Cookbooks for Bakers, The 2013 Gift Guide

Every year, I add a whole bunch of new cookbooks to my collection and I enjoy every single one of them. I love getting new cookbooks and I know that the same can be said for every cook and baker out there. Cookbooks can inspire us to try out new flavors or learn new techniques, and even though people may be switching to digital books when it comes to novels, there is always something nice about having a physical cookbook to flip through. This list of great books from this year should help you find something for the baker on your Christmas list. I’ve posted about each of these during the course of the year, too, so you can follow the link at the end of each book to read more about them before you pick one out.

The Art of Preserving is a guide to making your own preserves, both sweet and savory, from relishes to jams. Homemade preserves were a big trend this year, with quite a few books that featured guides to making your own at home. This book was user friendly, colorful and offered a huge variety of flavors to choose from. Pack this up with some canning jars and you’ve got a great gift that can be enjoyed all year. (more)

Baking By Hand will give you the skills that you need to know to turn your kitchen into an artisan bakery – without any special equipment. The book is all about using classic techniques, not modern appliances, to turn out amazing breads and pastries. It’s fun to get your hands dirty in the kitchen, after all! (more)

One Bowl Baking is just the kind of cookbook to have on your shelf when you don’t have as much time to bake as you would like. The recipes – from scones to cheesecakes – can all be mixed up in own bowl with no special equipment needed (although a mixer will streamline the process even more). You’ll be impressed with the results and how few dishes you’ll have to wash when you’re done. (more)

Real Snacks is where you’ll find updated, homemade versions of all those goodies that you used to snack on when you were a kid. Your favorite snack cakes and favorite potato chips are probably both in here, and these versions will probably taste just as good as you remember. The book also includes vegan and gluten free substitutions for many of the recipes, which makes the book a great choice for just about everyone who loves snack foods. (more)

The Sweet Book of Candy Making will walk you through the recipes for so many different types of candy that you may never have to buy a box of caramels or a bag of truffles again. It makes candy making seem very approachable, and offers a great variety of both simple and complex candies to choose from – for times when you want something simple and indulgent and times when you want a showstopper. (more)

Simply Sensational Cookies is not just another cookie book. These recipes are designed to deliver a lot more flavor and have more wow factor than your usual chocolate chip cookies. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re more difficult to make, however. A few unusual spices and other small changes can have a big impact on your cookies, making them even more delicious – and inspiring you to get more creative. (more)

Finally, The Baking Bites Cookbook was released as a Kindle book this year! I’ve gotten a lot of requests for an updated version of the book and was happy to get it out. The book features more than 50 recipes that you won’t find anywhere on the blog, which means that each book is like getting 4 months of recipes at once! The book has also been revised and updated with new recipes from the original paperback version and, since it is now digital, it will leave extra room on your bookcase for more new books in the future. Download a copy for yourself and pick out a few of the recipes to add to your list of Christmas treats – and send one to a friend, as well!