18 Great Cookbooks to Gift This Holiday Season

From the first edition of The Joy of Cooking in 1931, the book has been a trusted guide for home cooks and inspiration for aspiring chefs. Volumes have been passed down through generations, and this latest iteration has been revised and expanded by the author’s great grandson and his wife. An additional 600 recipes accompany tested and updated versions of the original set.Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Fully Revised and Updated, $21 (originally $40) at amazon.com

This colorful book offers over 100 recipes from Josef Centeno for Tex Mex cooking, for everything from huevos rancheros to carne guisada. Great for weeknight dinners and even better for parties with family and friends. Amá: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen, $19 (originally $30) at amazon.com

The bakery that makes Ina Garten’s favorite black and white cookie has been a New York institution for 70 years. This cookbook shares the best of the classic desserts like hamantaschen, linzer tarts and rainbow cookies. The William Greenberg Desserts Cookbook: Classic Desserts from an Iconic New York City Bakery, $25 at amazon.com

Ina Garten’s latest book is all about tips and techniques for mastering classic dishes. It includes cooking methods for hosts and practical ideas for entertaining. Gift it to your loved ones who love to have people over. Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks: A Cookbook, $18 (originally $35) at amazon.com

Priya Krishna’s book is an homage to her mother’s Indian cooking with Texas flair---a true Indian-American mashup (we caught up with Priya this year to discuss her work). Recipes like roti pizza and “Indian Gatorade” will please kids and adults alike. Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family, $15 (originally $28) amazon.com

The revised edition of Eleven Madison Park: The Next Chapter is a single volume containing 80 recipes (30 of which are brand new) with stories and watercolor illustrations about the famed restaurant’s renovations and the dishes that earned it its many accolades.Eleven Madison Park: The Next Chapter, Revised and Unlimited Edition, $42 (originally $75) at amazon.com

Another consistently ranked best cookbook of 2019, Jubilee celebrates African-American cuisine with over 100 classic recipes. The Sweet Potato Biscuits, Seafood Gumbo, or Buttermilk Fried Chicken are just some of the delightful comfort foods every home cook owes it to themselves to master.Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook, $25 (originally $35) at amazon.com

This desserts cookbook is as covetable as they come, with 175 award-winning recipes from Gramercy Tavern’s pastry chef Claudia Fleming. Everything is organized seasonally so you can keep cooking all year round. It is a must-own for any baking enthusiast. The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern, $32 (originally $40) at amazon.com

Martha needs no introduction, and this cookbook is an easy win for any dessert lover. Take classic cookies to the next level with recipes like Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies and Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies. Martha Stewart's Cookie Perfection: 100+ Recipes to Take Your Sweet Treats to the Next Level: A Baking Book, $18 (originally $26) at amazon.com

If Alison Roman isn’t already on your radar, she is meant to be. Her latest book Nothing Fancy is an ode to easy, delicious meals to serve at unfussy dinner parties. If that’s backordered (the book is likely to sell out) her first book Dining In is an equally smart series of recipes that includes “The Cookies” of viral infamy. Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over, $24 (originally $32) at amazon.comDining In: Highly Cookable Recipes, $23 (originally $32) at amazon.com

This set contains two of Yottam Ottolenghi’s best: Plenty More and Ottolenghi Simple. The 280 recipes are Middle Eastern-inspired and focused on vegetables, especially great for the vegetarian on your holiday gifting list. Ottolenghi Simple is a winner for weeknight recipes, with everything taking 30 minutes, less than 10 ingredients, and minimal kitchen equipment required. Plenty More is organized by cooking method, so readers can decide what kind of meal they’re in for before beginning cooking.Essential Ottolenghi [Special Edition, Two-Book Boxed Set]: Plenty More and Ottolenghi Simple, $31 (originally $50) at amazon.com

Take on James Beard Award-winner Joanne Chang’s famous sticky buns and 125 of her best dessert ideas. Any baker looking for advice for mastering puff pastry or lemon curd will love the tips and techniques in this cookbook. Pastry Love: A Baker's Journal of Favorite Recipes, $31 (originally $40) at amazon.com

José Andrés’s latest cookbook explores everything vegetables can offer. It has all the tricks and tips for making greens and root vegetables a regular part of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vegetables Unleashed: A Cookbook, $24 (originally $40) at amazon.com

Every kitchen arsenal needs the bare necessities for making great pizza. This book from baking authority Peter Reinhart instructs how to make everything from basic focaccia to Detroit-style pies. Perfect Pan Pizza: Square Pies to Make at Home, from Roman, Sicilian, and Detroit, to Grandma Pies and Focaccia, $17 (originally $23) at amazon.com

If you know someone who’s seeking to try new eating habits in the New Year, or simply wants to add more plant-based ingredients to their weekly meals, this book is the perfect gift. These recipes will help incorporate whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables into everything you cook. Whole Food Cooking Every Day: Transform the Way You Eat with 250 Vegetarian Recipes Free of Gluten, Dairy, and Refined Sugar, $33 (originally $40) at amazon.com

Rachael Ray fans will love this memoir crossed with a cookbook, with 125 recipes spanning her whole career of memories, moments and dishes she would make again and again. Her essays and cooking wisdom will inspire both home chefs and seasoned cooks. Rachael Ray 50: Memories and Meals from a Sweet and Savory Life, $20 (originally $32) at amazon.com

Lior Lev Sercarz shares his spice expertise in cookbook form---this is a master class in seasoning and evolving regular dishes with spices. Home cooks will learn how to take their favorite meals and desserts in an even better direction. Mastering Spice: Recipes and Techniques to Transform Your Everyday Cooking, $22 (originally $35) at amazon.com

If you're looking for a go-to guide to using a sous vide immersion circulator, this is our faovrite option. All 90 recipes offer new ways to use the tool and change your cooking skills (and prep time) for the better. The water bath technology isn't just for high-end restuarants anymore, and Hugh's recipes are the perfect vehicle to bring it home, so to speak. Sous Vide: Better Home Cooking, $25 (originally $35) at amazon.com