20 Award-Winning Cookbooks To Add To Your Collection

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If you could have a million of anything, but it couldn't be money, what would it be? If you're like us, your answer would be cookbooks. There's just something very visceral about the experience of flipping through the pages, looking at the beautiful photography, reading funny passages, and walking through the recipe like the author is standing right beside you in the kitchen. It's an experience you don't get from scrolling through a recipe blog online. 

Cookbooks cover seemingly every corner of the culinary world, from confections and appetizers to vintage pasta dishes and breads. How do you decide which ones are worth buying? Well, the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), among others, have their idea of what makes a good cookbook, and carrying a New York Times Bestseller seal can make you feel more confident about the cookbooks you buy. But we wanted to give you an even more distilled list of the best award-winning cookbooks worth buying. Not only do these cookbooks have the title of being a best-seller or award-winning selection (sometimes both), but they also are as much of a joy to read as they are to cook from. 

"Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" has received its fair share of praise. Although author Samin Nosrat introduces higher-level culinary concepts in this book, she keeps the explanations straightforward. It's not just a cookbook; it's a deep dive into how and why the four primary cornerstones of good cooking — salt, fat, acid, and heat — make things taste so good. 

This New York Times bestselling cookbook has won numerous accolades, including a James Beard Award, IACP Cookbook Award, and, perhaps one of the most impressive of all, has a Netflix series with the same name that dives more into the concepts explored in it. The book contains 100 recipes and is a must-have for anyone who wants to not just master recipes but also become a better home cook.

J. Kenji López-Alt is the definition of a food guru. He channels his insight into his award-winning cookbook, "The Food Lab," which has received the James Beard Award for General Cooking and the IACP Cookbook of the Year Award. 

López-Alt could have taken this book in a very technical direction, but instead he uses the pages to offer practical tips for home cooking and to explain the "why" every step of the way. The recipes are simple and approachable and can help any food newbie learn to make the classics, including creamy Hollandaise sauce and broiled asparagus. López-Alt's writing is light and uplifting, which makes this book as fun to read as it is to cook from.

Say what you want to say about celebrity chef cookbooks, but Chrissy Teigen's "Cravings" is still one that you'll want to have on your shelf. Her writing is a window into her upbeat and fun personality and features a ton of great recipes along the way. It's a book that will make you laugh and your mouth water. 

If you're the kind of person who skips over the narratives at the tops of online recipes, this might not be the book for you. Teigen adds narratives along the way, which makes this cookbook read more like a true cookbook rather than a sterile methodology. Combined with the book's beautiful and high-quality imagery, it's no surprise that "Cravings" is a Goodreads Choice Award winner.

"Cook Beautiful" by Athena Calderone doesn't just offer great imagery that will make your mouth water; the whole purpose of the cookbook is actually to show you how to prepare and present meals that will make all of your Instagram followers jealous. 

This cookbook, which won the James Beard Award for its photography, is a must-have for folks who eat with their eyes first. The creator of EyeSwoon, an elevated lifestyle brand, walks readers through 100 different recipes that prioritize color, structure, and visual details that make plates pop. It's organized by season and includes tips for table setting and decor that will really elevate each respective dish into an entire event.

If you consider yourself a homemade bread enthusiast, chances are you've heard of "Flour Water Salt Yeast," Ken Forkish's signature cookbook on how to make great artisan bread and pizza. This best-selling cookbook has received accolades from both the James Beard Foundation and the IACP — and for good reason. 

Forkish breaks down everything you need to know about making bread in this cookbook, from the equipment and ingredients to basic bread, pre-ferments, and levains. Bread-baking is nothing short of an art, but beginners shouldn't be intimidated by the knowledge Forkish shares on every page. You'll finish the cookbook with a better understanding of how bread is made and what separates an excellent loaf from an adequate one. Instead of thinking of it as a cookbook, think of it as a resource for all of your bread-related questions. 

If you consider yourself a beginner cook, expanding into international recipes — especially bakes — may be intimidating. However, after you flip through a copy of "Mooncakes and Milk Bread" by Kristina Cho, you'll feel empowered to whip up bao, mooncakes, and cookies. While some baking cookbooks tend to focus solely on sweet recipes, Cho includes an array of both savory and sweet recipes worth trying, including Mo and Xi'an-style braised lamb ro jia mao (Chinese hamburgers), egg tarts, taro buns, and more.

This book has won countless awards from the James Beard Foundation and has been lauded as a cookbook of the year by several outlets. One of our favorite things about it is that it doesn't just teach skills specific to Chinese and Asian baking; it also gives tips for recipes and techniques that you can use in recipes outside of the book. 

If there was one single cookbook on this list that we would recommend everyone — and we mean everyone — own, it would be this one. "The Flavor Bible" is exactly what its name suggests: a very large book that holds the secrets of flavor pairings. Treat this book like a glossary; if you need something to pair with chocolate, flip to the "C" section, find chocolate, and look for a list of all of the flavors and ingredients that pair well with it.

This James Beard Award-winning cookbook and its spinoffs, including "The Vegetarian Flavor Bible," are must-haves for any home cooks who are looking to build their own recipes and find complementary flavors for the hodgepodge of ingredients in their fridge or cupboard. You'll also get some ideas for recipes as well as expert anecdotes from chefs about how they've used the pairings in their own kitchens. 

"The Joy of Cooking" is easily one of the most recognizable cookbooks ever created. Since its creation by Irma S. Rombauer in 1931, it has sold 20 million copies. The 2019 edition was expanded by Rombauer's great-grandson John Becker and his wife, Megan Scott, to include 600 new recipes and revise some of the 4,000 recipes already in the cookbook. This revision expanded the cookbook's reach from just the meat-and-potatoes dishes of the past to more veggie-forward options, international ingredients, and gluten-free selections. 

One of our favorite things about this cookbook is that it's kind of like an evolution of American (and American-ish) cuisine from the past through to the present. You'll find age-old classics like chocolate chip cookies and cornbread alongside Chicago-style deep-dish pizza and pan-fried tofu. It's certainly a triumph and one of the best American cookbooks ever created. 

Anissa Helou uses "Feast" to share dishes from the Islamic world, a region of cuisine that doesn't receive nearly the same press as Italian or French cuisines. Her writing takes us on a journey across multiple countries, including those in North Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and South Asia, to highlight ingredients and unique fare. While you'll see stunning photos and read narratives about more popular Islamic dishes like biryani, there are also some more niche recipes sandwiched in this book that will allow you to expand your cooking repertoire and get comfortable with even more flavors. 

Helou's writing is approachable and deeply honest and allows her to use her culinary and travel experiences to inform both the writing and the recipes. It's no surprise that the book won the James Beard Award for best international cookbook in 2019.

We're sweets people, so it isn't surprising to see that New York Times bestseller "Zoë Bakes Cookies" made its way onto our own cookbook shelf. Even if you know all of the tips and tricks for making great cookies at home, you too can get something out of Zoë François' book. She also authored "Zoë Bakes Cakes" and has a "Zoë Bakes" TV show, website, and newsletter so you can rest assured that she is indeed a baking expert who is ready to share her tips for mouthwatering shortbreads, chocolate chip cookies, and blondie bars with you. 

One of the things that we like most about this book is that François isn't afraid to experiment with both recipes that seem familiar and ones that seem novel. It reminds us to revisit the classic ones from time to time as well as explore diverse, funky flavors to elevate classic bakes to new heights. 

Mark Bittman is one of the most well-known names in food, and one of the reasons for that is his signature cookbook, the aptly named "How to Cook Everything." This book, which has won both the James Beard Award and IACP Award, is like a bible for home cooking; it contains all of the basic recipes that any home cook needs to know how to prepare, from fried chicken and beef chili to roasted vegetables and French bread. While some cookbooks can seem showy and are packed with recipes that are difficult to make or too elaborate for a Thursday night, Bittman focuses his efforts here on approachable classics. 

The ingredients in these recipes are relatively easy to find, and while you won't get some of the punchy international dishes that other cookbooks on this list offer, the inclusion of tables, illustrations, and straight-to-the-point language makes it a selection that every home cook should have on their shelf.

Dorie Greenspan is nothing short of a national treasure. She's written tons of baking-centric cookbooks over the years, but the James Beard Award winner "Baking: From My Home to Yours" will always have a special place in our hearts. This book contains a whopping 300 well-written recipes that infuse Greenspan's decades of experience with high-quality and tasty bakes. While she's written recipes for many famous chefs, including Julia Child, this book takes a more homey approach and focuses on the fundamentals of great baking.

Recipes cover the classics, including cakes, yeasted breads, cookies, pastries, muffins, pies, and more. Besides giving very methodical and well-thought-out instructions, Greenspan includes tons of helpful tips along the way that allow home bakers to home in on their skill and technical craft rather than rely on shortcuts and baking hacks.

It seems fitting that we put Dorie Greenspan's cookbook next to the undisputed queen of French cooking, Julia Child, and her book, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." This New York Times bestselling cookbook is like a foray into all things French cooking and includes 524 recipes for the dishes Child is most commonly associated with, from onion soup to gratins. Child's style of recipe writing is very logical and focuses on the fundamental ingredients, techniques, and styles of good French cooking, all in an approachable and reader-friendly format. It's a cookbook at its core, meaning that folks who like long, drawn-out explanations and narratives may want to look elsewhere. 

"Mastering the Art of French Cooking" has a sort of timeless appeal to it, which makes it a must-have book for any home cook. The "mastering" component of the title isn't just fluff, either. Child's writing explains everything, from handling and sourcing raw ingredients to Americanized preparations perfect for those living outside of France. It even comes with accompaniment and wine suggestions for each dish. 

Molly Yeh's "Molly on the Range" has all of the components of a feel-good cookbook. Stories of Yeh's life inform funny and lighthearted narratives, set alongside dishes that showcase her Chinese-Jewish heritage and her urban-meets-rural recipe adaptations. Tahini blondie ice cream sandwiches, shakshuka couscous, quiche carbonara, wild rice hotdish with ras el hanout, and pitas all make an appearance in this book, and many of the folks who have bought it report favorable results. 

Yeh's book, which won an IACP Cookbook Award, is uplifting and fun and showcases her youthful sense of humor on every page. Above all, though, it's a really relatable cookbook, especially for folks who are going through periods of transition and are trying to make the most of living in a new state or region. Yeh shows readers that you can make those transitions with grace ... and have some fun along the way. 

Mark Bitterman — not to be confused with Mark Bittman — is the author of "Salted," which offers readers a deep dive into an ingredient that they may not think twice about. Bitterman provides a comprehensive history of the mineral that includes the modern era of artisan salts. He shares 50 recipes that put salt at the forefront and packs in a guide to 80 of the most common salts, where they come from, and what makes them unique. 

An anthology about a specific ingredient, let alone one that home cooks use almost every day, is rare. But Bitterman allows his experience as a selmelier — an expert on salt — guide his exploration. In 2011, "Salted" earned the James Beard Award in the reference and scholarship category and has been nominated for two IACP awards. This book doesn't provide nearly the same number of recipes as some of the other books on this list, but it's an excellent selection for readers looking to "nerd out" on one particular ingredient. 

David Chang's face and name have become synonymous with the Momofuku brand. Readers don't have to visit one of its many locations if they can get their hands on a copy of "Momofuku: A Cookbook." Even if you aren't a fan of celebrity chef cookbooks, chances are that you can still appreciate the lighthearted and humorous approach that Chang uses throughout the New York Times bestselling cookbook written with New York Times food critic Peter Meehan. 

The book includes some of the recipes that catapulted Momofuku to stardom, including its infamous pork buns, ginger scallion noodles, and bacon ramen. The writing emulates a deep connection and appreciation for fresh, high-quality ingredients that shine through on every page.

"Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi" is a must-have cookbook for vegetarians and plant-based eaters. Author Yotam Ottolenghi brings recipes from his namesake London restaurant to life with vivid imagery and bold ingredients. Rather than being organized by dish, its recipes are organized by ingredient — perfect for when you have pieces of produce that you don't know what to do with. Vegetables sit in the driver's seat here; they're not relegated to being just sides or afterthoughts. Pear crostini, soba noodles with eggplant and mango, fava bean burgers, and more delight the senses and showcase both Ottolenghi's formal culinary training and his deep appreciation for vegetables. 

While this book is inherently geared toward plant-based eaters, that's not to say that carnivores won't get anything out of it. In fact, it will make any eater think more creatively about produce.

America's obsession with barbecue hasn't ceased in recent years, and pro pitmaster Aaron Franklin and co-author Jordan Mackay give readers all of the secrets they need to know to make good barbecue at home in "Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto." This beginner-friendly guide to all things smoking gives readers insight into everything from finding and curing wood to tending the fire so you can fall in love with the product: succulent, juicy barbecue that tastes like it came out of the kitchen of Franklin Barbecue itself. 

Think of this Goodreads Choice Award book less as a cookbook and more of a roadmap to barbecue. There are only four actual "barbecue" recipes in the book, along with some for sauces and sides. The rest is an in-depth description of the nuances and how-tos of smoking. 

Simply put, Stella Parks is a genius. There is so much to love about "BraveTart." This James Beard Award-winning cookbook walks readers through some of the most iconic American bakes, from blueberry muffins to homemade Oreos and peanut butter cups. 

Parks doesn't just focus her efforts on high-quality and meticulous instructions for all levels of bakers, though. She also provides historical background on the respective treats and why they deserve to be celebrated (and made by you, her reader). Combined with stunning photography and easy-to-understand instructions, "BraveTart" is just as worthy of celebration as the bakes inside of it.

Seasonality and fresh ingredients are at the core of Meike Peters' blog and her cookbook by the same name. "Eat in My Kitchen," a James Beard Award-winning cookbook, is a celebration of Peters' German roots as well as other international influences from the Mediterranean region, including Malta.

Despite the international focus of the recipes, the ingredients are easily accessible and simple to prepare and can be adapted based on dietary preferences. They're the kind of recipes you want to share at a special celebration, like a dinner party, or when you're looking to let the ingredients speak for themselves.