Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
I’m on maternity leave! During this time, a few of my favorite authors offered to step up and write guest posts so that this blog would remain active while I adjust to my new role as a mother. I may also be a bit slower to respond. Thanks for understanding and for being so supportive of me, my family, and my blog. Want to donate a few dollars to keep this blog running or perhaps contribute to my diaper fund? You can do so on Venmo or Paypal.
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
This is a guest post from Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman. Kristin is a trained chef, cookbook author, baking educator, and the voice behind the popular baking website BakerBettie.com.
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
I started learning how to bake when I was 19 years old and living on my own for the first time. I had never even baked something from a box mix before. Needless to say, I was absolutely clueless about how baking worked.
The first thing I made was the chocolate chip cookies from the recipe on the back of the bag. I distinctly remember packing as much flour as I could fit into my measuring cup- something I quickly learned was not correct. I also know I used margarine instead of real butter because I truly didn’t know the difference. The cookies turned out somewhat okay, but I had greatly underestimated how much a recipe assumes you already know.
Becoming a confident baker took a ton of trial and error, obsessively reading and researching, and a lot of frustration. And since I struggled so much to come to a place of baking confidence I have made it my life’s mission to help others along the way so their journey is a bit less bumpy.
If you are a beginning baker or someone who is a bit frustrated with the process, I want to let you know that I’ve been there and I promise that if you keep at it you will find your footing. I also want to share with you some of my favorite baking cookbooks that will help you along the way. These books will help you figure out not just what to bake, but how to bake.
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book
by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
I often refer to my book, Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book, as the book I wished I had when I was first learning how to bake. This book is far more than a recipe book. It breaks down basic baking science and mixing methods in an easily digestible way. This book is perfect for adults and younger bakers alike.
The highly encourage you to read it through fully starting with the first section that goes through ingredient functions and how ingredients work together in baking. This section will build your foundational knowledge of how baking works.
As you get into the recipes sections, you will learn step-by-step the most essential mixing methods in baking as well as the recipes that utilize these mixing methods. All of the recipes in the book are customizable master recipes meaning that you can utilize the recipe in their base form or come up with your own flavor variations.
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
Rose’s Baking Basics
by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Rose Levy Beranbaum is known for her top-notch baking books. Her book, The Baking Bible, is one of my alltime favorite cookbooks. However, for beginners, you really can’t go wrong with her book on baking basics!
She does not skimp on the step-by-step pictures (there are over 600 of them!) which will really ensure that you understand exactly what every stage of the process should look like. Rose also gives you all of her baking tips and tricks along the way to really ensure your success! The recipes included in this book are absolute classics and ones that will become staples in your repertoire.
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
The Flavor Bible
by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page
I cannot recommend the flavor bible enough for beginner or experienced bakers alike. Think of it as an ingredient dictionary that tells you what other flavors pair well with the ingredient you looked up. Each ingredient also has a list of a variety of combinations you can use with it.
This book is such a great resource as you are trying to develop flavors and play with recipes. I reference it all the time! It would be such a great book to pair with the customizable master recipes from The Better Baking Book!
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
Bread Baking for Beginners
by Bonnie Ohara
If you’re ready to dive into bread baking but find it intimidating, you definitely should check out Bread Baking for Beginners! This book will eliminate any confusion you have about how bread baking works and make you feel super confident with it!
What I love so much about this book is that the author starts out with the easiest kinds of breads and then builds on the skills as you go through. By the end of the book you will even be baking sourdough bread!
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
The Book on Pie
by Erin Jeanne McDowell
Erin Jeanne McDowell has created a masterclass on pie with her book, The Book on Pie! This book literally contains everything you ever wanted to know about how to make pie. From making and baking the perfect pie crust to making a huge variety of fillings and toppings.
I absolutely love how this book doesn’t stop at the basics. Rather, once you master all of the classic recipes she shows you how to elevate them and make super creative crusts and flavor combinations. This is a book you will reference time and time again anytime you’re in the mood to bake a pie!
I hope you find this list helpful on your baking journey! Becoming a confident baker can take a little time and a lot of practice, but with the right resources, the path will be much more clear. Remember that every bake is an opportunity to learn something new, even if it doesn’t turn out exactly as you hoped.
Happy baking!
Baker Bettie's 5 Favorite Cookbooks for Beginner Bakers: A Guest Post by Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman
