Holiday Gift Guide 2022: The Coolest New Cookbooks

Whether they cook from them every night or just admire them as they decorate their bookshelves, we all know a cookbook lover who is obsessed with every recipe they can get their hands on. If you are fortunate to know one of these food loving fanatics, then shopping for them this holiday season should be a piece of cake.

This year has been one filled with incredibly cool cookbooks by some super talented chefs. From mastering barbecue techniques to recreating recipes inspired by pop culture to figuring out what works best for those embracing van life, here are 11 of the coolest new cookbooks that are perfect for gift giving this holiday season.

PIG BEACH BBQ COOKBOOK: Smoked, Grilled, Roasted, and Sauced

This cookbook is an essential read for every at-home pitmaster. Written by Pig Beach’s Matt Abdoo & Shane McBride this book features more than 50 mouthwatering recipes—from traditional favorites like pulled pork and smoked beef brisket to inventive standouts like Mojo-Marinated St. Louis Ribs and Secret Spice Pecan Candied Bacon. The Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook journeys through the history of barbecue—explaining once and for all how North Carolina ’cue differs from Texas ’cue—while also offering expert tips on everything from choosing the right tools to selecting the right ingredients; plus recipes for sides, sandwiches, snacks, desserts, and cocktails for the perfect barbecue feast. Get it here.

Dumpling Daughter

The first book from mother-daughter duo of chef Sally Ling and her entrepreneurial daughter Nadia Liu Spellman, this cookbook interweaves family stories and cooking tips with delicious Chinese food recipes. The book features a combination of recipes from Nadia’s childhood and customer favorites from Ling’s Dumpling Daughter restaurants in Boston. Order it here.

The Provider Cookbook

Is there someone on your holiday shopping list who loves the idea of living off the land, growing a garden, being a hunter and gatherer, becoming a conservationist, or being a backyard BBQ enthusiast? This is the cookbook for them. The Provider is a great resource for people wanting to become a provider and learn ways to prepare your bounty of wild game for family and friends. It includes 80 delicious wild game and fish recipes collected from friends and family from the authors Chad Belding and Chad Mendes. Find it here.

Gilmore Girls: The Official Cookbook

Do you know someone who is obsessed with Gilmore Girls and can’t stop talking about how they are Team Jess or how much they love how Luke loves Lorilei? If so, they can also probably name at least 10 dishes from the iconic show. Featuring 50+ recipes from Star Hollow and beyond, Gilmore Girls lovers will recognize dishes from the Dragonfly Inn, Weston’s Bakery, Al’s Pancake World, Luke’s Diner, and Emily and Richard’s dinner table. Recreate dishes like Sookie’s muffin tops, Mrs. Kim’s Flaxseed Muffins, and Luke’s Cheeseburger. Plus there’s cooking tips from Sookie, hosting tips from Michel, and of course, etiquette tips from Emily Gilmore. Get it here.

The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100

Author Dan Buettner spent years uncovering the Blue Zones—the five places around the world where people consistently live to or past 100 years old—sharing lifestyle tips and recipes gleaned from these places. This cookbook can help you create your own Blue Zone at home using plant-forward recipes. With wisdom from more than 50 food experts, chefs, and cooks around the country, Buettner’s road trip across America sheds light on some of its most under-recognized plant-forward communities. This book is filled with the ingredients, recipes, and lifestyle tips that will make living to 100 both delicious and easy. With recipes from Pennsylvania Dutch apple dumplings to Southern Hoppin’ John, Blue Zones American Kitchen will change the way you look at food. Order it here.

50 Things to Bake Before You Die

Written by dessert-obsessed food writer and restaurant critic, Allyson Reedy, this cookbook features a collection of dessert recipes gifted to her from the greatest bakers and celebrity chefs to small-town café owners and fancy restaurateurs. With recognizable names like Christina Tosi, Joanne Chang, Duff Goldman, Dominique Ansel, and more you’ll find easy, step-by-step instructions for desserts like homemade Oreos to strawberry champagne cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake and brown sugar peach cobbler from Tieghan Gerard. Find it here.

My Pokémon Cookbook: Delicious Recipes Inspired by Pikachu & Friends

Pokémon fans can learn to make delicious foods inspired by the amazing world of Pokémon from the all-new cookbook. Explore culinary delights from across the Pokémon universe in this official cookbook. Featuring favorite flavors from every region, and the chance to dive into dishes that celebrate the world of Pokémon. Inside you’ll find 45+ recipes ranging from quick snacks you can enjoy before a battle to epic meals fit for a post-tournament celebration—making it perfect for the Pokémon trainer in your life. Get it here.

THE SIETE TABLE: Nourishing Mexican-American Recipes from Our Kitchen by The Garza Family

The Siete Table features the Garza family’s beloved family recipes and traditions, all adhering to their motto: salud y sabor (“health and flavor”). As the Garzas write: “Our goal with this book is to give you delicious recipes for heritage-inspired foods—and they just so happen to be made with whole, nourishing ingredients.” The Siete Table features over 100 gluten-free Mexican-American dishes that span every course and occasion, plus it includes sections on how to stock your pantry and go-to alternatives for staples like masa and proteins; menus and more. Over 60 beautiful color photos accompany it all. Buy it here.

The New Cooking School Cookbook: Fundamentals

If you know someone who loves to be in the kitchen, but also wants to know the “hows” and “whys” to cooking fundamentals, then this is the cookbook for them. With more than 80 focused courses, The New Cooking School offers a “mini-bootcamp” into all your favorite culinary topics including Pizza, Fried Rice, Fish on the Grill, or Birthday Cake. Introduced by an American Test Kitchen test cook, each course is presented in easily digestible sections diving into the history of a dish, special techniques, and more. Check it out here.

The Pain d’Avignon Baking Book: A War, An Unlikely Bakery, And A Master Class in Bread

This cookbook is the perfect gift for the budding pastry chef in their life.Officially launched October 4 and written by bakery co-founder Uliks Fehmiu, this new book is an aspiring home baker’s one-stop-shop for creating classic baguettes, chewy brioche and delectable viennoiseries that would rival their favorite café. The book even features a stamp of approval from New York City restaurant royalty, with the foreword penned by Mario Carbone. Pain d’Avignon, the beloved bakery that originally opened in Cape Cod 30 years ago by a group of immigrant friends fleeing war in their native country, feeds bustling New Yorkers with its satellite locations, Café d’Avignon, across Manhattan. The bakery also provides fresh bread to some of the city’s most renowned dining destinations, including Major Food Group, Eleven Madison Park, Blank Street Coffee and more. Get it here.

The Van Life Cookbook

We’ve all got them—the friend who was inspired by the pandemic or TikTok to pack their life up and explore in a super cool decked out van. Cooking from that tiny kitchen can be a challenge and if they are still trying to adapt to the lifestyle of being on the openroad, they are probably still trying to figure out what exactly they are doing with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Van Life Cookbook is a collection of recipes that celebrates the road trip lifestyle and #vanlife community while providing delicious and nutritious meal ideas for modern-day nomads. Inside you’ll find meal prep tips, pantry advice, and hacks on cooking in a tiny kitchen. Featured recipes include Breakfast Biscuits on the Burner, Chickpea Avocado Salad, Van Life Summer Rolls, personal pizzas, and single-serving desserts. Order it here.