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10 Cookbooks To Gift This Holiday Season

The holidays are upon us, and that means it’s time for gift giving. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for the cook in your life, fellow college student, or something simple to give to a loved one, a classic cookbook is a reliable and useful option. We put together a list of the best cookbooks to give for the holidays, with an option to appeal to everyone in your life that you’re buying something special for the holidays.

Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy: A Cookbook by Tieghan Girard 

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Amazon

From New York Times bestselling author Tieghan Girard comes a cookbook of recipes for every meal, plus dessert. Relying on simple ingredients, the recipes in this cookbook are a staple for any kitchen. Even better, the majority of recipes can be made in under 45 minutes. You can’t get better than that. 

Sweet Tooth: 100 Desserts to Save Room For (A Baking Book) by Sarah Fennel

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Amazon

For your family member with a sweet tooth, give them this aptly named cookbook for the holidays. Sarah Fennel, the content creator behind Broma Bakery, put together this collection of both classic dessert recipes and some unique picks you might never have even thought of, like Espresso Martini Cake and Vanilla Bean-Blackberry Scones.

The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook: A Fresh Guide to Eating Well With 700 Foolproof Recipes by America’s Test Kitchen

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Amazon

This cookbook is the ultimate recipe collection of anything and everything vegetarian. With 700 recipes, 300 of which can be made in 45 minutes or less, 500 gluten-free recipes, and 250 vegan recipes, the recipient of this cookbook will be prepared to make anything they’re craving at any given time. 

The Art of Mixology: Making Spirits Bright by Parragon Books

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Amazon

To celebrate the holidays, this book has 75 festive drink recipes for bartenders of all experience levels. With both classic holiday drinks like eggnog and more unique choices, this book has something for everyone. Every cocktail can also easily be converted into a mocktail. 

Martha: The Cookbook by Martha Stewart

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Amazon

No cookbook roundup would be complete without Martha Stewart. To celebrate her 100th cookbook, Stewart put together a cookbook of 100 of her most treasured recipes. This cookbook will be a staple addition to the kitchen of whomever you give it to, providing inspiration for appetizers, meals, and dessert. 

Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health by Gregory Gourdet and JJ Goode

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Amazon

This cookbook, written by Top Chef star Gregory Gourdet, is driven by superfoods and the nutrients that come from them. Featuring dishes from around the world, this cookbook offers 200 recipes that are designed to be both nutritious and flavorful. 

Comfort and Joy by Ravinder Bhogal

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Amazon

For any vegetarian or vegan, this cookbook is the exact thing they need in their kitchen. The book has a variety of recipes that embrace vegetarian and vegan home cooking and dismantle the idea that there is a “culinary sacrifice” that takes place with vegetarian and vegan recipes. 

How to Make Anything Gluten Free by Becky Excell

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Amazon

This gluten free cookbook focuses on recipes that perfectly emulate foods that aren’t gluten free – without sacrificing taste or appearance. The book also features advice on how to make “absolutely anything” gluten free. 

Perfectly Good Food by Irene Li and Margaret Li

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Amazon

If you’re looking to help someone in your life make their cooking habits more sustainable, this cookbook is the perfect gift. The book contains 80 recipes and 150 ideas to use up what you have in your kitchen and minimize food waste. 

Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George 

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Amazon

For the Dolly Parton lover in your life, what better gift than a cookbook by none other than Dolly herself? With her sister Rachel Parton George, Dolly put together a cookbook of over 80 recipes from her family’s kitchen to prepare you to host any holiday event throughout the year.

Amanda Sinofsky is a contributing writer for the Spoon University National Writers Program.

She is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism pursuing a double major in Journalism and English with a Media Studies focus. She is from a New Jersey suburb 25 minutes outside of Philadelphia. At UMD, she is a copy editor for The Diamondback, the university's student-run newspaper, and is the music & arts editor for The Campus Trainer, an online lifestyle magazine at the university.

In her free time, Amanda is a part of a student-run dance company and enjoys reading, listening to music (anything Taylor Swift), and spending time with her friends.