Gift Guide for Bakers – 2024 and Giveaway

The holiday season is fast approaching. I wanted to share a gift guide for the bakers in your life of some of the best baking books published this year as well as a few products. In addition, we have a nice giveaway featuring the following items: a Marcato Made in Italy Holiday Cookie Gift Set, an Emile Henry cookie jar, an Emile Henry 8 x 8 cedar square baker, a set of Manhattan glasses from Duralex and copies of Zoë Bakes Cookies, Sweet Tooth, Turkuaz Kitchen, and Sift open to the United States.

Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World by Ben Mims is a stunner and covers cookie recipes from around 100 countries around the globe. Each recipe begins with a fascinating origin story, followed by clear, step-by-step instructions and notes on regional variations. There are ten EYBD Recipes to try now and the  gives you an idea at how beautiful this title is. I am a fan of baking and especially international baking so this book is right up my alley. Ben has written several cookbooks and I love his Sweet & Southern: Classic Desserts with a Twist.

The Elements of Baking: Making any Recipe Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free or Vegan by Katarina Cermelj, author of Baked to Perfection: Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes, with a Pinch of Science is back with another must have title. Armed with a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, the author lays out the science behind baking and the ingredients that make it work, so you can easily adapt your baking to your diet and lifestyle, and still make sure it tastes spectacular. With an abundance of mouth-watering recipes together with quantitative modification rules that you can use to convert any recipe into whatever version you fancy, this title will transform the way you think about ingredients. It will be a constant companion in the kitchen and the book you refer to every time you want to bake.

Holiday Cookies – Prize-Winning Family Recipes from the Chicago Tribune for Cookies, Bars, Brownies and More: Second Edition by Chicago Tribune Staff has 28 new recipes added to the 2014 Holiday Cookies. The new recipes are from the last decade and include Pistachio thumbprints, Chocolate salted caramel surprise cookies, Marbled pistachio almond cookies and Sweet potato cookies. The first book was a gem and this new addition with over two dozen new recipes is a must have.

Another must-have cookie book is The Ultimate Minnesota Cookie Book: 100 Best Recipes from the Star Tribune’s Holiday Cookie Contest by Lee Svitak Dean and Rick Nelson. This edition has 35 new recipes added to the 2018 The Great Minnesota Cookie Book. The new recipes include Grasshoppers and dark chocolate fig rolls, Maple-roasted walnut delights, and Tiramisu twists and cardamom cherry buttons. I have had my eye on Kit-Kat treats and the Maple-roasted walnut delights – ever since they were published in the Star Tribune.

Zoë François’ Zoë Bakes Cookies: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Favorite Cookies and Bars shares 110 recipes – with recipes ranging from Basque-style cheesecake berry bars, Dulce de leche rice crispy bars, Miso caramel chocolate bars, Rye white-chocolate macadamia nut cookies, Pistachio tahini cookies along with biscotti, Hamantaschens, madeleines, and meringues. I’d estimate half cookies and half bar type recipes – but all amazing! The first sixty pages are filled with ingredient, decorating and equipment information along with pages devoted to the “cookie academy” which delves into experiments with ingredient temperatures and variations for the chocolate chip cookie and the results of same. This will be your new cookie bible. Win a copy of this title in our giveaway below.

It’s Time to Bake Pastries: An Introduction to Patisserie by Brian Hart Hoffman features more than 60 foundational recipes, step-by-step instructions, helpful tips and tricks, and full-color photography throughout. This book from the Bake from Scratch team will give you the knowledge and confidence to master the essentials of pastry to create pâtisserie-style bakes at home.

Bake Until Golden Brown by Britney Brown-Chamberlain shares the author’s favorite sweet and savory bakes from heirloom desserts passed down from her loved ones. She also fashions new twists on her favorite desserts. Britney’s recipes are full of clear, helpful tips for tackling even the most technical bakes from the comfort of your own kitchen. With more than 100 recipes, this beautiful book will send you on a baking journey through delicious treats.

Let’s Bake: Over 100 Dessert Recipes for Gifting & Giving by Gail Sweeney shares over 100 recipes of cookies, cakes, pies, and other delicious treats to gift, share, and enjoy! From traditional favorites to new creations, Let’s Bake will have a bevy of options for gifting and sharing from your kitchen. This book is lavishly illustrated and makes for the perfect gift.

Live, Love, Bake by Melissa Forti: With her extraordinary spirit and talent, Melissa Forti lives her life baking one cake at a time. A pastime at first, baking became her passion and her profession. Today, she serves her unique and delicious cakes in her recently opened Café Duse in Copenhagen, Denmark. In her new book, Melissa shares the story of her culinary journey. Starting with her heritage, she focuses on typical recipes from her native Rome accompanied by gorgeous images of the Eternal City. Also, she looks to the future, with classic bakes updated for contemporary diets, including vegan chocolate cake, gluten free pound cake, and dairy free apricot galette. Melissa’s books are always inspirational – and this one is no different. Beautifully illustrated and filled with recipes for cooks at every level of expertise, this new offering from a hugely popular author is as inspiring as it is satisfying.

Pan y Dulce: The Latin American Baking Book by Bryan Ford: The author has changed the way the world sees baking. Breaking free from a Euro-centric approach to the craft, he celebrate the baking traditions of Latin America, starting with a simple approach to recipes and technique, and sharing the depth and nuance of the stories behind each loaf and pastry. This is an essential baking book for every home baker looking to expand their understanding of the history of the craft and explore the sweets and treats, breads and bakes of this region, from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. His first book New World Sourdough: With Recipes for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads is wonderful as well.

Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes by Jessie Sheehan shares the same lickety-split recipes and kitchen savvy that has made Jessie a go-to. Now the author is going savory. Eschewing marshmallow creme in favor of pimiento cheese, Sheehan bakes up scrumptious, savory treats that are perfect for a snack board (“girl dinner,” anyone?), offer sustenance for game night, and can easily stand in for lunch or grace the table at brunch.

100 Afternoon Sweets by Sarah Kieffer, the beloved baker behind 100 Cookies, 100 Morning Treats, and the popular Vanilla Bean Blog, has given us 100 additional recipes for the most craveable p.m. pick-me-ups. From one-bowl snacking cakes to bigger baking projects, here are 100 afternoon treats to help you push past the midday slump. Filled with more than 120 inspiring photographs, including how-tos for doughs, shaping, and flavor variations, this book is the third must-have in the trilogy of Kieffer’s 100-themed baking books.

Bodega Bakes by Paola Velez is a love letter to the pastry chef and activist’s Dominican heritage and NYC roots. This book contains more than 100 recipes for tortas, cookies, brownies, frozen treats, and other baked goods that burst with the flavors of her life. I was so excited when I learned this book was being published – as I have said before, I am a glutton for baking titles that bring international flavors to my kitchen. Designed to be accessible to bakers of all levels (and those who shop at their corner store), the book also includes a “Trip to the Bodega” pantry section, along with Paola’s pro tips for success even with the most modest equipment.

Life’s Sweetest Moments by Dominique Ansel is a baking book of more than 40 simple dessert recipes paired with heartwarming stories celebrating life’s sweetest moments. It’s been more than 10 years since Chef Dominique Ansel opened the doors to his eponymous bakery and took the world by storm with the Cronut®. Along the way he’s discovered that behind every dessert, there’s not just a recipe, but a story to share. From marriage proposals over a cup of hot chocolate, to the many first dates in the line outside his bakery, Ansel has come to realize that when there is pastry, there is a special moment behind it.

Sweet Tooth: 100 Desserts to Save Room For by Sarah Fennel features 100 delicious, and easy recipes that will satisfy all. Sarah Fennel began her blog Broma Bakery as a hobby that combined her love for baked goods with photography, and it quickly grew as millions of readers fell in love with her reliable recipes for nostalgic dishes with a modern twist. This, her first cookbook, is packed with brand new recipes, as well as some classic fan favorites. Readers will also find a whole chapter of single-serve desserts. Win a copy of this title in our giveaway below.

Breaking Bao: 88 Bakes and Snacks from Asia and Beyond by Clarice Lam I first learned of Clarice Lam on a Food Network baking show and I was inspired by her use of flavors and creativity. I was thrilled when I learned she was writing a cookbook and especially one that features bakes. Clarice is an acclaimed pastry chef and her debut book explores an umami-rich array of baked goods, confections, and savory snacks. Here are 88 approachable recipes that are firmly rooted in classical French technique but travel far and wide. I am excited to spend more time exploring these recipes.

Milk Street Bakes by Christopher Kimball Change the way you bake with 250 recipes that make it simpler, easier, and more delicious to use your oven, from the James Beard Award-winning team at Milk Street. For 12 titles now, the Milk Street team has taken recipes, flavors, techniques and ingredients from all over the world and used them to deliver tried and tested meals to your home kitchen for every night of the week; now, for its fitting baker’s dozen title, the team brings you an ode to the art of baking, with the classic Milk Street touch. This is a true baking bible.

Very Good Bread by Melissa Weller (author of A Good Bake) teaches you how to create a simple baking schedule that fits into your routine, how to weigh and measure ingredients, and how to make yeast and sourdough starters. She also shares tips on mixing, explains the finer points of fermentation, and lays out the basics of shaping and folding. Here too are also extended recipes for bread-based meals, like the Everything Bagel Tuna Crunch, Tortillas with Pulled Pork and Salsa Ranchera, and Pizza Margherita. With over 70 recipes, this is the essential book for making bread so delicious that it earns a place at the center of the table. Included are sections and recipes such as: *Bagels (Sourdough, Everything, Salt+Pepper, Pumpernickel Raisin, and more) and spreads to go with them *Flatbreads *Sourdough Loaves *Petits Pains *Rolls and Sandwich Buns *Baguettes and Ciabatta* Pizza and Focaccia.

Big Book of Bread: 125 Recipes for Every Baker by King Arthur Baking Company: From the beloved baking authority, the most wide-ranging bread book to be published in a decade – with 125 recipes that meet you where you are, whether novice or bread-head, in a stunning package. Everything you want to know about how to make a perfect loaf is here: from techniques for folding and shaping, to information about flour, yeast, and temperature, along with key tips such as how to work with temperamental dough and best practices for storing different breads. Each recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous four-color photo, and the instructional information includes step-by-step photography along with QR codes throughout that direct you to how-to videos. The book also includes an elegant ribbon marker.

With Love and Babka: 50 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Everyone’s Favorite Braided Bread by Elana Pearlman teaches you how to master baking babka as she guides you through the equipment you need, the best techniques, a staple pantry list, her favorite type of flour, and how to use seasonal ingredients. Not only will you learn her most cherished recipes, you’ll also discover the history of babka in Jewish communities. Her book is separated into sweet and savory recipes and includes several variations of dough including classic, butter-blocked, chocolate, and gluten-free.

Turkuaz Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Dough Recipes for Sweet and Savory Bakes by Bëtul Tunç shares recipes broken down by leavened and unleavened dough and even includes a chapter on her family favorite Turkish recipes. The following are covered: basic doughs: for bagels, bagels, pita, ciabatta, and muffins Sourdoughs: for pizza dough, bread, foccacia, and brioche. Enriched doughs: for croissants, cardamom buns, buttermilk dinner rolls, and burger buns Pasta dough: for pastas, noodles, dumplings, and boreks. Turkish recipes: Turkish style phyllo, Turkish pistachio baklava, Spinach triangle borek, and Grandma’s lavash. Win a copy of this title in our giveaway below.

Bake Club: 101 Must-Have Moves for Your Kitchen by Christina Tosi and Shannon Salzano: Young or old, newbie or seasoned pro, Christina Tosi’s Bake Club is open to everyone. Covering all the categories of the baking universe these are recipes designed to empower home bakers to have fun in the kitchen and to dispel all baking misconceptions: I don’t have enough time, I don’t have the right ingredients, I don’t have a standing mixer, and I’m a terrible baker. That means no fancy ingredients or equipment are required – and modifications are very much allowed! Disarmingly doable yet show stopping impressive, the 100-plus recipes that make up Bake Club are classic Tosi creations – simple, inviting, and eminently bakeable.

Taboon: Sweet & Savoury Delights from the Lebanese Bakery by Hisham Assaad: This beautifully photographed cookbook explores the vibrant baking culture of Lebanon. Perfectly poised between the Middle East and the Mediterranean, Lebanese food draws influences from myriad cultures and offers a delicious collection of baking recipes to tempt the home baker seeking new taste adventures. This book tells the story of Lebanese baking — exploring all its regional influences and traditions. Here you will find over 80 recipes for classic home-style breads, traditional family favorites that have been handed down through generations, alongside pastry-shop delicacies, classic cakes, and street-food treats.

Le Cordon Bleu Confectionery School by Le Cordon Bleu: Le Cordon Bleu is the internationally renowned establishment synonymous with culinary excellence, for professionals and amateurs alike. In this latest book you will discover the secrets of Le Cordon Bleu’s confectioners and chocolate makers to create 90+ delicious recipes including truffles, pralines, marshmallows, berlingots, nougats, caramels, as well as low sugar creations and even superb decorative pieces for special occasions. There is an entire chapter of step-by-step basic recipes for all the essential techniques: cooking sugar, tempering chocolate, making almond or praline paste as well as detailed step-by-step instructions for the most complex recipes.

Pierre Hermé’s Vegan Pastry by Pierre Hermé: Since 1998, Pierre Hermé has been revolutionizing the world of patisserie with his famous macarons, his ‘Haute-Pâtisserie’, notably the Ispahan or the tart Infiniment chocolat, sold in his boutique pastry shops all over the world. Today, Hermé offers a new story of gourmet patisserie created with vegetal products. What Pierre Hermé loves most in his culinary world is finding new tastes, experimenting with new techniques and letting his imagination guide him to find the perfect balance between flavour and texture. He makes a dazzling demonstration of this in his new book, dedicated to vegan pastries. Co-written with Chef Linda Vongdara, he invites us to follow him on the path to discover his greatest classics revisited in vegan versions and recipes specially created for this book: Ispahan croissant, shortbread biscuits, steamed chocolate fondant, blackcurrant puddings, chocolate millefeuille, chocolate cornflake macarons… Pierre Hermé’s work has made him a leading figure of French gastronomy. As an inspired creator with a curiosity for everything, he has brought taste and modernity to pastry making, with pleasure as his only guide. He is known internationally and puts his technical knowledge, talent, and creativity at the service of every gourmet’s pleasure. 

Some of My Best Friends are Cookies: Recipes for Baking Perfection by Emelia Jackson contains so many new and exciting cookies for us to try. Emelia’s first cookbook First, Cream the Butter and Sugar is a dream. Here Emelia shares recipes for Chunky-Levain-style malted chocolate-chip cookies, Iced VoVo^TM biscuits, Twixie Twix^TM cookies, Passionfruit curd macadamia thumbprints and Cashew kourabiedes.

That Takes the Cookie: More than 75 Tasty Treats for Every Occasion by Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin is organized into seven scrumptious chapters with cookies for every craving. The book includes a collection of recipes from classics like Vanilla bean sugar cookies and Chewy oatmeal raisin cookies to decadent bars, no-bake treats, and frosted cookies in an assortment of flavors. With vibrant full-color photographs throughout, this is the comprehensive yet charming cookbook every cookie lover needs.

German Heritage Baking: Time-Honored Recipes, Traditional Techniques, and Culinary Secrets by Heidrun Metzler: Heidrun was born and raised in Germany where she comes from a family of women who love to bake (her mother, aunt, and grandmother were her teachers!). She has been creating her own recipes with an American influence since moving to the US as a young woman (over 45 years ago!). This cookbook is a 10+ years-in-the-making labor of love, to authentically preserve and pass down her generations’ worth of inherited tips, techniques, and ingredient knowledge, along with the profound joy of fresh pastries prepared well in one’s own kitchen.

The following baking titles are favorites and have full promotions or preview coverage linked (some may be expired).

• Desi Bakes by Hetal Vasavada (author of Milk & Cardamom) (promotion)
• Sift: The Elements of Great Baking by Nicola Lamb (more about the book here) Win a copy of this title in our giveaway below.
• My Little Cake Tin: Over 70 Versatile, Beautiful, Flavourful Bakes Using Just One Tin by Sinha Tarunima (promotion)
• The Cake Bible, 35th Anniversary Edition by Rose Levy Beranbaum and Woody Wolston is a masterpiece even improving on the original. See our review and giveaway (US/CA) for more information.
• Dolci!: American Baking with an Italian Accent by Renato Poliafito and Casey Elsass (promotion)
• Fast Fix Baking: 85 Recipes to Make in 2 Hours or Less by Brian Hart Hoffman (preview)
• Small Batch Cookies: Deliciously Easy Bakes for One to Six People by Edd Kimber (promotion)
• Tarts Anon by Gareth Whitton and Catherine Way (promotion)
• Sweet Seasons: Wholesome Treats For Every Occasion by Pippa James and Michael James (promotion)
• 30 Breads to Bake Before You Die: The World’s Best Sourdough, Croissants, Focaccia, Bagels, Pita, and More from Your Favorite Bakers by Allyson Reedy (promotion)
• The Big Book of Bread: Recipes and Stories From Around the Globe by James Morton (promotion)
• Bake with Benoit Blin by Benoit Blin – judge on Bake Off: The Professionals and Crème de la Crème (promotion)
• Baking in the American South by Anne Byrn (promotion)

Now for some fun tools for the baker:

My love for Emile Henry is widely known and their new color cedar has my heart. This 8 x 8 cedar square baker would work beautiful with the snack bakes and cakes in all our new baking books – and would look stunning on your holiday table or as a gift for a hostess! The vibrant, colorful exterior for oven-to-table presentation. You’ll use this square baker for everything from layered casseroles, vegetable gratins, fruit crisps, side dishes, desserts, and more. Emile Henry all-natural ceramic is extremely durable, and a versatile choice for one-dish baking, serving and storing. Enter below to win a baker!

The evergreen is another great color for the holidays and this loaf baker would serve up a load of loaf cakes! Lastly, I am in love with the cookie jar! It holds 2.75 pounds of goodies. Proudly display it on your countertop or gift your favorite baker a cookie jar, book and if you really love them a batch of cookies! Better yet pretend that you do not bake yourself and include a note that you would love a batch of “Chocolate chip cookies from page so and so”. Guilt them! Enter below for a chance to win a cookie jar!

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The Lékué sourdough starter set which includes a starter jar, activator jar, spatula, labeling bands, growth marker ring and recipe booklet. I love this little set as it makes things more convenient it is fool proof and the jar screw top includes a valve so you can let air out. The jars are designed to be stackable and are refrigerator and dishwasher safe. I have mentioned these before and I love them!

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Every baker needs pretty cocktail glasses for cocktails and desserts. These gorgeous Manhattan glasses from Duralex from France .

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Marcato Made in Italy Holiday Cookie Gift Set with Snowflake pattern rolling pin and star shaped stamp. Make fun and festive cookies with ease. Simply roll out your cookie dough by hand or by using the Marcato Atlas Roller. Then decorate the dough by rolling the embossing pattern rolling pin over the dough with even pressure, and cut out each cookie with the stamp or your own cookie cutters. The pattern rolling pin can also be used to decorate the pie dough for the top crust and other pastries. This set is boxed for gift giving and a recipes are included. 100% made and assembled in Italy. Marcato is giving a set of these tools to one US winner in the giveaway below.

Marcato Cookie Kit, Star Mould 65mm + Flower Cutter 70mm They’re better together! We believe in simplicity. That’s why we’ve created the Ravioli Stamp Kit! This set includes: (1) Flower Classic Stamp (2.8″) and (1) Star Classic Stamp (2.6″). In addition to the numerous variations of ravioli stuffed with meat, vegetables, cheeses, or fish, Marcato cutters are ideal for quickly preparing delicious cookies, snacks and tasty nibbles to be enjoyed at any time of day. The body of the stamps is made of die cast aluminum, a solid food-safe material which guarantees a clean cut of the pasta sheet. The handles of the stamps are made of solid wood. The wood has been specifically selected to be more compact and ensure durability over time. .

MARCATO Atlas 150 Machine, Made in Italy, Red, Includes Pasta Cutter, Hand Crank, and Instructions. Marcato’s Original World-Famous Atlas Pasta Machine, called the Ferrari of the pasta machine world by Cook’s Illustrated, rolls and cuts pasta dough for making traditional Italian pasta at home. Nothing tastes better than fresh authentic homemade pasta and learning how to make fresh pasta couldn’t be easier! Easily make 3 pasta shapes, lasagne, fettuccine, and tagliolini. The adjustment dial easily controls the dough thickness and rolls homemade pasta dough evenly for a consistent texture, cook time and taste. Rolled pasta cooks more evenly and absorbs more delicious sauce. Roll dough up to 150-millimeters wide and quickly choose from 10 different thickness settings, between a paper-thin 0.6-millimeters to 4.8-millimeters, to personalize pasta on the fly to each recipe. The Atlas Pasta Machine is equipped to attach a Pasta Drive motor or any of 12 pasta cutting accessories that are sold separately. Made in Italy. Wipes clean with a dry brush or cloth after each use. Includes the Pasta Machine, pasta cutter, hand crank, clamp, complete instructions and a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. You can also use this machine for rolling out cookie or pastry dough in small batches.

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Ravioli tablet – I love this little tablet. The ravioli tablet has been designed to offer maximum function with a modern and customised style. The base is made of solid, food-grade, anodised aluminium and comes in 6 beautiful colours, safe for your health and guaranteed to last. The removable cutting surface is made of Tritan, which is BPA free, easy to clean and always cuts neatly and precisely. I use this for a variation of an Italian filled cookie I make in addition to, of course, ravioli.

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This year McCormick released six new finishing sugars for our cookie and cake decorating. Let me tell you these sugars are going like hot cakes! I was able to find mine at my local Walmart. The flavors include Gingerbread spice, Salted caramel, Candy cane, English toffee, Hot cocoa and White frosting. Happy hunting!

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Another great idea for gift giving would be a subscription to ckbk and to Eat Your Books for someone who loves cookbooks! For more information on ckbk see Jane’s post. 

Lastly, please check out previous gift guides for more inspiration.

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Special thanks to our publisher for providing a copy of Zoë Bakes Cookies, Sweet Tooth, Turkuaz Kitchen, and Sift in our promotion. To our favorite vendors Marcato for providing one Marcato Made in Italy Holiday Cookie Gift Set, Emile Henry for providing a cookie jar and square baker and Duralux for providing a set of Manhattan cocktail glasses. Entry options include answering the following questions in the comments section of this blog post.

Visit the Marcato site and leave a comment about which product you would like to try.

Visit the Emile Henry site and leave a message about a product you would like to try.

Visit Duralex and leave a message about a product you would like to try.

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Once you log in and enter your member name you will be directed to the next entry option – the blog comment. After that, there are additional options that you can complete for more entries. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on December 31st, 2024.

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