The Best Fall and Winter Cookbooks

Cozy comfort foods, maximalist flavors, entertaining guides, and more

As the colder weather descends and the days get shorter, many of us find comfort in cozy dinners at home, family get-togethers, holiday celebrations, and yummy baked treats. And we're always looking for inspiration and ideas to get us excited and motivated to try new things and keep our spirits bright. Here we offer an array of cookbooks to take your fall and winter cooking and entertaining to a new level.  

For everyday

Take your weekday cooking up a notch with these guides for elevating your everyday cuisine. 

More is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen

Start your day with a Crispy Rice Egg-in-a-Hole. Assemble a Chicken Salad with Coconut Crunch for lunch. Throw together Drunken Cacio e Pepe for dinner followed by a fat slice of Ooey Gooey Carrot Cake. Molly Baz's "leave no flavor on the cutting board" dishes are suited to cooks at all levels on any day of the week.

Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons in Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots

Country music legend Reba McEntire takes you behind the scenes and shares the stories, recipes, and Oklahoma-style truths that guide her life. Featuring more than 60 recipes of appetizers, mains, sides, desserts, and cocktails from Reba's personal kitchen, from loved ones, and from her restaurant, Reba's Place.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks—Dinner's Ready!

Cook smarter, not harder! Ree Drummond returns with a new cookbook filled with 112 fabulous recipes for slightly impatient home cooks. From Cast-Iron Hamburger Pizza to Chuckwagon Brownies, this collection of delicious recipes will leave you plenty of time to curl up on the couch with your favorite show.

The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope

Try Breakfast Tacos from Michelle Obama or a Lemon Olive Oil Cake from Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex! This collection of stories and recipes from renowned chefs, local cooks, and friends of chef José Andrés benefits communities impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook

This debut from Bon Appétit cooking video star Sohla El-Waylly is on all the lists for best new cookbooks right now. More than just a collection of (delicious looking!) recipes, the book offers a complete guide to honing your craft in the kitchen, from how to properly taste your food to entertaining menus and plans.  

For special occasions

For special family dinners and holidays, these cookbooks will help you impress your guests, while still enjoying yourself.

Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from My Table to Yours

For Adeena Sussman, the Shabbat table is a weekly opportunity to feed the soul. Offering smart techniques and sound prep, these recipes include nostalgic, cozy mains like Fig & Pomegranate Brisket, sides and bright salads like Moroccan Carrot Salad, and desserts like Lemon Black-Sesame Bundt Cake.

Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour, & Butter

Pie genius Kate Lebo has inspired bakers with her delightful lessons on all things flaky and sweet. This updated edition of her 2014 cookbook includes 20 new pies, plus new chapters on savory pies and difficult fruit pies. Recipes include Winter Luxury Pumpkin Pie and Rosemary Rhubarb with Vanilla Chevre. Yes, please!

Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things

This unusual book is all about the secret culinary weapons that can make a good meal spectacular. Stock your fridges and pantries the Yotam Ottolenghi way, so you can effortlessly accessorize your plates with magical flavor bombs—a sauce, a sprinkle, a pickle—that will keep everyone coming back for more.

Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others

In her much-anticipated follow-up to The New Midwestern Table, Amy Thielen shows you how to throw dinner parties that are less formal, more frequent, and as fun for the cook as for the guests. Novel, yet timeless, these 125 recipes are arranged in menu form—from intimate dinner parties to larger holiday feasts.

Gatherings: Casual Fancy Meals to Share

The cooks of America's Test Kitchen share how they entertain at home, with 140 recipes, from simple to show-stopping, and airtight planning strategies. Find the perfect menus for any occasion, from Oktoberfest to Super Bowl to Valentine's Day. Plus loads of tips on things like quickly pulling together pre-dinner nibbles.

Entertainment included!

These media-inspired culinary guides offer the perfect meals to accompany your favorite video games, TV shows, and movies.

Hocus Pocus: The Official Cookbook

Fire up the cauldron and get witchy in your kitchen with this delightfully creepy cookbook, inspired by the beloved Halloween classic. Featuring over fifty terrifyingly tasty recipes that Hocus Pocus fans will love, including Ring of Salt Pretzels, Witch's Broom Donuts, and more!

The Official Five Nights at Freddy's Cookbook

Inspired by the hit games, this collection of more than forty tasty recipes boasts gorgeous, eye-popping photography. From Freddy Fazbear's Pepperoni X-Press to Chica's Ultimate Thai Chicken Burger to El Chip's Fully Loaded Tortillas, these mouthwatering recipes are hauntingly delicious.

Yellowstone: The Official Dutton Ranch Family Cookbook

Gabriel "Gator" Guilbeau—a real-life chef and fan-favorite character on the show has compiled over 55 recipes inspired by and featured in the critically acclaimed hit series.  Enjoy recipes like Rip's Fry Bread with Scrambled Eggs and Bacon and Beth's "Two Scoops of Ice Cream, Three Shots of Vodka" Smoothie.

The Anime Chef Cookbook: 75 Iconic Dishes from Your Favorite Anime

Food plays an important role in anime! Popular anime food creator Nadine Estero has perfectly captured these favorite food moments so that you can enjoy the same foods as your favorite characters, like Haikyu!! steamed pork buns, My Hero Academia cold soba, and Kiki's Delivery Service chocolate cake.

Movie Night Menus: Dinner and Drink Recipes Inspired by the Films We Love

Cue up Casablanca with some French 75s and a perfect Moroccan-themed spread! This cookbook spotlights thirty crowd-pleasing films from the 1930s (The Thin Man) through the '80s (Moonstruck), paired with signature drinks and dishes, as well as entertaining background about each film, dish, and cocktail.

Tastes Like Schitt: The Unofficial Schitt's Creek Cookbook

Cook your way through this 75-recipe collection as you rewatch your favorite episodes of Schitt's Creek. Dishes include: Rosebud Motel Cinnamon Rolls, Sloppy Jocelyns, Twyla's Meadow Harvest Smoothie, Farm Witches' Peanut Butter Things, Herb Ertlinger's Wine Spritzer, Budd's Bourbon BBQ Sauce and many more.

Whether you're working on planning a fun fall fête, organizing your holiday celebrations, or just trying to enjoy some cozy fall and winter fare, these cookbooks serve up the perfect recipes!

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon