I’m the designated baker in my family, and this is where I find my ‘signature’ recipes

Why you can trust us

We may earn money from links on this page, but commission does not influence what we write or the products we recommend. AOL upholds a rigorous editorial process to ensure what we publish is fair, accurate and trustworthy. 

Mon, April 13, 2026 at 7:39 PM UTC

I’m the designated baker in my family, and this is where I find my ‘signature’ recipes

Any time there’s a birthday coming up in my family, I inevitably get the text message: “We’re having a party on Sunday — can you bake a cake?” For as long as I can remember, I’ve been my family’s designated baker, and honestly, I love it!

I happily bake birthday cakes, holiday treats, and cookies any time someone needs a pick-me-up, and over the years, I’ve discovered several ‘signature’ recipes that I turn to when I want to wow people. But let’s be honest: I didn’t come up with these recipes myself. Nope, most of them have come from various cookbooks that I’ve collected over the years.

In fact, almost all of my go-to recipes come from six main cookbooks that I keep in my kitchen at all times. They’re packed with phenomenal recipes that I come back to again and again, and if you’re looking to expand your own baking repertoire, I highly recommend adding these titles to your collection.

Without further ado, here are my top six baking cookbooks — as well as my favorite recipes in each one.

I first discovered Sarah Fennel of Broma Bakery on social media, and her fun, endearing personality instantly won me over. To support her, I purchased Sweet Tooth, her first cookbook, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since.

This cookbook is worth the price of admission for its chocolate chip cookie recipe alone. They’re aptly titled “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World,” and frankly, they might be. Everyone who’s tried them agrees they’re phenomenal, and my husband (not a huge dessert guy) asks for them at least once a month. I’m also really keen on the Fig & Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Bars, which are a great snack for summer gatherings.

Explore More Buying Options

There are very few cookbook authors whom I trust more than Sally McKenney. She’s the blogger behind Sally’s Baking Addiction, and her recipes are never anything less than fabulous. So when she released a new baking book last year, you know I snatched it up immediately.

Some of my favorites from this book include the carrot cake (which I just made for Easter) and millionaire’s shortbread, but there’s more than just sweets in this book: Sally’s double-crust pies are always on repeat in our dinner rotation, and her quiche makes a great brunch dish, too!

I have to make a confession: I own every single one of America’s Test Kitchen’s Perfect Baking Cookbooks. Every single one. However, this one — The Perfect Cookie — gets the most use in my kitchen. (What can I say, I love cookies!)

Whether you’re looking for a basic chocolate chip cookie or a fancy holiday treat, this cookbook has you covered. All the recipes are thoroughly tested and perfected by the experts at America’s Test Kitchen, and they always turn out flawlessly. My ‘signature’ baklava and buckeyes come from this book, and I also love the recipes for Oatmeal Fudge Bars, Molasses Spice-Lemon Cookies, and Peanut Butter Cookies.

I would be remiss if I didn’t include The Perfect Cake in here, as well. Another title from America’s Test Kitchen, this cookbook has every cake recipe you’ll ever need — and then some! The classic chocolate cake is always a hit for birthday parties, but my family also regularly requests the Flourless Chocolate Cake and Blueberry Boy Bait bars (yes, that’s really what they’re called).

Rounding out my must-have trifecta of America’s Test Kitchen Cookbooks is Everything Chocolate. It’s absolutely essential if you love all things chocolate, but it does have a few repeat recipes from other ATK baking cookbooks.

Still, this cookbook is full of richly decadent desserts that will fulfill even your worst cravings. If nothing else, you absolutely have to try the Hot Fudge Pudding Cake — the recipe seems kind of crazy, but I promise it’s absolutely delicious.

I love Jeni’s ice cream — but I don’t love paying a whopping $9 per pint! So when I discovered that the founder had released a cookbook with many of the brand’s signature recipes, I couldn’t click “Add to Cart” fast enough!

This award-winning cookbook is packed with all sorts of ice cream and sorbet recipes, including both classics and out-of-the-box flavors. It’s actually organized by season, which is a fun twist, and some of my repeat recipes are the Brown Butter Almond Brittle and Maple Ice creams. Yum!

More top-rated baking cookbooks

Prices were accurate at the time of publication. Curious about how we test and choose products at AOL? Here’s a quick explanation, from our editors.