Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

Cookbooks have always been some of my favorite gifts to give and to receive. Whether you’re shopping for the busy mom who hates the kitchen, the child who loves to make (and eat) homemade cookies, or the girlfriend who hosts elaborate dinner parties, this list of the 10 Best Cookbooks includes something for everyone on your list!

Cookbooks are such a nice gift option because you can customize them for all of your favorite people. They show thoughtfulness, they’re useful, and they typically fall within an appropriate budget. If you’re looking for a more expensive or elaborate gift, you can always pair the cookbook with a tool, kitchen appliance, apron or other related item.

Best Cookbooks for Gifting

For the Italian Food Lover: Any pasta-loving Italian aficionado deserves a copy of Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Pair the book with a set of pasta bowls, a nice pizza cutter, or a bottle of gourmet Italian olive oil.

For the Meat and Potatoes Lover: You can’t go wrong with The Pioneer Woman, and Ree Drummond’s latest book, The New Frontier, is sure to offer an abundance of new, family-friendly, down-home meal ideas.

For the Busy Mom: Cassy Joy Garcia has pulled together 26 weeks of dinners that a family can prep on the weekend and enjoy all week. Cook Once, Eat All Week is an amazing resource for any busy family.

For the Dad who Loves to Grill: From the grilling experts, Weber’s Ultimate Grilling: A Step-by-Step Guide to Barbecue Genius is a must-have for all of the smokey meat-loving men in your life.

For Little Chefs: Get your kids excited to join you in the kitchen — and maybe they’ll try some new foods, too! The ideas in Williams-Sonoma’s Cookbook for Kids look realistic and tasty, but I also think that every kid deserves her own copy of The Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cookbook!

For the Gal who Loves to Eat: Salty, spicy, saucy and fun, Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings is sure to please any voracious appetite!

For your Fabulous Mom: The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, is the ultimate Queen in the kitchen! We love all of her cookbooks, including Cook Like a Pro, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, and How Easy is That? Seriously — you just can’t go wrong with any of these options!

For the Health-Conscious: I was introduced to At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen by my vegan-leaning friend, and I instantly fell in love with the beautiful photos and the approachable, delectable recipes that will appeal to even non-veggie-lovers!

For the Impatient College Kid: Give your favorite novice home cook an Instant Pot, and pair it with this Instant Pot Cookbook for Beginners. It includes 1000 quick and delicious recipes for smart people on a budget (sounds like every college student)!

For the Hostess with the Mostest: Joanna Gaines has a knack for making people feel comfortable and at-home, and her cookbook is no different. Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering offers simple, fuss-free ideas for those who love to feed their loved ones.

And a bonus, because it’s too difficult to narrow the list down to just 10! The honorable mention is my favorite cookbook For those Who Cook with the Seasons: Straight from the famous farm stand on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, Morning Glory Farm, and the Family that Feeds an Island is a beautiful book full of fresh, seasonal, and delicious recipes. My version is tattered, stained, and a staple in our kitchen!

There you have it! A roundup of The Best Cookbooks for anyone on your shopping list. Let me know what your favorite cookbook is — I’m always looking for new ones!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

Read More

Square overhead shot of hands serving a chicken pot pie recipe with biscuits
Overhead image of a bowl of chili mac on a dinner table with cornbread
Hands serving a platter of sheet pan sausage and potatoes

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. I would add any of the older Betty Crocker cookbooks. I have multiple editions, from the 50’s thru the 80’s. I haven’t seen any of the newer editions, but find the lodest have the best advice and recipes!
    A newer cookbook I recommend is “The Prairie Homestead Cookbook” by Jill Winger. I am gifting this to DD for Christmas this year. It is coffee table worthy with it’s beautiful photographyl But it is more than a cookbook, it’s also an insight into homesteading, with personal stories. (I have no affiliation with this book, or the author, except i follow her blog)

    1. Wonderful suggestion! I can’t wait to check out that Prairie Homestead book. I’ve not heard of it, but it sounds right up my alley. Going to look at it on Amazon right now! 🙂

  2. “Once Upon a Chef” by Jennifer Segal is an awesome cookbook. I’m surprised it is not included in your selections. Thank you for these suggestions. Always helpful to have great advice in gift purchasing.

    1. Thanks, Jane! I’ve never heard of that book, but I’m definitely going over to Amazon right now to add it to my wish list. 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation!

  3. Consider adding some chefs and cooks of color to your collection. Yes, Chrissy Tiegen and Joanna Gaines fit that description, but I’d also suggest Toni Tipton Martin’s “Jubilee,” Priya Krishna’s “Indian-ish,” and Grace Young’s “Stir Frying to the Sky’s Edge.”