28 books like Sweeter off the Vine

By Yossy Arefi,

Here are 28 books that Sweeter off the Vine fans have personally recommended if you like Sweeter off the Vine. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More

Tammy Donroe Inman Author Of New England Desserts: Classic and Creative Recipes for All Seasons

From my list on seasonal baking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an award-winning cookbook author, photographer, and culinary instructor with a passion for local food and dessert. As a trained chef, I’ve worked behind the scenes of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and the TV show America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve also been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and CBS Evening News. For cookbooks, I love beautifully styled photography that pulls me in and delicious, well-written recipes that work in a real home kitchen. I also like a cookbook that you can curl up with and read like a novel. I live outside Boston with my family, two high-maintenance cats, and a pair of well-worn roller skates.

Tammy's book list on seasonal baking

Tammy Donroe Inman Why did Tammy love this book?

This charmingly compact cookbook is a favorite of mine and never far from my kitchen.

It’s chock full of recipes for old-fashioned, seasonal fruit desserts by the owner of Portland, Oregon’s Baker & Spice. I particularly love the rustic berry crisps, wholesome cakes, and boozy bread puddings inspired by the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest.The Sour Cherry Cobbler is a delightful recipe I come back to again and again.

Organized by season for easy reference, the luscious, up-close photographs are half the appeal. But the recipes for this irresistible assortment of desserts are reliable, unfussy, and delicious, making it my favorite seasonal cookbook of the bunch.

By Cory Schreiber, Julie Richardson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rustic Fruit Desserts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

James Beard Award-winning chef Cory Schreiber teams up with Julie Richardson, owner of Portland’s Baker & Spice, to showcase the freshest fruit available amidst a repertoire of nearly 75 satisfying old-timey fruit desserts, including crumbles, crisps, buckles, pies, and more.

An early fall cobbler with blackberries bubbling in their juice beneath a golden cream biscuit. A crunchy oatmeal crisp made with mid-summer’s nectarines and raspberries. Or a comforting pear bread pudding to soften a harsh winter’s day. Simple, scrumptious, cherished–these heritage desserts featuring local fruit are thankfully experiencing a long-due revival.

Whether you’re searching for the perfect ending to a…


Book cover of Bake the Seasons: Sweet and Savoury Dishes to Enjoy Throughout the Year

Tammy Donroe Inman Author Of New England Desserts: Classic and Creative Recipes for All Seasons

From my list on seasonal baking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an award-winning cookbook author, photographer, and culinary instructor with a passion for local food and dessert. As a trained chef, I’ve worked behind the scenes of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and the TV show America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve also been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and CBS Evening News. For cookbooks, I love beautifully styled photography that pulls me in and delicious, well-written recipes that work in a real home kitchen. I also like a cookbook that you can curl up with and read like a novel. I live outside Boston with my family, two high-maintenance cats, and a pair of well-worn roller skates.

Tammy's book list on seasonal baking

Tammy Donroe Inman Why did Tammy love this book?

The gorgeous Cherry Almond Dutch Baby on the cover was what initially attracted me to this book. And indeed, the food styling is captivating throughout.

I love that Canadian baker DiLonardo gives equal weight to savory recipes in this cookbook, not just sweet. Winter Pear and Smoked Gorgonzola Pizza, Garlic Scape Brie Biscuits, and Sweet Potato and Chorizo Empanadas are guaranteed to tempt you to skip dessert—that is until you see the dessert menu: Peach Basil Crumble, Rhubarb Oat Squares, and Salted Caramel Pear Hand Pies.

If you have a productive garden, belong to a CSA, or love the sweet and savory aspect of brunch, this book is for you!

By Marcella DiLonardo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bake the Seasons as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rediscover the simple pleasures of baking with a collection of comforting sweet and savoury recipes that celebrates seasonal flavours.

Inspired by the abundance of the farms, orchards, and gardens of her childhood, Marcella DiLonardo has always loved baking throughout the year with the wide range of fruits and vegetables that accompany the changing seasons. With a few quality pantry essentials, Marcella focuses on simplicity in Bake the Seasons, sharing over 100 sweet and savoury recipes. These homey favourites are often modern twists on familiar classics and will quickly become tried and true dishes you return to again and again. Whether…


Book cover of Honey and Jam: Seasonal Baking from My Kitchen in the Mountains

Tammy Donroe Inman Author Of New England Desserts: Classic and Creative Recipes for All Seasons

From my list on seasonal baking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an award-winning cookbook author, photographer, and culinary instructor with a passion for local food and dessert. As a trained chef, I’ve worked behind the scenes of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and the TV show America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve also been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and CBS Evening News. For cookbooks, I love beautifully styled photography that pulls me in and delicious, well-written recipes that work in a real home kitchen. I also like a cookbook that you can curl up with and read like a novel. I live outside Boston with my family, two high-maintenance cats, and a pair of well-worn roller skates.

Tammy's book list on seasonal baking

Tammy Donroe Inman Why did Tammy love this book?

Inspired by the natural rhythms of her land in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Queen presents more than 70 recipes for homespun desserts (mostly cakes) with a few savory items scattered in.

I learned of her cookbook through her gorgeously photographed food blog and Instagram feed, but her recipes are what convinced me to buy a copy. Her Southern influence comes through in the Green Tomato Cornmeal Cake, Sweet Potato Cupcakes, and Black Pepper Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake, but she’s equally comfortable tackling the apples, cranberries, and pears I love, too.

By Hannah Queen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Honey and Jam as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the tradition of cooking with each season's bounty, Hannah Queen applies the same spirit to her baking, turning out an abundance of fresh cakes, trifles, biscuits and more.
From the citrus of winter to the bright squash of summer, more than 70 classic and modern dessert recipes celebrate locally sourced ingredients. Relish the sweet fruit of the spring with the delectable Rhubarb Custard Cake and savour the ripe flavours of autumn with the Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Bourbon Buttercream. The wide range of flavours and recipes for year-round baking ensure you will never tire of these fresh indulgences.
Featuring…


Book cover of Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers

Tammy Donroe Inman Author Of New England Desserts: Classic and Creative Recipes for All Seasons

From my list on seasonal baking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an award-winning cookbook author, photographer, and culinary instructor with a passion for local food and dessert. As a trained chef, I’ve worked behind the scenes of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and the TV show America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve also been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and CBS Evening News. For cookbooks, I love beautifully styled photography that pulls me in and delicious, well-written recipes that work in a real home kitchen. I also like a cookbook that you can curl up with and read like a novel. I live outside Boston with my family, two high-maintenance cats, and a pair of well-worn roller skates.

Tammy's book list on seasonal baking

Tammy Donroe Inman Why did Tammy love this book?

Los Angeles-based pastry chef Rucker has compiled her favorite fruit-based brunch and dessert recipes into one tempting volume. Some of my favorites: Spiced Apple Wedding Cake, Huckleberry Blondies, and Kabocha Squash Pie. 

There is some advanced technique here, but most of the ingredients are easy to find. With photography that is bright and inviting, this book is a good, modern addition to your seasonal baking library.

By Nicole Rucker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dappled as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fresh fruit-based desserts from beloved Los Angeles pastry chef and restaurateur Nicole Rucker.

Nicole Rucker is responsible for some of the most raved-about and Instagrammed pastries and baked goods in Los Angeles, first as the Pastry Chef at the hotspots Gjelina Take Away and Gjusta, then through her pie company Rucker's Pie and restaurant Fiona. In her debut cookbook, Rucker shares her obsession and her recipes with readers to help them achieve the same kind of magical alchemy she's perfected in fruit desserts.

To Rucker, fruit is every bit as decadent as chocolate cake and in this unique guide to…


Book cover of Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts

Nick Malgieri Author Of How to Bake

From my list on getting you baking like a pro.

Why am I passionate about this?

Whenever I’m asked about when I knew I wanted to be a pastry chef/baker, I always answer, “birth!” My maternal grandmother lived with us and she loved to bake; I was playing with dough as soon as I was old enough to stand on a chair next to the kitchen table. After college I faced a crisis: graduate school or culinary school – I chose the latter and I’ve never looked back. Adding teaching and writing to my love of baking led me to travel, taste, research, and learn new techniques and recipes to share. It’s a passion from which I’ll never retire.

Nick's book list on getting you baking like a pro

Nick Malgieri Why did Nick love this book?

Maida’s Book of Great Desserts is the first of many books by her, and the one that influenced me very early in my developing love of baking and desserts.

I was privileged to know Maida for the last 25 years of her life and was able to teach several classes with her. Although all her books were masterpieces, she would most often pick recipes from this book to teach. 

Some of my (and Maida’s) favorites include Queen Mother’s Cake (a recipe shared by a musician who claimed to have received it directly from the Queen Mum), East 62nd Street Lemon Cake, Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies (simply delicious), and Black and White Cheesecake. 

Don’t pass this one by!

By Maida Heatter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Gathers recipes for cakes, cookies, pastries, crepes, blintzes, popovers, cream puffs, puff pastry, pies, cheesecakes, ice creams, and souffles.


Book cover of Baking at the 20th Century Cafe: Iconic European Desserts from Linzer Torte to Honey Cake

Rick Rodgers

From my list on baking for at home bakers.

Why am I passionate about this?

Rick Rodgers is an award-winning culinary teacher and cookbook writer who has made a specialty of books on baked goods. His book Kaffehaus explores the delicious sweets of the Austro-Hungarian coffee culture. With two of America’s most iconic bakeries, he is the co-author of The Model Bakery Cookbook and Sarabeth's Bakery, as well as Coffee And Cake, Tea And Cookies, and Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food.

Rick's book list on baking for at home bakers

Rick Rodgers Why did Rick love this book?

Disclosure: The owner of this San Francisco restaurant was strongly influenced by the less familiar Austro-Hungarian recipes in my book KAFFEEHAUS. But, while my book focuses on the classic versions, Michelle takes them to new heights with seasonal produce and her fresh taste on flavors and techniques. It is worth the price of the book to get her infamous Russian honey cake recipe, the towering masterpiece that graces the cover. This book is an instant classic that every serious baker will want to own.

By Michelle Polzine,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Baking at the 20th Century Cafe as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Transporting readers straight to the grand cafes of Europe, Baking at the 20th Century Cafe brings renewed attention to the legendary sweet and savory baking recipes of Central and Eastern Europe. Polzine, one of San Francisco's best pastry chefs, pays homage to the foundational desserts of so many cultures, while lightening and modernizing the recipes through her California lens. Her fruit desserts, nut-based desserts, and chocolate treats--many of them gluten-free--are smart, interesting, and foolproof, and deliver big flavor. Polzine's coveted honey cake recipe is included, too, along with recipes for plum kuchen, walnut hamantaschen, Sacher torte, linzer torte, poppy-filled rugelach,…


Book cover of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts

Lara Ferroni Author Of Doughnuts: 90 Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home

From my list on feeling like a professional baker.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t really mean to become a food photographer. But with the first photo that I took of a batch of homemade raspberry scones, I knew I found something special. And then, I didn't really mean to become a cookbook author. But photos led to recipes, which led to this crazy notion that the world needed a cookbook dedicated to doughnuts! I’ve since written five more cookbooks and have a bit of an obsession with beautifully designed and photographed baking books that can fuel my project baking and cooking fascination. The books on my list continue to inspire me, and hope they inspire you too.

Lara's book list on feeling like a professional baker

Lara Ferroni Why did Lara love this book?

Stella Parks approaches baking like I want to, but don’t really have the patience for.

She’s meticulous in her experimentation (check out her posts on Serious Eats) and baking science. In BraveTart, she turns her eyes to classic American desserts like Oreos, Fig Newtons, English Muffins and Graham crackers. Her recipes are stellar, and I like that I can enjoy them knowing that they are at least a little better health-wise than the store-bought versions.

I also enjoy reading through the bits of history each of the recipes includes. Having written a cookbook on remade childhood classics myself, I know the work that is involved!

By Stella Parks,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked BraveTart as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

If you have ever marvelled at a flawless slice of cherry pie in a television bake-off and wondered if you could re-create it at home, BraveTart is for you. Here are recipes for one-bowl Devil's Food Layer Cake, Blueberry Muffins, Glossy Fudge Brownies and even Parks's own recipes for re-creating popular supermarket treats! These meticulously tested, crystal-clear and innovative recipes bring a pastry chef's expertise to your kitchen.

Along the way, BraveTart tells the surprising story of how these desserts came to be. With a foreword by The Food Lab's J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, vintage illustrations of historical desserts and breathtaking…


Book cover of Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft

Lei Shishak Author Of Farm-To-Table Desserts: 80 Seasonal, Organic Recipes Made from Your Local Farmers Market

From my list on pastry baking from an award winning baker.

Why am I passionate about this?

Lei Shishak is the author of numerous cookbooks including Beach House Dinners, Beach House Brunch, Beach House Baking, and Farm-to-Table Desserts. A graduate of Culinary Institute of America, Lei is the founder of Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, California. She is one of Southern California’s most respected bakers, having been honored as the Orange County Pastry Chef of the Year in 2011 by Riviera Magazine.

Lei's book list on pastry baking from an award winning baker

Lei Shishak Why did Lei love this book?

This was my textbook when I was a baking and pastry major in culinary school. In its third edition, this is the most comprehensive pastry baking book from the country's premier culinary school. I still refer back to it time and again for its reliable recipes and classic techniques. The chapters cover every specialty in pastry baking, including bread, chocolates, confections, wedding cakes, pastries, decorating, mousses, and frozen desserts. This book is well worth its price.

By The Culinary Institute of America (CIA),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Baking and Pastry as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The leading learning tool for all levels of baking and pastry ability, newly illustrated and updated Praised by top pastry chefs and bakers as "an indispensable guide" and "the ultimate baking and pastry reference," the latest edition of Baking and Pastry from The Culinary Institute of America improves upon the last with more than 300 new recipes, photographs, and illustrations, and completely revised and up-to-date information on creating spectacular breads and desserts. Covering the full range of the baking and pastry arts and widely used by professionals and readers who want to bake like professionals, this book offers detailed, accessible…


Book cover of The Divvies Bakery Cookbook: No Nuts. No Eggs. No Dairy. Just Delicious!

Andrea Pyros Author Of My Year of Epic Rock

From my list on food allergies.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a kidlit author myself. I’ve written two middle-grade novels, one of which is all about having a food allergy, but my interest in food allergies is all due to my first kid. Amelia was born with multiple allergies to common ingredients like eggs and dairy. At first it was hard! Figuring out how to cook for her at home and keep her safe when she was in school or at a friend’s house felt daunting and frightening, so we turned to books for advice, recipes, and education for the entire family. Even if your reader isn’t the one with allergies, they’ve no doubt got a classmate or family member who does. 

Andrea's book list on food allergies

Andrea Pyros Why did Andrea love this book?

As a food allergy parent, I bought a lot of cookbooks so I could make safe meals and treats for my allergic child, and The Divvies Bakery Cookbook was one of our family’s favorites, even for the non-allergic members of the household. The recipes are delicious, the photos are gorgeous, and Sandler, the parent of a child with multiple food allergies, makes it easy and fun to duplicate all sorts of beloved desserts without nuts, eggs, or dairy. You may also find the simple recipes that use common household substitutions are fun ones to make together. 

By Lori Sandler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Divvies Bakery Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK is an opportunity for the millions of people who are dealing with serious food allergies to put the sweet back in their kitchens. With an assortment of delicious recipes, free of the four major food allergens – peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, and eggs (all vegan!), Lori Sandler offers sweet treats that everyone can enjoy and share ANY time: at birthday parties, snack time, bake sales, holidays, picnics, dessert time, and just because. What ingredients are left out have been replaced by double dollops of the good and the gooey – like chocolate, oatmeal, and molasses, –…


Book cover of The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle

Lei Shishak Author Of Farm-To-Table Desserts: 80 Seasonal, Organic Recipes Made from Your Local Farmers Market

From my list on pastry baking from an award winning baker.

Why am I passionate about this?

Lei Shishak is the author of numerous cookbooks including Beach House Dinners, Beach House Brunch, Beach House Baking, and Farm-to-Table Desserts. A graduate of Culinary Institute of America, Lei is the founder of Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, California. She is one of Southern California’s most respected bakers, having been honored as the Orange County Pastry Chef of the Year in 2011 by Riviera Magazine.

Lei's book list on pastry baking from an award winning baker

Lei Shishak Why did Lei love this book?

Pastry chef Kate Zuckerman shares her recipes from Chanterelle, the beloved, award-winning New York City restaurant. This book is a beautiful and complete look into a restaurant pastry chef’s world. The recipes cover a full spectrum of desserts from luscious tarts to cakes, cookies, custards, soufflés, and delightful confections. Readers will enjoy in-depth explanations of pastry techniques and the history of ingredients. Two of my favorite recipes in the book are the Roasted Apple Beignets and the Brandied Dried Fig Soufflé.

By Kate Zuckerman, Tina Rupp,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sweet Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Say the word "Chanterelle" to a food-loving New Yorker and the first thing she thinks of is the beloved restaurant that put SoHo on the culinary map in 1979 and is now approaching its 25th anniversary in its new location in Tribeca. Kate Zuckerman, Chanterelle's pastry chef, has met and exceeded the high expectations of the restaurants' founders, David and Karen Waltuck, by creating exquisite desserts that draw upon her vast culinary experiences - both as a 4-star pastry chef in Boston, San Francisco and New York - and through her culinary travels to countries such as India. The Sweet…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in dessert, baking, and pastries?

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