Spellbinding Bakes: Bailey Cates’ Magical Bakery Mystery Books in Order
I’m all for a little touch of magic when it comes to my cozy mysteries, and while paranormal cozies aren’t a subgenre I have fully engaged in, dipping my toes into Bailey Cates’s magical bakery mystery series was the perfect place to begin.
It is one of those comfort‑read staples I always recommend when someone wants magical vibes, mouth‑watering baking, and a genuinely engaging whodunit.
Set in Savannah, the books follow hedgewitch and baker Katie Lightfoot as she stirs a little kitchen witchcraft into both her recipes and her sleuthing, and the series has become Cates’s most popular work, with thousands of ratings and a devoted cozy fanbase.
Think The Good Witch meets Hannah Swansen!
Bailey Cates (who also writes as Bailey Cattrell and Cricket McRae) is a New York Times bestselling cozy mystery author with a background in philosophy and English.
She also had an apprenticeship with a master herbalist, so she brings a real feel for herbs, teas, and everyday magic to her stories.
The Magical Bakery Mystery series, launched in 2012 with Brownies and Broomsticks, is her flagship and most‑read series.
With its lovely mix of Southern charm, found family at the Honeybee Bakery in Savannah, and just‑spooky‑enough witchcraft, the books are a delight.
With 10 books in the series, you don’t want to miss out on the evolution of the characters, so here they are in order – just so you know where to start!
Magical Bakery Mystery Books In Order
1. Brownies and Broomsticks (2012)
When Katie Lightfoot moves to Savannah to help run her aunt and uncle’s Honeybee Bakery, she discovers her family’s secret: she’s a hedgewitch, and the kitchen is the perfect place to channel that magic.
After a local businessman is murdered and her uncle becomes the prime suspect, Katie has to harness recipes, subtle spells, and a growing circle of magical friends to clear his name and unmask a killer.
2. Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti (2012)
Settled into bakery life, Katie is still learning the craft of kitchen witchery when she stumbles onto a dead body near the river, complete with strange symbols and occult overtones.
Her investigation leads to a secretive society, more magical danger than she bargained for, and some uncomfortable questions about whom she can really trust in Savannah’s paranormal community.
3. Charms and Chocolate Chips (2013)
Katie volunteers with a local conservation group, only to have the cause overshadowed by murder when a prominent environmental activist is found dead.
As she bakes up chocolate treats for the bakery, she also juggles witchcraft lessons, tricky romantic developments, and a trail of clues that suggests the victim’s enemies may be closer to home than anyone suspected.
4. Some Enchanted Éclair (2014)
A film crew descends on Savannah, bringing Hollywood drama, temperamental stars, and a production that seems cursed from the start.
When a member of the crew turns up dead, Katie is pulled into the world behind the camera, using her enchanted baking and coven connections to sort staged scandals from real‑world motives before the killer can strike again.
5. Magic and Macaroons (2015)
A seemingly ordinary event at the bakery takes a dark turn when a stranger bursts in, raving about magic and pressing an ornate object into Katie’s hands before dying.
The mysterious artifact’s history draws Katie into Savannah’s deeper magical undercurrents, where old grudges, hidden identities, and a long‑buried secret all tie into a fresh murder that only a witchy baker can unravel.
6. Spells and Scones (2016)
When a self‑help guru brings a relationship retreat to town, the Honeybee Bakery caters the event—and Katie watches the glossy façade crumble when the guru is killed.
Between baking comfort food for shocked attendees and probing their tangled love lives, she has to sort genuine healing from manipulation while her own romantic life hits some very cozy‑but‑complicated bumps.
7. Potions and Pastries (2017)
It’s been two years since Katie and her aunt and uncle opened the Honeybee Bakery, where they serve delicious, subtly bespelled treats to Savannah’s locals and tourists.
After an anniversary dinner and a stroll along the waterfront, they run into Aunt Lucy’s old friend Orla, a vibrant fortune‑teller beloved on the docks.
When Orla is later found dead in what looks like a tragic accident, Katie’s witchy instincts scream murder, sending her, her coven, and her firefighter boyfriend racing to uncover the truth before the trail, and Orla’s secrets, go cold.
8. Cookies and Clairvoyance (2019)
Katie is juggling wedding planning, her father’s visit, and home renovations, all while working long hours at the Honeybee Bakery.
When firefighter Randy Post is accused of murdering a wealthy collector and his fingerprints turn up on the deadly statue, Katie can’t stay out of it.
She teams up once more with prickly detective Peter Quinn, who now knows she’s far more than just a small‑town baker, to uncover the truth and save an innocent man.
9. Witches and Wedding Cake (2020)
Wedding bells are ringing in Savannah, but the festivities are threatened when a member of the wedding party is killed and old resentments bubble up.
Between crafting the perfect wedding cake, managing family expectations, and juggling magical duties, Katie has to make sure the big day doesn’t turn into a permanent goodbye for anyone else.
10. Spirits and Sourdough (2021/2022)
Always curious about Savannah’s supernatural past, she finally signs up for a local ghost tour, only to be told by the psychic guide that she’s being followed by the spirit of a recently murdered woman.
Shaken, Katie knows she has to help bring the killer to justice. With pressure mounting from both the living and the dead, Katie leans on all her magical skills, her coven, and her instincts to sift truth from half‑baked alibis and make sure a dangerous killer doesn’t slip away.
11. Rituals and Rolling Pins (expected November 10, 2026)
The eleventh Magical Bakery Mystery, Rituals and Rolling Pins, is scheduled for release on November 10, 2026.
A ghostly presence and a true crime podcaster with an eye for paranormal stories collide when a new case lands, quite literally, on Katie’s doorstep.
Investigating the death of the podcaster pulls her into Savannah’s haunted history, where restless spirits, unsavory secrets, and her evolving magical gifts all play a part in catching a very human killer.
Why You Will Love This Series
From a cozy‑reader point of view, this Bailey Cates series hits a really satisfying sweet spot with murders that are serious enough to matter, but the tone stays warm and comforting.
If you enjoy witchy cozies, foodie mysteries, or stories where a found family forms around a small business, the Magical Bakery books are very easy to binge in order.
I also think they’re a great gateway series if you’re usually more of a traditional cozy fan and are just dipping your toe into paranormal elements, because the magic here feels like an extension of the cozy atmosphere rather than a full‑on dark fantasy twist.
