Murder, She Baked Movies in Order: Complete Hannah Swensen Watch Guide

If you are wondering what the Murder, She Baked movies in order is, then be sure to watch A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery first and follow these movies by release date. There are five movies that explicitly share the Murder, She Baked title and were released between 2015 and 2017. But the story doesn’t end there for Hannah Swensen. The series returned in 2021 with Sweet Revenge under the Hannah Swensen Mysteries name.

Hallmark considers those later films to be entries in the same numbered series: Sweet Revenge is Movie #6, with that numbering stretching all the way up through 2026’s currently planned Best Served Cold for a total of Movie #14.

If you only want the original Murder, She Baked (as I did), quit after Movie #5. Read on if you want all the details of Hannah’s full-screen tale.

Murder, She Baked Movies in Order at a Glance

Here is the complete viewing order, including the movies released after the franchise changed names.

Hallmark+ currently groups the original films and later Hannah Swensen movies in the same collection and explicitly numbers the sequence through Movie #14.

Best viewing order: release order.

You don’t need to work out an alternate chronology or rearrange any installments. The numbered order above also gives you the cleanest progression of Hannah’s relationships and recurring characters.

Are Murder She Baked and Hannah Swensen Mysteries the Same Series?

For viewing purposes, yes. Consider Hannah Swensen Mysteries as simply the next chapter of her screen story, and under a rebranded branding — it’s not an unrelated “series” you need to begin anew.

This is particularly clear in Hallmark’s own numbering. These Murder, She Baked movies are Movies #1 through 5, and Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery is Movie #6.

So what, you might ask?

It didn’t.

Where Murder She Baked Ends

The original title ends with Movie #5, Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts.

Released in 2017, the film revolves around a dessert bake-off that turns into another murder investigation for Hannah. Hallmark+ currently labels it Movie #5.

If your goal is simply to watch every film with Murder, She Baked in the title, this is your stopping point.

Where Hannah Swensen Mysteries Begin

The next movie is 2021’s Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery.

Hannah and Mike are now engaged, and their wedding plans are interrupted when a murder at a 24-hour gym gives Hannah another case to investigate. Hallmark labels Sweet Revenge as Movie #6, directly continuing the earlier sequence.

Confused by “5 movies” vs. “14 movies”?

• 5 movies = films released under the Murder, She Baked title.
• 14 movies = the complete numbered Hannah Swensen screen sequence currently released.

Both numbers can therefore be correct—they’re just counting different things.

The Five Original Murder, She Baked Movies in Order

The five original movies introduce Hannah’s bakery, family, friends, and early romantic story. Each murder is largely its own case, so the summaries below stay spoiler-light while pointing out where continuity matters.

1. Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery

Released: 2015
Movie: #1

This is the place every first-time viewer should start.

Hannah Swensen, played by Alison Sweeney, runs the Cookie Jar bakery in a small Minnesota community where local gossip travels almost as quickly as fresh cookies disappear. Her ordinary routine changes when a friend and delivery driver is found dead, drawing Hannah into her first investigation.

The film also introduces detective Mike Kingston, played by Cameron Mathison, and establishes the family and community relationships that continue through later movies. Hallmark+ lists the film as Movie #1.

Why it matters: It establishes Hannah’s world. You can technically understand later murder plots without it, but you’ll miss much of the character context.

2. Murder, She Baked: A Plum Pudding Mystery

Released: 2015
Movie: #2

Movie #2 trades ordinary small-town life for a Christmas setting.

Hannah is preparing for the holiday season when another murder gives her a new list of suspects to sort through. The case develops alongside Hannah’s personal life, so the movie isn’t just a Christmas-themed standalone inserted randomly into the series.

Hallmark+ identifies A Plum Pudding Mystery as Movie #2 and lists it as a 2015 film.

Best seasonal installment for: viewers looking for a Christmas mystery.

3. Murder, She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery

Released: 2016
Movie: #3

The third installment brings the mystery much closer to Hannah’s business.

The Cookie Jar suddenly has competition when a rival bakery opens in town. After one of the rival owners is found dead, Hannah becomes closely tied to the investigation and has good reason to find out what really happened.

The bakery rivalry gives this movie a different flavor from the first two because Hannah’s livelihood—not just her curiosity—is part of the setup. Hallmark+ officially numbers it Movie #3.

Best for: viewers who especially enjoy the bakery and small-business side of the series.

4. Murder, She Baked: A Deadly Recipe

Released: 2016
Movie: #4

By the fourth movie, the stakes are much more personal.

After the local sheriff is murdered, Hannah’s brother-in-law becomes caught up in the case. That gives Hannah more than her usual reason to keep asking questions: someone close to her family needs the truth to come out.

Because the movie relies more heavily on family relationships, it works better after you’ve already spent time with the characters in the first three films. Hallmark+ identifies A Deadly Recipe as Movie #4.

Continuity level: More important than a typical standalone mystery.

5. Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts

Released: 2017
Movie: #5

The original Murder, She Baked run ends at a dessert competition.

Hannah is invited to participate in the first Eden Lake Dessert Bake-Off, but the event takes a darker turn when a fellow judge is murdered. Once again, Hannah gets involved in figuring out who is responsible.

This is the last installment carrying the Murder, She Baked title.

If that’s all you came to watch, you can stop here.

Want Hannah’s story to continue? Go directly to Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery.

What Comes After Murder She Baked?

There was a four-year gap between Just Desserts in 2017 and Hannah’s return in Sweet Revenge in 2021.

That gap is one reason the franchise can look confusing in search results. The title changed, several years had passed, and a casual viewer could reasonably assume Hannah Swensen Mysteries was something separate.

Hallmark’s numbering removes that ambiguity: Sweet Revenge starts at Movie #6 rather than resetting to Movie #1.

6. Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2021
Movie: #6

Sweet Revenge reconnects viewers with Hannah and Mike after the long break.

They are now engaged and trying to balance wedding plans with their careers when a murder at a 24-hour gym gives Hannah another mystery to unravel.

Why it matters: This is the bridge between the old Murder, She Baked era and the newer Hannah Swensen films.

7. Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2023
Movie: #7

Rather than beginning with a freshly killed victim, Carrot Cake Murder starts after a skeleton is discovered in an old building.

That discovery opens a murder investigation tied to the past. Alison Sweeney returns as Hannah, with Cameron Mathison, Gabrielle Hoganing,n and Barbara Niven also appearing.

Why it stands out: The older remains give the case more of a cold-case feel than several earlier mysteries.

8. A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2023
Movie: #8

This installment begins when Hannah’s mother, Delores, finds a body while house-hunting.

The investigation gradually pulls more of Hannah’s family into the case, while Hannah’s relationship with Mike is under pressure. Hallmark identifies it as Movie #8.

Continuity level: High. If you’re following Hannah’s personal story as well as the murders, don’t skip this one.

9. One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2024
Movie: #9

One Bad Apple begins another clear phase of Hannah’s story.

While investigating a murder, Hannah crosses paths with prosecutor Chad Norton, played by Victor Webster. Hallmark describes Chad as a by-the-book prosecutor and officially numbers the film Movie #9.

If you’ve seen newer Hannah Swensen movies featuring Chad and wondered where he came from, this is the movie to watch.

10. A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2024
Movie: #10

Hannah and Chad are both trying to work their way through the same murder while attempting to clear a colleague caught up in the case.

Their growing dynamic is part of what makes the film important beyond its individual mystery. Hallmark+ lists it as Movie #10.

Continuity level: Worth watching in sequence if you care about Hannah’s current character arc.

11. Reality Bites: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2025
Movie: #11

The Cookie Jar gets an unusual visitor when Hannah’s favorite reality show takes over the bakery.

Then the producer turns up dead.

Hannah and Norman join forces to investigate, giving longtime viewers another chance to see an established relationship from the earlier films play into a newer mystery. Hallmark+ identifies Reality Bites as Movie #11.

12. Pie to Die For: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2025
Movie: #12

This time, Delores is uncomfortably close to the situation.

When one of Hannah’s customers—who also happens to be Delores’ theater rival—is murdered, Hannah investigates in an effort to protect her mother’s reputation. Meanwhile, Hannah and Chad’s relationship continues developing.

Hallmark+ lists Pie to Die For as Movie #12 with a runtime of 1 hour 24 minutes.

13. Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2026
Movie: #13

Sugar & Vice uses one of the most appealing classic-mystery setups in the series.

Hannah finds a body during the grand reopening of the Lake Eden Inn. Then a storm traps everyone inside, leaving Hannah to work out who is responsible before the culprit can get away.

Hallmark+ lists it as Movie #13 and gives it a runtime of 1 hour 24 minutes.

Best for: viewers who enjoy closed-circle mysteries where the suspect pool is physically contained.

14. Best Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

Released: 2026
Movie: #14

The fourteenth installment pulls Hannah further into Chad’s legal world.

A suspect in a forgery case is murdered while a prosecutor goes missing, leaving Hannah and Chad to determine how the two events are connected before the trial.

As of October 2026, Hallmark+ identifies Best Served Cold as Movie #14 and lists a runtime of 1 hour 24 minutes.

It is the latest released film in the numbered Hannah Swensen sequence currently listed by Hallmark.

Should You Watch Murder,r She Baked in Release Order?

Yes.

Release order is the simplest and most satisfying way to watch the series.

The individual murder cases are usually structured so that they can be followed on their own. The ongoing relationships are different. Hannah’s connections with Mike, Norman, Delor, es and later Chad develop across multiple movies.

Watching randomly may not ruin the killer reveal in a particular film, but it can reveal where Hannah’s personal relationships eventually end up.

Recommended first-time viewing method

• Start with Movie #1, A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery.
• Continue in release order.
• Finish the five original films before starting the Hannah Swensen-branded movies.
• Don’t jump directly from Movie #5 to the recent Chad-era films if character continuity matters to you.
• Continue past Just Desserts if you want Hannah’s complete screen story.

There’s no complicated prequel, flashback, or alternate-timeline arrangement to solve. Hallmark’s numbered sequence already gives you the correct order.

Can You Watch the Movies as Standalone Mysteries?

Mostly, yes.

If A Peach Cobbler Mystery happens to be airing and you’ve never seen the first two movies, you should still be able to follow the central murder investigation.

What you’ll miss is context.

The longer story includes romantic developments, family relationships, recurring friendships, and significant changes in the people who investigate alongside Hannah.

A practical way to decide is:

The murder is usually the standalone part. Hannah’s life is the continuing part.

How Long Does It Take to Watch All the Movies?

Plan on feature-length TV movies rather than hour-long television episodes.

The original films generally sit around the mid-80-minute range. For example, Hallmark+ currently lists A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery at 1 hour 23 minutes, A Plum Pudding Mystery at 1 hour 25 minutes, A Peach Cobbler Mystery at 1 hour 24 minutes, A Deadly Recipe at 1 hour 26 minutes,s and Just Desserts at 1 hour 25 minutes.

Several of the later movies are also around 84 minutes.

That makes the original five easy to spread across one weekend, while the complete 14-film sequence works better as a longer binge.

If you’re watching with ads on a live Hallmark broadcast rather than streaming, allow extra time.

Murder, er She Baked Movies. vs. Joanne Fluke’s Books

Hannah Swensen didn’t begin on Hallmark.

The character comes from Joanne Fluke’s long-running Hannah Swensen culinary mystery novels. Hallmark’s own material identifies Fluke as the author behind the book series, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder and other Hannah Swensen mysteries.

Book readers should not, however, try to reorganize the movies according to the novels’ publication order.

The screen franchise develops its own continuity. Adaptations can adjust characters, relationships, events, and story details, so movie release order remains the cleanest viewing sequence.

If you’re interested in both formats, treat them as two related experiences:

For watching: follow Hallmark’s numbered movie order.
For reading: follow the Hannah Swensen novels in book-series order.

The books aren’t required homework before watching the movies.

Main Cast and Character Changes

Part of the reason the later movies feel different is that the cast surrounding Hannah changes over time.

Alison Sweeney remains the franchise’s central presence as Hannah Swensen, while Cameron Mathison plays Mike Kingston through the earlier era. Victor Webster later joins the continuing movies as prosecutor Chad Norton. Hallmark’s current franchise pages also continue to feature Barbara Niven as Delores.

You don’t need to memorize the cast before starting. The important point is simply that a viewer jumping from the first few movies directly into a recent installment will notice a different relationship dynamic.

Watching chronologically makes that transition far easier to understand.

Where to Watch Murder She Baked in the USA

For U.S. viewers, Hallmark+ is currently the clearest place to start checking.

Hallmark+ presently has dedicated pages for the original Murder, She Baked films as well as the newer Hannah Swensen movies, and its Hannah Swensen collection includes the original titles in the same franchise sequence.

Hallmark Mystery also continues to air the movies. Recent Hallmark schedules have shown the original films numbered #1–5 as part of movie blocks.

Streaming catalogs and rental availability can change, though, so check before planning a full marathon.

Practical tip: Search for the individual movie title—not only “Murder She Baked.” The later movies are listed under Hannah Swensen Mystery, so a franchise-name-only search can miss them.

What Competitor Watch Lists Often Don’t Explain

A simple chronological list solves only half the problem.

The other half is understanding why different websites appear to give different answers about how many movies exist.

Why Some Lists Say There Are Only Five Movies

Because they’re counting only films whose titles actually begin with Murder, She Baked.

There are five of those, and Hallmark still numbers them Movies #1 through #5.

That answer isn’t wrong. It’s simply incomplete for someone who wants to continue Hannah’s story.

Why Other Lists Show Fourteen

Those lists are counting the complete screen continuity.

Hallmark numbers Sweet Revenge as Movie #6 and continues through Best Served Cold as Movie #14.

So the easiest rule to remember is:

Five original-title movies. Fourteen connected movies in the current complete sequence.

Where the Four-Year Gap Fits

Just Desserts arrived in 2017.

The next movie, Sweet Revenge, arrived in 2021.

Nothing needs to be inserted between them. The four-year gap is a real-world break between releases, not evidence of a missing movie.

Watch #5, then #6.

Why the Cast Feels Different in Later Movies

The franchise eventually moves from the Mike-centered era into stories featuring Chad Norton.

That shift isn’t a separate continuity. It’s part of Hannah’s ongoing story.

If relationships matter to you, watch the later films chronologically—particularly A Zest for Death before One Bad Apple. That gives the character transition room to make sense without needing spoiler-heavy explanations in advance.

Do You Need the Books Before Watching?

No.

Knowing Joanne Fluke’s novels may add another layer of familiarity with Hannah and her world, but the movies are designed to function on their own.

You don’t need to read Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder before Movie #1, and you don’t need to match every movie to a specific novel before moving to the next film.

For a new viewer, that would make a simple series unnecessarily complicated.

Final Murder She Baked Watch Order

If you want only the movies that actually carry the Murder, She Baked name, your marathon is straightforward:

#1–#5, ending with Just Desserts.

If you want Hannah Swensen’s complete Hallmark movie story, don’t stop there. Continue with Sweet Revenge and follow the numbered sequence through Movie #14, Best Served Cold.

Release order is the recommended viewing order. There is no alternate timeline you need to decode.

Next step: Check the current U.S. availability of Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery, start with Movie #1, and work forward from there.

• Read more: Murder, She Baked movies in order

Frequently Asked Questions