You’ve seen this pairing before: Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison have made 8 Hallmark movies together.

Alongside them

Show all 10 cast

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Mark Jean

Written by

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

The protagonist's mother compares her daughter's loyalty to that of a German Shepherd.
Hannah goes dumpster diving in a professional dress to find a coffee cup.
A dentist tries to woo a baker by offering to clean her teeth.
The mystery is solved specifically because the villain switched from sterling silver to silver-plated serving trays.
The 'Cookie of the Month Club' is used as a high-stakes investigative ruse.

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 25 to find more movies that do the same thing.

Why we’d put this one on

Alison Sweeney is Hannah Swensen, a small-town Minnesota baker who turns amateur sleuth when she finds her delivery driver shot dead behind her shop. Cameron Mathison plays the handsome detective who keeps telling her to stay out of it, which of course she ignores. This is the cozy mystery that launched a beloved series, and the flavor is just right: gambling debts among the town elite, a dentist who woos Hannah by offering to clean her teeth, and a clue about silver serving trays I would never explain. At a 6.7 it is sharp and gentle enough for cocoa. No spoilers on the killer.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)

The film opens with Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar bakery, explaining her philosophy that baking is both an art and an adventure. Her peaceful life in Eden Lake is disrupted when she discovers her longtime friend and milk delivery driver, Ron LaSalle, shot to death in his truck behind her bakery. Detective Mike Kingston arrives from Minneapolis to lead the investigation, immediately clashing with Hannah's amateur sleuthing instincts. Meanwhile, Hannah's mother, Delores, attempts to set her up with the town's new dentist, Norman Rhodes, creating a low-stakes love triangle. Hannah's investigation begins when she finds a coffee cup with pink lipstick in her trash, leading her to Danielle Watson, the high school coach's wife. Danielle reveals she was with Ron at a casino for a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, where Ron got into a scuffle with a bouncer. Hannah's search for the truth intensifies when Ron's boss, the wealthy but miserly Max Turner, goes missing. Hannah and her sister Andrea sneak into the local dairy and discover Max's body in a cooling room. The investigation takes a turn when it is revealed that Max was a secret loan shark who had leveraged the homes and businesses of many townspeople. Hannah discovers that even the town's wealthiest family, the Woodleys, were in financial trouble due to their son Benton's failures on Wall Street. The climax occurs at the Woodley mansion, where Hannah notices that the family is using silver-plated trays instead of their usual sterling silver, confirming they are broke. Judith Woodley, the family matriarch, confesses to killing Max to protect her family's reputation and Ron because he was a witness. Judith pulls a gun on Hannah, but her son Benton and Detective Mike intervene just in time. The film concludes with Hannah successfully solving the double murder and finding herself with two potential suitors, Mike and Norman, as she reflects on the 'hidden secrets' found in both cookies and people.

Beat by beat

Opening
Hannah Swensen finds her friend Ron LaSalle shot dead in his delivery truck behind her bakery.
Inciting Incident
Detective Mike Kingston arrives in town and warns Hannah to stay out of the official murder investigation.
Midpoint
Hannah and her sister Andrea discover a second body, Max Turner, hidden at the local dairy.
Rising Action
Hannah discovers Max Turner was a loan shark and finds a list of debtors, including the town's elite.
Climax
Hannah confronts Judith Woodley at her mansion after realizing the family is secretly broke; Judith pulls a gun on her.
Resolution
Judith is arrested, and Hannah ends up with two potential dates for the following Saturday.

25 tropes in one movie

We counted 25 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Higher-rated than 81% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Murder, She Baked/Hannah Swensen MysteriesPart of the 14-film Murder, She Baked/Hannah Swensen Mysteries series.

BINGOPlans get derailed by the weatherSet in summerA happy endingA dentist tries to court herSomeone gets flustered during small talkAn almost-kiss gets interruptedSomeone’s guard finally comes downA change of heart by the final actA cute dog or catA baker turns amateur sleuthA toast at a celebrationA heart-to-heart on a porch or bench★A handwritten note or letterTwo characters fake being a coupleGambling debts surface in townThe two leads are forced to work togetherA scenic spot becomes their meeting placeA relative plays matchmakerA famous celebrity character appearsA body turns up behind the bakeryA nervous voicemail goes unsentA first impression that turns out completely wrongA charming local cafe or dinerA detective warns her off the case

Hallmark Bingo

Your Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery card is dealt.

Twenty-four squares pulled from this movie’s own quirks — the cosy classics, a few only-in-this-one curveballs, and a couple of decoys. Mark them as you watch.

Open your card

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

“Baking is like art. You can paint by the numbers, following a reliable recipe... or baking can be an adventure.”
— Hannah SwensenOpening monologue establishing her character.
“I don't believe that the person chooses the cookie. I believe that the cookie chooses the person.”
— Hannah SwensenExplaining her philosophy to the town gossips.
“That's why you're a baker and I am a homicide detective. It is my job to consider the worst in people.”
— Mike KingstonDuring their first argument about the investigation.
“That's not real Wedgwood. You know that, right?”
— Hannah SwensenDistracting the killer during the final confrontation.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

Hannah Swensen
Lead
Bakery Owner
InquisitiveStubbornObservantNurturing
Mike Kingston
Love interest
Homicide Detective
Investigative partner and romantic interest
ProfessionalProtectiveSkeptical
Norman Rhodes
Love interest
Dentist
Suitor set up by her mother
KindAwkwardReliable
Judith Woodley
Antagonist
Socialite
Customer and town elite
ArrogantDesperateClass-conscious
Delores Swensen
Supporting
Socialite / Mother
Mother
MeddlingFashion-consciousCritical

Questions people ask about Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery

Where can I watch Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery?

Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery is available via Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery?

Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery runs about 1 hour and 23 minutes, and was released in 2015.

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