Here we are. It’s January, and you’re dealing with the holiday hangover... but if you’re cuffed, coupled, married, or bonded, it’s time to get your brain back into gift mode because Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it. If your Valentine - or Palentine or Galentine! - has an interest in baking, here are four baking cookbooks that would make a sweet gift.
“Pieometry” by Lauren Ko
Perfect for: The person that makes a lot of pie, but really needs a new pie crust recipe. The person that aced geometry. The person that puts a lot of energy into curating “an aesthetic” on social media.
Why I love it: Pieometry makes creating beautiful pies and tarts attainable. It is one of the most used & well-loved cookbooks in my kitchen. The “Basic Shortbread Crust” is my go-to for tarts. I’ve used it so many times, I think I could make it in my sleep!
Even though I wrote a glowing book review over three years ago, my love for Pieometry is still going strong. It offers great guidance for bakers at any level, with step-by-step instructions and plenty of pictures. Ko offers lots of variations to her recipes, allowing for countless mix-and-match combinations.
Pieometry is available in most bookstores (but I recommend local, independent booksellers if you can manage).
“Flour Water Salt Yeast” by Ken Forkish
Perfect for: The person who took up bread baking as a pandemic hobby. The person who says their sourdough starter is their baby. The person who pulls out a tube of Pillsbury’s refrigerated pizza crust on pizza night.
Why I love it: It’s a classic go-to for bread baking. Flour Water Salt Yeast was introduced to me eight years ago by an old work colleague. I had to bake bread for an event, and he let me borrow his copy. I baked the Saturday White Bread, following every step and photo very closely. My practice loaf was very good, so good that it encouraged me to buy my own copy of Forkish’s bread bible.
I continue to go back to Flour Water Salt Yeast anytime I’m doing something bread-related. If I’m not utilizing Forkish’s recipes or ratios on a particular bake, I at least use the foundations and techniques he shows in the book to guide me through the process. I think the most delicious bake I ever made from the book is the pizza dough - it was so good & made for a beautiful, sturdy foundation for our homemade pizza pies!
Flour Water Salt Yeast is also available in most bookstores.
“Dolci!: American Baking with an Italian Accent” by Renato Poliafito
Perfect for: The person who makes being Italian American their entire personality. The person who dares bring a grocery store cookie platter to dinner at Nonna’s house. The person who unironically says “gabbagool”, “supersahd”, and “mootzadell” in conversation.
Why I love it: Growing up Italian American, I was surrounded by so many of the flavors and bakes in this book… but because I was a “stoonad” I never bothered to learn from my matriarchs while they were still around. Dolci! helps me make up for that lost time with lots of classic Italian American recipes - and some new ones to add to the repertoire, too!
Poliafito’s recipes are easy to follow, with familiar nods to American culture with an Italian twist. This manifests itself in recipes like Sicilian Sticky Buns, Amaretto Caramel Brownies, and the Chocolate Amaro Pecan Pie. Looking for the classics in Italian American baking? My favorites like Italian Butter Cookies, New York Cheesecake, and Cannolis all make their appearance in Poliafito’s book.
Dolci! is also available in most bookstores.
“Everyday Cake: 45 Simple Recipes for Layer, Bundt, Loaf, & Sheet Cakes” by Polina Chesnakova
Perfect for: The person who will always save room for cake at the end of a meal. The person who doesn’t have a lot of shelf space for cookbooks. The person who believes in the power of “little treat” culture.
Everyday Cake is a small, yet jam-packed, paperback cookbook that has been a consistent go-to in my house for celebratory cakes, “get well” loafs, and seasonal delights. A recurring request from family and coworkers alike is Chesnakova’s Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (page 88), and I think I made that cake no less than three times in 2024.
I had the pleasure of going to a holiday cake baking demo that Chesnakova' hosted at Book Larder here in Seattle a few years ago when Everyday Cake first hit shelves. She is knowledgable, kind, and clearly puts a lot of love and time into her recipes to ensure they’re not overly complicated, but still absolutely delicious. That showed during her demo, and it shows in the pages of Everyday Cake, which is why I will always recommend this book to any and all bakers.
Everyday Cake is available on Polina’s website and in most bookstores.
I hope these cookbooks have sparked some gift ideas for you! If you want to go the extra mile, pair a book with some of the special equipment or ingredients called on in the book. Maybe a special bottle of vanilla or a beautiful bundt pan… the sky’s the limit! Do you have another book to recommend? Drop a comment below to share your favorites!