‘Desi Bakes’ ‘Justine Cooks,’ and More Cookbooks We Loved in October

As Epicurious editors, we have a bounty of cookbooks stacked in our kitchens—and usually our living rooms and bedrooms too—new and old ones that we keep coming back to. We turn to them to get dinner on the table, bake a sweet treat, and learn something new. Here are the ones we’re especially excited about this month. Maybe you’ll order one for yourself, or gift a couple to your food-obsessed friend—either way, stock up.

Much like her TikTok videos, content creator Justine Doiron’s book Justine Cooks acts as a warm welcome into her kitchen. As cozy as her urban apartment may be, it always feels like there’s room there for the reader or viewer to stop by and learn a thing or two about cooking well. Her produce-heavy recipes are invitations to linger a little longer at the farmers market, selecting peak produce to build out your weekly shop. The savory dishes are reliably delicious, like a hearty burrata and broccoli toast smeared with puréed roasted red peppers, or the ultra-creamy smashed honeynut beans with crispy mushrooms. I was as happy to eat both meals after a long day at work as I’d be to serve them for company. And her sweets shine too. Tender and chewy, the tiramisu-inspired cookies are my ideal after-dinner treat. They perfectly combine a shot of espresso and dessert into one adorable and delicious package. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor

Broccolini, Balsamic, Burrata, Amen

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Sarah Kieffer embodies Midwestern charm in everything she does, from her award-winning food blog to her famous pan-banging chocolate chip cookies. The recipes in her fifth and latest book, 100 Afternoon Sweets, are full of so many enticing flavors that I could hardly choose what to bake. I started with the Scotcharoo Blondies and have zero regrets. Baked in a 9×13″ pan and perfect for sharing, the blondies feature classic scotcheroo flavors of Rice Krispies, peanut butter, and butterscotch. After mixing the blondie dough with chocolate chunks, I spread it over the scotcheroo layer. While it bakes in the oven, the base becomes crispy and caramel-like, complimenting the gooey blondie mixture above. I’ve already got my eye on my next endeavor: Minnesota Sheet Cake featuring bold black walnuts. —Kelly Janke, director of culinary production

I’ve been a fan of baker Hetal Vasavada since her first cookbook Milk & Cardamom. So I was excited to get my hands on Desi Bakes, her new book. The dessert collection is inspired by both her Indian heritage and American home. Its pages are filled with gorgeous confections like Block Print Flower Cookies and Badam Burfi Bark. As a person who has always been intimidated by making beautiful sweets, I appreciate that Vasavada not only breaks down the steps but gives you permission to take an easier route if you so please. Most recently, I made these Dirty Chai Cheesecake Brownies. Per her shortcut suggestion, I used a boxed mix and then followed the rest of her recipe to create the caffeinated brownie of my dreams. And while I usually become frustrated when decorating a cake (my brain wants to accomplish something that my hands cannot), I actually had a peaceful time swirling the two batters into a fun pattern. The chai masala gives a floral aroma to the brownies, while espresso brings out the chocolaty notes. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media

Dirty Chai Cheesecake Brownies

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Big Night—the cookbook by founder of Big Night shop, Katherine Lewin—tackles the tricky parts of hosting so you can focus on the fun. It’s filled with thoughtful expert advice to help readers bridge the gap between daydreaming about having folks over and confidently sending out invites. The recipes deliver too. They’re organized into smart and delicious complete menus for all sorts of occasions, but you can easily mix and match recipes or make just one of course. I whipped up the Artichoke Dip—for Dinner and it lived up to its title by including a not-so-secret, protein-packed ingredient in the classic dip: smoked trout. The flaky fish not only upped the satisfaction factor, but its buttery, briny flavor paired seamlessly with artichoke hearts and spinach. It can’t hurt that the dip is also filled with three kinds of cheese (mozzarella, Parmesan, and cream cheese) plus sour cream. I served it alongside some blue corn chips and crudité for scooping—endive leaves ended up being the crowd favorite crunchy vessel. Be warned: The recipes in this book are scaled for entertaining. If you don’t plan on feeding a crowd, halve or quarter the quantities for your own personal dinner plans. —K.J.Y.

Yes, I fell madly in love with beets all over again through this recipe in chef and creator Nisha Vora’s book Big Vegan Flavor. Beets are known for their earthy flavor, but here, creamy pistachio butter mellows it out, while a zippy maple-Dijon glaze adds brightness. If you scoop everything together, it’s one balanced bite of salt, fat, and acid. And it’s just as good the next day—I like to shovel it into a pita pocket for an on-the-go sandwich. —U.R.

The first cookbook where I saw equal value in reading the intro text as much as the recipes themselves was Jerusalem by chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi and chef Sami Tamimi. Since its release in 2012, I’ve been hooked on all things Ottolenghi—from his weekly recipes in the Guardian to his restaurant-bakery empire in London. I couldn’t wait to cook from his latest book Comfort, which focuses on flavor-forward comforting recipes from different cultures. Sambal Shakshuka, savory rugelach, and my recent obsession: Puttanesca-Style Salmon Bake—a fuss-free sheet-pan meal with magical flavor. Part of that magic comes from the tomato-anchovy oil, which is packed with chile flakes, coriander seeds, preserved lemon, and maple syrup. You slather it all over green beans, cherry tomatoes, and salmon fillets and stick it all in the oven. But the real kicker is the briny salsa topping—a condiment of herbs, olives, and capers. Make a grain or potatoes alongside the dish to catch all the punchy sauce. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager

Not cooking meat at home is easy for me. But cutting out dairy—like Greek yogurt, parm, cheddar, really any cheese—is more challenging. That’s why I was so excited about the release of Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking from Joe Yonan, the award-winning food and dining editor of The Washington Post (and the author of Cool Beans, another excellent cookbook). With more than 300 vegan recipes, the hard copy weighs over two pounds (that’s like a pomeranian puppy). There are tons of lunches and dinners, like Bibimbap With Spicy Tofu Crumbles and Stewed Jerk Lentils. And there are baked goods too, like Purple Sweet Potato Pie and Salted Baklava. I was pulled toward the savory category and made korma-inspired cauliflower and stuffed shells. The former was a warming way to enjoy roasted cauliflower (the recipe calls for steaks but says you can opt for florets for ease—I did that). And the latter had such a smart spin on ricotta: blitzed cashews with nondairy milk (I used soy), canned artichokes, nutritional yeast. I had some extra filling, which was a happy thing to spread on toast and use as a dip for veggies throughout the week. —Emma Laperruque, associate director of cooking

Perhaps you have heard all about Jim Lahey’s no-knead bread. It is a modern classic—or, as renowned baker Peter Reinhart described it, “the recipe that democratized bread-baking.” But if you haven’t heard—or if you have but you’ve never tried your hand at a loaf—there is no better time than right now. Lahey just released the 15th anniversary edition of My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method and it inspired me to grab my Dutch oven down and get baking. It took no more than five minutes to mix up the dough one night, then I tossed it in the oven the following day. The result was crusty (per one of Lahey’s recs, I dusted mine with wheat bran) with a squishy open crumb. My husband and I devoured almost half the loaf with a bowl of lobster bisque that we’ve been stashing in the freezer since a trip to the beach in the summer. And the leftovers turned into a fun egg sandwich the following day. —E.L.

As a proud member of the daily sweet treat club, I’ve become a frequent cake baker. It’s easy to default to recipes with the least amount of steps—one-bowl cakes that are simply dusted with powdered sugar on top—but pastry chef Natasha Pickowicz’s Jammy Coffee Cake from her cookbook More That Cake reminded me that a little extra effort really pays off. All three elements (cake, jammy raspberries, oat crumble topping) are rather simple to make, but I was blown away by how complex they feel paired together. The cake is pillowy in texture with a lovely flavor from small hints of cocoa powder and spelt flour. Macerated raspberries thicken in the oven to create a smooth and fruity layer. And the sweet-and-salty oat topping brings texture and crunch. It was all gone from my counter in just a couple days. Of course there are many cookbooks out there if you want the easiest desserts, but this one will teach you the building blocks for better layer cakes, pies, and snacks. —Olivia Quintana, social media manager