Sweet Dessert Cookbooks for All Niches
There is truly nothing like baking from a cookbook. And we’re talking an actual book, that you hold in your hands and flip through the pages, get out your highlighter and pen and make notes and dog tag your favorites! Sometimes this can be a lost art with so many easily available recipes and how-to videos online, but we would like to challenge you to choose a cookbook and bake your way through and tell us it isn’t the most fun you’ve had all of quarantine!
We have put together a roundup of cookbooks from breakfast to ice cream, from beginner to experienced that will get you excited to start testing out your favorites. We will continue to add onto this thread as new amazing cookbooks come up! Let us know your favorites in the comments.
BREAKFAST + BRUNCH
Sweet Mornings: 125 Sweet and Savory Breakfast and Brunch Recipes by Patty Pinner
Sweet Mornings collects more than 100 sweet and savory options for breakfast and brunch. From donuts to crumb cakes to sweet rolls, these are the kind of treats that evoke feelings of warmth and comfort like only good, old-fashioned breakfast food can.
CAKE
The New Way to Cake by Benjamina Ebuehi (@bakedbybenji)
“The book is filled with 60 exciting recipes to help home bakers expand their cake repertoire and explore new flavours in their baking. Inspired by both my Nigerian heritage and growing up in the cultural capital of London, I incorporate new ingredients and flavour combinations to bring modern and unfussy cakes to your table - from my caramelised plantain cake to my hot chocolate and halva pudding.”
Grandbaby Cakes by Jocelyn Delk Adams (@grandbabycakes)
“50 insanely fun and modern twists on traditional cakes passed down through my family with tons of color photos throughout taken by yours truly…These cakes are absolutely delicious, and the photos will leave your mouth watering! These recipes have been tested not only by me and my family, but by 34 other home bakers who are just like you!”
SOUL FOOD SWEETS
Sweets: Soul Food Desserts by Patty Pinner
In SWEETS, Patty shares her family's stories, maxims, and magical desserts, many named after family members like Cud'n Daisy, Aint Sug, and My My, her beloved grandmother. Part recipe book, part family history, this sweet-as-can-be cookbook is a heartfelt tribute to women who ruled the home and the kitchen with their wisdom, hearts, and cooking.
Black Girl Baking by Jerrelle Guy
“Jerrelle leads you on a sensual baking journey using the five senses, retelling and reinventing food memories while using ingredients that make her feel more in control and more connected to the world and the person she has become. Whole flours, less refined sugar and vegan alternatives make it easier to celebrate those sweet moments that made her who she is today.”
ICE CREAM
The Perfect Scoop: Revised and Updated by David Leibovitz
“I kept in my mind how tastes had changed, and certain ingredients were more widely available and wanted to incorporate them into the book with some new recipes. Now it was okay to make ice cream spicy, or add bacon. Multicultural flavors and ingredients are now common items in our pantries. While I’m happy to hone closely to tradition, I was delighted to play around with ingredients that weren’t available a decade ago, but are easy to find today.”
Big Gay Ice Cream by Bryan Petroff and Douglas Quint (@biggayicecream)
“Big Gay Ice Cream’s debut cookbook, a yearbook of ice cream accomplishments—all the recipes you need to create delicious frozen treats.”
DOUGHNUTS
Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni (@laraferroni)
“Be prepared to be tempted by favorite classics like old-fashioned sour cream, maple-bacon bars, or red velvet, and new delights such as pineapple fritters, dulce de leche, and rainbow cake. There are also variations for vegan and gluten-free versions in this expanded edition, now with 30 new recipes.”
FOR KIDS
The Ultimate Kids Baking Book by Tiffany Dahle (@peanut.blossom)
This time you’re in charge of making dessert instead of your parents! Master what all the best bakers know, from separating eggs to creaming butter and sugar together and even rolling your own cookie dough. Each skill you learn will make you a next-level baker so you’ll be ready to deck out the Thanksgiving table with a Thankful-for-You Cake Pop Bouquet, wow a friend with Birthday Sprinkle Donuts or bake Smart Cookies for back to school. With something for every celebration, your friends and family will be amazed at all the wonderful treats you can bake.
Kid Chef Junior Bakes: My First Kids Baking Cookbook by Charity Mathews
Whether they’re learning how to make Dirt Cups with Candy Worms, Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes, or Razzle-Dazzle Raspberry-Cream Cheese Muffins, they’ll be baking for real―together with you.
OTHER
Baking for Two: The Small-Batch Baking Cookbook for Sweet and Savory Treats by Tracy Yabiku (@bakingmischief)
Most baking recipes are meant to serve eight or more. But when you’re baking for a smaller household, leftovers either go to waste or straight to your waist. Luckily, Baking for Two has reengineered your favorite baking recipes to achieve the same delicious results in perfectly sized portions.