TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking – Michael Ruhlman
- Dessert Person – Claire Saffitz
- Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking – Samin Nosrat
- Bread Baking for Beginners: The Essential Guide to Baking Kneaded Breads, No-Knead Breads, and Enriched Breads – Bonnie Ohara
- The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More – Maurizio Leo
- The Baking Bible – Rose Levy Beranbaum
- Baking Science: Foolproof Formulas to Create the Best Cakes, Pies, Cookies, Breads and More – Dikla Levy Frances
- Sally’s Baking 101: Foolproof Recipes from Easy to Advanced – Sally McKenney
- All About Cake: A Milk Bar Cookbook – Christina Tosi
- The Book On Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies – Erin Jeanne McDowell
We got our first snowfall here in Ontario yesterday. The holidays are coming in hot, so it’s time to start thinking about gifts. And let me tell you, I don’t mess around. I love the challenge of finding something unique but practical.
For the home bakers in your life, you can’t go wrong with a cookbook. But choosing can feel overwhelming because there are so many great ones out there.
So I’ve handpicked 10 of my favourites that inspire, teach, and spark creativity in the kitchen. If you want your gift to truly stand out this season, give a book that will be loved and used for years to come.
Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking – Michael Ruhlman
This one isn’t a traditional cookbook with plenty of guides and visuals, but its content is invaluable. I find myself pulling it off the shelf for reference often. It’s equally suitable for bakers and chefs, or anyone who likes to get innovative in the kitchen.
Michael covers everything from pancakes and muffins to sauces and broths. These classes of recipes can be broken down into simple ratios of flour, fat, and liquid; for example, the classic pancake ratio is 2 parts liquid, 2 parts flour, 1 part egg, and ½ part fat. He goes into exceptional detail about how each element influences the outcome (like what happens when you add more fat or liquid to your batter), so you can adapt recipes to your preferences.
This foundational knowledge has given me the confidence to develop my own recipes and understand how each ingredient shapes the final result.
Dessert Person – Claire Saffitz
If you were part of the late-2010s Bon Appétit fan club, you may already be familiar with Claire Safftiz: the baking queen best known for recreating classic favourites like Cosmic Brownies and Twinkies.
Much like her video content, her cookbook is an excellent learning resource and has become my go-to baking bible. She covers everything from essential tools and techniques to staple recipes like pastry cream and all-butter pie dough. Alongside this solid foundation, you’ll find more than 40 of her own creations, like Strawberry Cornmeal Layer Cake and Pigs in a Brioche Blanket.
One of my favourite features, and something you rarely see in other cookbooks, is the Recipe Matrix. This two-page spread gives a visual breakdown of every recipe in the book rated by difficulty and time. It’s perfect for deciding what to bake at a glance.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking – Samin Nosrat
This is another book that’s exceedingly invaluable for bakers and chefs, or anyone learning to cook without relying on recipes. There’s technique, and then there’s understanding flavour, which Samin explains through chemistry and intuition.
The book is also a joy to look at, with stunning illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton and a companion Netflix series that brings it all to life.
Bread Baking for Beginners: The Essential Guide to Baking Kneaded Breads, No-Knead Breads, and Enriched Breads – Bonnie Ohara
Bonnie OHara of Alchemy Bread is my OG sourdough queen. Her shaping videos on Instagram pulled me into the world of bread baking back in 2019. They made the process feel approachable and even meditative.
Her book captures the same spirit. Bonnie walks through every step of the process in clear and encouraging detail, with visuals and practical tips that make sourdough baking much less intimidating. It’s like learning from a friend rather than a textbook.
The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More – Maurizio Leo
If Bonnie Ohara is my sourdough queen, then Maurizio Leo my sourdough king. Maurizio is the curator of The Perfect Loaf, a go-to hub for sourdough guides, recipes, and meticulous techniques.
He’s specific, thorough, and leaves little room for error. Each recipe includes sample timelines and exact baker’s percentages, which makes it easy to scale dough to different needs and schedules. This book is a must-have for anyone ready to move beyond the basics and refine their craft with precision.
P.S. — his sourdough bomboloni are a crowd favourite among my family and friends. I’ve made them more than 15 times for different events and they never miss!
The Baking Bible – Rose Levy Beranbaum
Truthfully, I don’t own this one yet, but it’s at the top of my wishlist. Rose Levy Beranbaum is famously known as “the most meticulous baker,” and for good reason. This book covers everything from cookies and cakes to bread and pastries, plus an expansive appendix full of techniques, tips, and ingredient-specific recipes—like what to do with leftover egg whites and yolks, a dilemma every baker knows all too well.
Baking Science: Foolproof Formulas to Create the Best Cakes, Pies, Cookies, Breads and More – Dikla Levy Frances
Common ingredients like eggs, butter, milk, sugar, and flour influence the chemical processes behind every step of baking. This book dives into all of that and more.
Dikla explains not only ingredients, but also techniques and methods, and why you might choose one over another for a particular dessert. And to put all the theory in practice, it’s packed with companion recipes like Triple Chocolate Coconut Cake and Peanut Butter Quick Bread.
Sally’s Baking 101: Foolproof Recipes from Easy to Advanced – Sally McKenney
Even if you’re not a regular baker, you’ve probably come across Sally McKenney’s recipes at some point. Sally’s Baking Addiction has been a popular go-to resource for anyone looking to bake from scratch at home.
Her newest book, Sally’s Baking 101, was released this fall and is the culmination of over 15 years of recipe testing and teaching. Sally is a self-taught baker whose approachable style and clear instruction make complex recipes feel doable. Her cheesecake recipes in particular are simply unbeatable; I have yet to find another that measures up.
All About Cake: A Milk Bar Cookbook – Christina Tosi
Christina Tosi is the brilliant mind behind NYC’s beloved Milk Bar. Her naked confetti birthday cakes with crumble topping went viral in 2010 and are still being recreated to this day. Christina is one of the most talented and innovative bakers I look up to.
In this book, she dives deep into everything cake like techniques, flavours, and the signature Milk Bar style. It’s an invaluable resource for anyone looking to perfect their cake skills or add a playful and creative edge to their baking.
The Book On Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies – Erin Jeanne McDowell
Pie is often seen as one of the trickier desserts to master at home, but Erin Jeanne McDowell makes it feel fun and approachable. She covers every step in detail: crafting flaky and buttery crusts, scaling recipes, troubleshooting common issues, and decorating pies with style and creativity.
What I love most about her approach is how practical and encouraging it is. Erin teaches the why behind her recipes and provides bakers with the confidence to improvise once they understand the basics. The book includes plenty of sweet and savoury options, so there’s something for every season, occasion, or craving.
Final Thoughts
Baking is a language of intuition, technique, and creativity. Each of these books bring exceptional depth and inspiration for anyone wanting to improve their skills in the kitchen. If you’re shopping for a fellow baker or curating your own holiday wishlist, these titles make thoughtful and lasting gifts. Is there a baking cookbook you can’t live without? Drop the title in the comments. I’m always looking to add to the shelf!
Much love,
Crumb & Quill 
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