100 books like The Power of Poppy Pendle

Bliss is a delightful story about a young girl named Rose, and her siblings, who are supposed to protect the bakery while their parents are away, especially the top secret family recipe book. ‘Supposed to’ are the important words here. But what happens isn’t really their fault. Who could resist the sweet-talking Aunt Lily who shows up out of nowhere on her fancy pants motorcycle? The Bliss kiddos are no match for Aunt Lily’s fantastical baking skills.

Or are they? 

Rose is the perfect narrator to take you through this adorable tale of baking, magic, and family. 

Aventurine is so tired of being cooped up in the cave all day. The rest of her family thinks she’s too young to venture out, but she’s convinced she can handle the world. When she sneaks away to prove it, she’s tricked into drinking hot chocolate that turns her from a dragon into a human! She works her way to the village chocolate shop and earns an apprenticeship there, making lots of new friends, and some enemies, along the way. Aventurine discovers a deep love for chocolate, for how it can affect the way people feel, and realizes she’s been wrong about a lot of things. This story was so unexpectedly wonderful, I couldn’t put it down. 

Baker’s Magic is a lovely tale of adventure, magic, and baking. When orphan Bee tries to steal a bun from the village bakery, instead of harsh punishment, she’s given a chance to work off her debt. Through the kindness of the baker, Master Bout, she discovers she is much more than she thought she was and can do much more than she ever dreamed. This realization leads her to rescue a princess, save the land, and discover the importance of family. I adored this story more than cinnamon rolls! 

Foster dreams of having her own cooking show one day but is hampered by a secret she’s never told anyone. When she and her mama have to skip town quickly to escape her mama’s crazy, Elvis-impersonating boyfriend, they end up in Culpepper. A tiny, little podunk place too small to be called a town. Foster wows the local, severely grumpy, cafe owner with her delectable baking skills and works out a deal to supply him with cupcakes and more. She also strikes up an unlikely friendship with a reclusive woman who gives Foster the courage to face her secret. This book was lovely from start to finish.

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!

This was my first foray into baking when I received this cookbook. Although it’s aimed at children, it’s a straightforward recipe book with step by step images of stages in a recipe. My favourite recipe from the book is a Banana Cake. It has splashes of batter on it because it has been baked time and time again and I still use this recipe a decade later. 

This small but informative book breaks down the ingredients used in baking and the science behind them. Readers will learn why ingredients like egg, flour, sugar, and milk are frequently used in pastry baking. The authors masterfully explain how ingredients transform during the baking process, like when an egg mixes with sugar or when baking soda combines with an acid. Each chapter ends with a helpful review written in a quiz format. You will become a better baker by reading this book. Note that there are no recipes in this book.

When I worked in a food magazine test kitchen, it was a joy when a recipe by Flo came across my desk. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was legendary for her skills and nurturing of young talent, her books deserve to be better known to the general public. The late, great Flo taught me so much about baking with her clear and concise recipes for top-notch baked goods. You will feel like your favorite aunt is standing next to you in the kitchen directing your every move. You can trust Flo.

This prim tome may not have any photos, and the author’s voice is somewhat terse, but she comes across with excellent recipes. This is the cookbook that started me on the road to professional baking, as the desserts I made for my novice dinner parties were such hits that I got stars in my eyes. It is definitely Francocentric, but that is a very good place to start if you are a beginner, and if you are an experienced cook, you can’t go wrong with her basic formulas.

Queen in the Mud is a fun take on an Isekai story that features its protagonist, Naomi, reborn in a game-like world as a salamander.

I appreciated how unique Naomi’s magical abilities felt since they focused around her creature type. She often had to struggle to figure out how to apply her strange powers to best aid her against different threats.

I also liked how her choice of new abilities when she leveled up actually felt like a significant choice, rather than having an obvious option that most people in her situation (as well as readers) would pick. That aspect of choice was something I tried to capture in my own book’s magic system.