The most recommended dessert books

Who picked these books? Meet our 15 experts.

15 authors created a book list connected to dessert, and here are their favorite dessert books.
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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 What ingredients are left out have been replaced by double dollops of the good and the gooey – like chocolate, oatmeal, and molasses, –…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 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 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 Yummy

Blue Delliquanti Author Of Meal

From my list on graphic novels that make you hungry.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love writing about food, and it appears as a motif in nearly every comic I've ever drawn. Comics are an exceptional medium for discussing food – a talented artist can render a drawing into something that looks delicious, but they can tie it into a story that gives the dish meaning or connects to a particular character's inner life. With Meal I had the opportunity to tell a story about a kind of cuisine that delights me, but that most people know very little about – and I turned to my favorite comics about food for inspiration on how to translate that joy from the plate to the page.

Blue's book list on graphic novels that make you hungry

Blue Delliquanti Why did Blue love this book?

This recent release is a deep dive for young readers into the history of popular desserts, from brownies to biscotti. The gorgeous colors and charming character design make Yummy a joy to page through, but it's a great way to introduce to kids that people are responsible for the foods that we love – and sometimes our favorite dishes were complete accidents!

By Victoria Grace Elliott,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Yummy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Cake is delicious, and comics are awesome: this exciting nonfiction graphic novel for kids combines both! Explore the history of desserts through a fun adventure with facts, legends, and recipes for readers to try at home.

Have you ever wondered who first thought to freeze cream? Or when people began making sweet pastry shells to encase fruity fillings? Peri is excited to show you the delicious history of sweets while taking you around the world and back!
 
The team-up that made ice cream cones!
 
The mistake that made brownies!
 
Learn about and taste the true stories behind everyone’s favorite treats,…


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 Art of Fine Baking

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?

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.

By Paula Peck,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A complete treatise on the art of baking.


Book cover of Sweeter off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season

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?

In this lushly photographed book, Brooklyn baker Arefi showcases 76 creative dessert recipes that draw on seasonal fruit and her Iranian heritage.

I love her subtle flavor twists like Raspberry Pink Peppercorn Sorbet, Rhubarb and Rose Galettes, and Cherry and Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake.

While Arefi’s recipes lean slightly exotic, they’re not overly complicated or fussy. They feel fresh and creative, which makes this book a perfect choice for the adventurous baker looking for inspiration.

By Yossy Arefi,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A cozy collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats that cherishes the fruit of every season.

Celebrate the luscious fruits of every season with this stunning collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats. Summer's wild raspberries become Raspberry Pink Peppercorn Sorbet, ruby red rhubarb is roasted to adorn a pavlova, juicy apricots and berries are baked into galettes with saffron sugar, and winter's bright citrus fruits shine in Blood Orange Donuts and Tangerine Cream Pie. Yossy Arefi’s recipes showcase what's fresh and vibrant any…


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 Mexico: The Cookbook

Zuza Zak Author Of Amber & Rye: A Baltic Food Journey: Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania

From my list on travelling through food.

Why am I passionate about this?

Some people travel through food–they seek out authentic foods when they are travelling, visit certain places just to eat their specialties, and travel from their own kitchens when they are at home. This book list is for them. The same has always been the case with me, and I have continued this habit of exploring culture through food in the writing of my own cookbooks. Amber & Rye was the book for which I physically travelled the most, and my partner did all the travel photography too, so it was a family experience.

Zuza's book list on travelling through food

Zuza Zak Why did Zuza love this book?

I have always wanted to go to Mexico, and this cookbook takes me there!

This is not a travel book as such, yet it’s sheer size and the amount of recipes it contains means that Mexico feels somehow within reach. This is a bible of Mexican food and a book you will keep coming back to whenever Mexico calls, as I do.

By Margarita Carrillo Arronte, Fiamma Piacentini (photographer),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Mexico: The Cookbook is the definitive bible of home-cooking from Mexico. With a culinary history dating back 9,000 years, Mexican food draws influences from Aztec and Mayan Indians and is renowned for its use of fresh aromatic ingredients, colorful presentations and bold food combinations.

The book features more than 700 delicious and authentic recipes that can be easily recreated at home. From tamales, fajitas, and moles to cactus salad, blue crab soup, and melon seed juice, the recipes are a celebration of the fresh flavors and ingredients from a country whose cuisine is revered around the world.

Organized by food…


Book cover of Good & Sweet: A New Way to Bake with Naturally Sweet Ingredients

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?

In Good and Sweet, Brian Levy takes a radical approach to preparing delicious desserts – he uses no refined sugar but finds the necessary sweetness of his desserts from fruits (dried, juiced, or fresh), grains, dairy products, and nuts.

Before I tried any of the recipes, I have to admit that I was somewhat skeptical, but one taste of any of the recipes I tried made me realize that there are other ways to sweeten besides refined sugar. My favorites include Blueberry Biscuit Cobbler, Cherry Coconut Clafoutis, Figgy Cheesecake, Rosemary Lemon Shortbread, and Spiced Pumpkin Pie.

Levy also incorporates whole grain flour when appropriate as high-quality flour provides a sweetness of its own.

By Brian Levy,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Los Angeles Times, Serious Eats

Groundbreaking recipes for real desserts—sweetened entirely by fruit and other natural, unexpectedly sweet ingredients—from a pastry cook who’s worked at acclaimed restaurants in New York and France.

Brian Levy spent years making pastries the traditional way, with loads of refined sugar and white flour, at distinguished restaurants, inns, and private homes in the United States and Europe. But he discovered another world of desserts—one that few bakers have explored—where there’s no need for cane sugar or coconut sugar, for maple syrup or honey, or for anything like…