What’s hot in the cookbook department this summer? Baking books galore. There’s Carla Bakes, Great Bakes, and The Dessert Table—basically one long excuse to preheat the oven. The list also includes some vegetable-focused gems, like Pierce Abernathy’s Every Leaf, Every Stem, and Protein-Packed Vegetarian, because yes, we’re still proteinmaxxing. Read on for our standout titles of the season (organized by release date), hand-chosen and cooked from by our staff.
Great Bakes stoked both the inner fan and dormant Midwestern in me. Eager to try recipes from Martin Sorge, winner of The Great American Baking Show, and resolving to pay homage to my cornhusking roots, I fired up a number of Sorge’s own corn-based recipes. Sweet Corn Shortbread and Sweet Corn Milk Bread both yielded a sunny yellow color and subtle sweetness. But Sorge’s (and my own) reverence for corn continues in more savory applications as well, such as his Corn, Tomato & Red Pepper Galette, and Midwestern Cornbread, which yielded a uniform and moist crumb that swayed many a cornbread naysayer. But enough of the corn—Sorge’s book is a lovely encapsulation of classic Americana that highlights its comforting flavors in refreshed formats: garlic bread loaf, Creamsicle cake, even malted chocolate pudding. —Ingu Chen, art director
Great Bakes: Modern Classic Recipes from the Midwest
In his debut cookbook, Every Leaf, Every Stem, content creator Pierce Abernathy shines a spotlight on seasonal vegetables, making even the simplest of market hauls feel exciting. Abernathy does this nonchalantly, with the same laid-back creativity that helped build his devoted online following. The book has a clear intention: Let great ingredients do the talking. You’ll find craveable dips, vats of brothy beans, and seasonal sweets—think eggplant swirled with tangy labneh, beans with parm and garlic, and four-ingredient grape sorbet. I made Corny Pasta which starts with a compound corn butter—sweet, rich, and versatile enough to slather on toast or top pancakes. —Cristina Correa, social media manager
Every Leaf, Every Stem: Craveable, Creative Vegetables All Year Round
I’m trying to eat more protein, but as someone who doesn’t prefer meat-centric meals or chalky supplement shakes, I was delighted to cook through Protein-Packed Vegetarian, the debut cookbook from recipe developer and content creator Grace Elkus. After years of working in food media, Elkus noticed there was a lack of enticing, protein-dense recipes for those who don’t eat meat. Vegetarian since she was a preteen, Elkus is also an avid strength trainer and graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, making her uniquely qualified to develop recipes in such a niche category. You may know her as the creator behind the viral feta fried egg, or voice behind the “will it cottage” series, but the book tackles far more. Her Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta was shockingly silky for a sauce made with cottage cheese instead of cream and butter, and the infamous cheesy fried egg was a self-saucing delight. —Rebecca Firkser, Test Kitchen editor
Protein-Packed Vegetarian: Easy, Nourishing Recipes to Fuel Your Day
Truth be told, I’ve never been to Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Texas, but I know a beloved joint when I see one. So when I found out the renowned eatery was publishing a new book on cocktails, I knew I’d find a reliable rotation of drinks and snacks. “In general, we think of a Texas cocktail as being strong, generous in spirit, and approachable,” share the husband-and-wife duo Tom and Lisa Perini in the book’s introduction. You’ll find more than just bourbon- and tequila-based drinks favored by the area’s cowboys, though they certainly have a home within the pages. A big pitcher of bloody mary mix and seasonal sangrias are crowd-pleasing refreshments, and there is also a slew of salty bites. Spicy Pecans, Honest-to-Goodness French Fries (with fried jalapeños!), and Mesquite Smoked Pork Ribs pay homage to the region, while being straight-up delicious. —Hana Asbrink, deputy food editor
Perini Ranch Steakhouse Cocktails: Celebrating the Tradition and Spirit of Cocktail Hour
I’ve long admired Leah Koenig’s prolific portfolio of Jewish cookbooks. Her latest is all about sweets: The Dessert Table, which comes out later this summer. With 100 “joyful Jewish sweets,” the book is broken up into classic categories, like cookies, cakes, and pastries. These include dishes for holidays (Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake for Passover; Apple Cider Sufganiyot for Hanukkah) and just-because days (Sour Cherry Coffee Cake—need). I tried my hand at two cookie recipes: White Chocolate Tahini Cookies, which delightfully reminded me of halvah with their nutty flavor and fudgy chew. And Prune and Chocolate Rugelach, which whooshed me back to baking lessons with my grandma, who rolled rugelach in the same crescent fashion. Lucky for me, there was leftover lekvar (prune butter), perfect to swipe on toast for the rest of the week. —Emma Laperruque, cooking director
The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets
“People think baking is fussy and precise. That can be true…but once you get it, you don’t have to be fussy, because you got it,” writes Carla Hall in her upcoming title, Carla Bakes. Hall draws on her vast experience as a former caterer and a current judge on Food Network’s Baking Championship to walk readers through the basics before setting them free to play. She explains, for instance, the perfect ratio of cake to frosting (2:1) and why you should use a cookie scoop to shape your biscuits. Her recipe ideas are clever and universally appealing—Chicken Pot Pie Pop-Tarts and a Shortbread Cookie Canvas (literally a giant square of shortbread you paint with buttercream). I made the Ham & Cheese Paris-Brest because Hall says pâte à choux is her “one of the most versatile doughs a baker can employ… [her] secret weapon.” The ring of pastry was crisp and impressively puffed, like a peacock’s display of courtship. And the Striped Malted Pound Cake was striking, with whorls of malted vanilla and chocolate cake and a softly dissolving crumb. —Shilpa Uskokovic, senior Test Kitchen editor
Carla Bakes: Sweet, Savory, and from the Heart
“As a dual citizen, I’ve often felt that I’m treding between two worlds. In the US, I will always be viewed as the one who came—an immigrant—while in Mexico, I’m the one who left,” writes Pati Jinich in the introduction of her new cookbook, Foods of La Frontera. To create this title, the acclaimed chef and James Beard Award–winning television host embarked on a journey across the 1,954-mile border, beginning in San Diego and Tijuana, and ending in Brownsville and Matamaros, sharing stories and food along the way with fronterizos (those living on or near the border). Along the way, Jinich learned how “taste can triumph over tradition.” The food is unapologetically flexible. Think chorizo queso dip, where American cheese plays a starring role, and creamy Caesar salad cut with lime juice. I made comically stuffed shrimp tacos in a chile butter sauce with melted Monterey Jack, shredded cabbage, and salsa verde—ticklish from fiery chiles de árbol mixed with sweet guajillos. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Pati Jinich Foods of La Frontera: Recipes and New Taste Frontiers from Both Sides of the Border
More summer books we’re excited to cook from
What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking: Make it Fast by Caroline Chambers: Substack star Caroline Chambers returns with her second cookbook, organized into time-based chapters so you can get dinner on the table pronto.
Small Batch Breads by Rebecca Eisenberg: Food blogger Rebecca Eisenberg shares a collection of breads that use just one cup of flour, from Loaf Pan Focaccia to Mini Chocolate Babka.
Cooking Thai by Pim Techamuanvivit with Andrea Nguyen: Award-winning chef Pim Techamuanvivit is dedicating her newest title to her Thai culinary heritage, from Massaman Curry with Beef Cheeks to Namprik Gapi Fried Rice.
