Why gift a cookbook? Because a beautifully designed cookbook is a home décor piece as well as a cooking instruction manual. The foodies and home chefs in your life will think of you every time they flip the pages, browse the pictures, and prepare the recipes included in the cookbook you gifted.
To help you find the perfect gift cookbook, I scoured Amazon for quality options with rave reviews. The ones that made my shortlist here met these requirements:
- Affordable
- Interesting recipes
- Quality imagery
- Hard covers (a must for a gift!)
- Great reviews
1. Binging with Babish
- NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! The book that 5 million fans of Binging with Babish on YouTube have been waiting for! The internet cooking show Binging with Babish has taken YouTube by storm with views as high as 12 million per episode
- For each video, Andrew Rea, a self-proclaimed movie and TV buff, teaches a recipe based on a favorite TV show or film, such as the babka from the classic Seinfeld episode, the beef bourguignon from Julie & Julia, or the timpano from Big Night
- This cookbook includes these and other fan-favorite recipes
- Some are so delicious that you’ll want to make them for dinner right away, like Bubba’s shrimp from Forrest Gump, while others can be saved for impressing a loved one—like the chocolate lava cake from Jon Favreau’s Chef, which the actor/director (who also wrote the foreword) asked to make during a guest appearance on Rea’s show
- Complete with behind-the-scenes stories and never-seen-before photos, as well as answers to frequently asked fan questions, Binging with Babish is a must-have companion to the wildly popular YouTube show
Internet cooking show Binging with Babish features host Andrew Rea who recreates recipes from favorite television and movie scenes. The book of the same name shares 100 of those recipes, including lemon cakes from Game of Thrones and chateaubriand from The Matrix. How fun is that? It’s no wonder millions navigate to YouTube to watch Rea’s videos.
This book is the perfect gift for the friend who loves food and film equally. It’s also a trivia experience and a conversation starter for parties.
Binging with Babish has a 4.9-star rating from 12,267 reviews. One reviewer suggested using the book to inspire date nights, by selecting a recipe and then watching the associated show.
2. Half Baked Harvest Super Simple
- NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • There’s something for everyone in these 125 easy, show-stopping recipes: fewer ingredients, foolproof meal-prepping, effortless entertaining, and everything in between, including vegan and vegetarian options!NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED AND FOOD NETWORK“Those indulgent, comfort food-esque dishes [Tieghan is] known for aren’t going anywhere
- You’ll be hard-pressed to decide which one to make first
Blogger Tieghan Gerard’s collection of 125+ comfort foods is a New York Times bestseller and has more than 12,500 reviews on Amazon with a 4.8-star rating. The hardcover book is beautifully illustrated, and the recipes are creatively flavored without being complex to prepare. That’s a winning combination for any food lover.
One Amazon reviewer said this book inspired the creation of a book and cooking club, where friends get together and try out new recipes.
3. Pinch of Nom
- The must-have cookbook from the UK’s most popular food blog, Americanized for a US audience!For breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts, Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone’s pinchofnom
- com has helped millions of people cook delicious food and lose weight
- With over 100 incredible recipes, the Pinch of Nom cookbook can help beginner and experienced home-cooks alike enjoy exciting, flavorful, and satisfying meals
- From Chicken Fajita Pie and Vegetable Tagine to Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries and Tiramisu, this food is so good you’ll never guess the calorie count
- Each recipe is labeled with icons to guide you toward the ones to eat tonight―whether you’re looking for a vegetarian dish, hoping to create a takeout meal, want to feed a family of four or more, or have limited time to shop, prep, and cook
From the creators of the blog pinchofnom.com, this colorful hardcover contains 100 home-style recipes, healthful recipes for weight loss. The collection spans breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.
This hardcover cookbook has a 4.8 rating on Amazon from more than 53,000 reviews and a 4.4 rating on Goodreads. One Amazon reviewer says the recipes are tasty, “which is a change from usual diet recipes.”
4. Eat with Us
- A beautiful, minimalist cookbook that invites you to take a more mindful approach to every meal
- CONSIDER A SLOWER, MORE MINDFUL APPROACH TO COOKING and eating together
- A way to disconnect from the outside world’s distractions and truly connect to each other and yourself
- A moment to take the time to enjoy and elevate the experience of every day cooking
- For Philip and Mystique (the co-creators and couple behind the blog Chef Sous Chef), this approach in the kitchen is a way of life
This book by Philip Lago and Mystique Mattal takes a different approach, one of mindfulness. The authoring couple shares their favorite recipes and the memories they’ve created. It is both a journey and celebration of home cooking and togetherness. The photography is top-notch as well.
Lago and Mattal’s collection has just 50 ratings on Amazon, but most of them are 5-star. One Amazon reviewer recommends the stovetop granola and Caesar chicken sandwich recipes.
5. A Return to Ireland
- An exceptional cookbook featuring over 100 recipes celebrating Irish-American heritage
- A Return to Ireland showcases fresh, innovative food and drink recipes which celebrate Irish-American heritage as it weaves the culinary and cultural journey of these two places that the author have come to call home
- From the lush green fields of Gilford in County Armagh now settled in Atlanta, Georgia, author Judith McLoughlin shares her love of whole, fresh Irish ingredients with readers, sending them, one plate at a time, back to a simpler time
- A Return to Ireland also highlights stories and Irish food to celebrate the relationship between Ireland and America
- Just a few recipes featured in this outstanding cookbook: Paddy’s Potato and Leek Soup with Chive Puree, Beef and Oyster Pie, Connemara Mountain Lamb with Mixed Carrots and Rosemary Jus, Cead Mile Failte Kale Dip, Oaty Apple Crumble with Pouring Cream, Loin of Bacon with Crispy Cabbage, Colcannon, Irish Stout Chocolate Cake, Crumbled Corn Beef and Sweet Potato Tart, Irish Stout and Onion Soup with Blue Cheese Croutons, Dublin Lawyer Lobster, Pan Roasted Fillet of Halibut with a Lemon and Herb Butter Sauce, Gaelic Steaks, Wexford Strawberry Salad, Barmbrack Charm Bread, Cullen Skink Seafood Bake, Heaney’s Hedgerows Pavlova, Celtic Sea Smocked Mackerel with Crispy Toasts, Marmalade Bread Pudding with Irish Whiskey Sauce
A Return to Ireland features more than 100 recipes honoring Irish-American culture. The focus is on fresh, whole ingredients and simple, but delicious culinary creations.
Author Judith McLoughlin taps into her experiences living in both County Armagh, Ireland and Atlanta, Georgia to bring us fusion recipes like pan roasted fillet of halibut to Irish stout chocolate cake.
One reviewer admits to purchasing several copies of this gorgeous cookbook to gift to family and friends.
6. Shaq’s Family Style
![Shaq's Family Style: Championship Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends [A Cookbook]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81VzA-xVBEL._SL1500_._SL160_.jpg)
- A celebration of cultural icon Shaquille O’Neal’s love of food, family, and fun, with 80 low-stress comfort food recipes for busy families
- “The flavors and recipes in this book are big, bold, and fun just like Shaq Daddy himself! If you love the man, you’ll love this book!”—Michael Symon, author of Fix It with FoodBasketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal loves food
- A lot
- In fact, fans of Inside the NBA know they’ll most likely hear Shaq tell his co-hosts all about what he ate for dinner while they analyze the action in the paint
- Shaq’s love of food, eating, and family cooking began in his childhood home, where his mom cooked for him and his three siblings
For the foodie who also loves sports, Shaq’s Family Style will surely score some points. Why not buy a cookbook from a guy whose passion for eating is common knowledge?
Your giftee can experience Shaq’s comfort food favorites, which include jalapeno-pimento cheeseburgers, baked macaroni and cheese, and loaded potato waffles. The recipes are also as straightforward to make as they are to enjoy.
One reviewer describes this book as “a slam dunk in the culinary court.”
7. Eat Delicious
- Energetic, classic, adventurous and completely satisfying, Eat Delicious is packed with stunning photography and big bold recipes– perfect for fans of Jamie Oliver, Smitten Kitchen and the hundreds of thousands of followers of Dennis the Prescott on Instagram
- Eat Delicious features comfort food from around the globe that can be prepared by any home cook, no matter their skill level
- Good food isn’t processed or precious, Dennis insists
- Good food is delicious, fun to make, exciting to eat and puts you in a good mood
- Mirroring the inviting, energetic style of Dennis’s Instagram account, Eat Delicious is packed with 125 of his most popular and original recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as desserts, snacks, and sides that everyone will enjoy, including:* Brioche Doughnuts* Fried Feta BLT* Fried Shoestring Onion Cheeseburgers* Super Spicy Dan Dan Noodles* Garam Masala Beer Mussels* Matcha Mint Chip Ice CreamSkip the takeout and create Dennis’s fabulous fare in your own kitchen with this dazzling cookbook that makes it easy to eat delicious!
Instagrammer and Food and Wine columnist Dennis the Prescott brings us this collection of 125 bold recipes. Some notable creations to try include brioche donuts, fried feta BLT, and garam masala beer mussels.
This is another book reviewers say they’ve started giving as gifts, citing the gorgeous photography and foolproof recipes.
8. Fire + Wine
- “A one-stop guide for anyone truly interested in elevating their BBQ experience into a culinary work of art”—with 75 recipes that pair smoky goodness from the grill with the wines of the Pacific Northwest (San Francisco Book Review)
- Introducing a marriage between two unlikely characters—wood-fired food and well-chosen wines—brought you by the real-life marriage of a pitmaster and a sommelier
- Ready to up your grilling game? This cookbook by a pitmaster and a sommelier will turn your backyard barbecue into the tastiest place to be—with recipes that celebrate smoked and grilled food (and the wines that pair best with them)
- Every region has its barbecue, grill, and smoking food traditions
- Now the Pacific Northwest can claim its place at the table with these recipes developed by sommelier Mary Cressler and pitmaster Sean Martin from Portland, Oregon
Grilling recipes with wine pairings is a how-to on adding sophistication to the barbecue experience. The book includes 75 smokey recipes with perfect win pairings, from the real-life marriage of a pitmaster Sean Martin and sommelier Mary Cressler.
Your giftee’s mouth will water just thumbing through the pages of this book. Recipes include wine-braised smoked lamb shanks and smoked salmon crostini with capers, dill, and goat cheese.
Three of the four most recent reviews for this book on Amazon mention enjoying the collection so much that they gifted it to family and friends.
Do people use cookbooks anymore?
I still believe in cookbooks! Sure, you can find so many recipes free online. You can even ask ChatGPT for recipes — which, I assure you, are taken from some hard-working blogger without attribution. But gifting the internet is too expensive and practical. You’d pay way more for a few months of, say, any of the Xfinity internet plans.
Plus, a gift cookbook is not just a collection of recipes. It’s a series of experiences — something a true foodie will cherish. If you want to add on to a gift cookbook, try pairing it with a nice cookbook stand.
Last update on 2025-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API