If you’re looking for a Christmas gift to give a foodie this Christmas, you can never go wrong with a good cookbook. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite releases from 2025 that we think make the ultimate gift – the book they’re sure to devour from cover to cover and cook their way through. From the tales of a cheesemonger to baking inspiration, one-pot winners and a must-have for anyone gluten-free, there’s a cookbook for everyone.
The best cookbooks for foodies to give this Christmas
Indian 101 by Karan Gokani
For curry fans
Master Indian cooking at home without spending hours in the kitchen. Karan is the co-founder of hit Sri Lankan and South Indian London restaurant Hoppers, and in this book, he’s on a mission to make Indian food more accessible. He’s achieved just that with his collection of regional dishes, including street food, mouthwatering curries (his chicken makhani is a must-try) and veggie staples like dhal and pav bhaji. Check out our round-up of the best Indian cookbooks to buy for plenty more top recommendations.
Available from:
Amazon (£21)
Waterstones (£28)
The Cheese Cure: How Comte and Camembert Fed My Soul by Michael Finnerty
For the cheese lover
After a career in journalism and radio left him feeling burnt out, Michael retrained as a cheesemonger and became an expert in all things cheese. Part memoir and part guide, his tales of life behind the counter in London’s Borough Market are interspersed with interesting facts about cheese and how best to serve it.
Available from:
Amazon (£10.99)
Waterstones (£14.99)
Pull Up a Chair by Martha Collison
For the family cook
A little different to Martha’s last two baking cookbooks (a nod to her time on the Bake Off), this cosy read is full of homely meals that feel sophisticated enough for entertaining, like salmon tikka skewers with mango kachumber salad; coffee bolognese; garlic porchetta with herby Yorkshires for a Sunday roast; and a hazelnut croissant bake for brunch. Perfect for a cook who wants to shake up a tired recipe rotation.
Available from:
Amazon (£16.52)
Waterstones (£26)
Easy Chinese Food Anyone Can Make by Emma Chung
For the takeaway lover
Know someone who loves chow mein and sweet and sour pork? Recreate takeaway favourites and learn how to stir-fry noodles and fold dumplings and wontons like a pro with Emma Chung’s easy takes on classic Chinese dishes. It’s packed with useful knowledge and step-by-step photos to make cooking a breeze.
Available from:
Amazon (£17.99)
Waterstones (£26)
Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal
For the dinner party host
Following the success of Gurdeep’s Mother Tongue, comes this ingenious page-turner where you can’t help but repeatedly bookmark the pages. It’s a celebration of the bold, rich ingredients that will so easily enhance your meals – think adding salted sesame to basque cheesecake, spicy harissa to a veggie lasagne, or giving lamb ribs a lift with robust brown miso.
Available from:
Amazon (£18.93)
Waterstones (£27)
Sabzi by Yasmin Khan
For veggies and vegans
Yasmin’s latest book is refreshingly meat-free, focusing instead on ‘sabzi’ (Persian for fresh greens and herbs, or vegetables in Urdu). Her parents’ Iranian and Pakistani heritage come together beautifully in this book, with fond influences from other countries. It includes her aubergine fesenjan, halloumi lasagne, a hearty tofu and sweet potato massaman curry, and big sharing salads and pilafs. Her sweet rhubarb and cardamom tart is not to be missed.
Available from:
Amazon (£20.02)
Waterstones (£26)
Baking & the Meaning of Life by Helen Goh
For the baker
In her first book, pastry chef and recipe developer Helen Goh shares the expertise she gained from years spent in the Ottolenghi test kitchen. She shows how joyful and creative baking can be, with inventive recipes like chocolate tahini cake with sesame brittle, passion fruit and dandelion cookies, and prawn sambal buns. We’ve reviewed plenty more of the best baking books to buy to keep your shelves full.
Available from:
Amazon (£18.78)
Waterstones (£26)
French Classics by Matthew Ryle
For Francophiles
Bring a quaint French brasserie feel to someone’s home table. This celebration of classic French cooking is recommended by our editor, Keith, also a cheese and steak-enthusiast. That’s thanks in part to recipes like the tartiflette (made with reblochon and white wine, then baked to perfection) and steak au poivre, which includes advice for getting the perfect flavourful crust on the meat. As a head of two popular brasseries in London, Matthew Ryle fully understands the art of French cooking, while simplifying more technical recipes so they’re achievable for home-cooks.
Available from:
Amazon (£21.15)
Waterstones (£21.99)
Actually Delicious One Pot Cookbook by Poppy O’Toole
For the one-pan fan
Anyone strapped for time midweek will know the joy of an easy ‘throw it all in’ one-pot. These unapologetically indulgent recipes from self-confessed carblover, Poppy, include crowdpleasing dishes such as a cheeseburger skillet, lemony harissa lamb and chickpeas, and punchy bang bang cauli cheese, as well as a whole chapter dedicated to her favourite ingredient – potatoes. There are, of course, all-in-one desserts too, including a clever one-pan Oreo cookie.
Available from:
Amazon (£10.88)
Waterstones (£20)
Budget Gluten Free by Becky Excell
For gluten-free diets
Since she was diagnosed as gluten intolerant 16 years ago, food writer Becky Excell has worked hard to create gluten-free recipes that are affordable and delicious. Her seventh book is packed with thrifty meals and savvy shopping tips, including ingredient swaps and how to make the most of inexpensive naturally gluten-free food like rice. Inside, you’ll find flavour-packed lunches, dinners and bakes, including green goddess chicken with butter rice, peri-peri halloumi pasta, and emergency no-bake cheesecake pots. See the rest of our best gluten-free cookbook recommendations.
Available from:
Amazon (£10)
Waterstones (£20)
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