A new cookbook is the gift that says “I know two things about you: You like it Star Wars and you like to bake.” For all those hard-to-buy-for people on your list, we’ve rounded up 17 hilarious cookbooks to appeal to your TikTok-obsessed nephew, sleep-addicted roommate, or boyfriend. it will really cook. If these recipe books don’t get you into the kitchen, at least they’re worth a laugh. Need more information? Check out our list of BA’s favorite cookbooks of 2022.
Inspired by the YouTube show You Breathe Cooking, these 60+ recipes promise to help home cooks struggle less in the kitchen. Each recipe is laced with so much cheeky humor that it’s a compelling read in its own right. But if you’re feeling apron-ready, it’ll help you pull together everything from a gas station shrimp platter to simple sandwiches like the bacon and cheese melt and desserts like mini ice cream sammies (don’t worry—like ice cream and store-bought ginger snaps).
You may have seen Snoop Dogg show off his culinary skills at the Emmy nomination Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. He now has his own cookbook with 50 delicious recipes straight from his personal collection (with an introduction by Marta at the beginning). It offers its signature gin and juices, snacks like Frito BBQ Twists and haute cuisine like Lobster Thermidor. Curious about what’s in Snoop’s fridge? Ranch Dressing, Dill Pickles and Moët. We’re ready for more celebrity cookbooks like this, please.
Horror movie fans wait all year for a spooky season, but there’s no reason to stop at costumes and fake blood. Horror caviar brings recipes inspired by iconic Hollywood horror, such as glow AND The witch. Why gorge yourself on store-bought candy when you can have homemade focaccia ‘n’ grain? It’s definitely an avant-garde cookbook – a recipe for lamb chops in marigold jelly inspired by Midsummer lists “silicon river rock molds” as a required cooking tool—but it makes for a spooky cocktail table book, perfect for all your Halloween parties and beyond.
Are you a sandwich enthusiast? Same here. Get new ideas on what to put between two slices of bread, straight from New York chef Tyler Kord. Its all-you-can-eat vibe features everything from a meatloaf sandwich with pho mayo and mint jelly to pumpkin parm with barbecue-flavored fries. None of the sandwiches involved are overly complicated to make, but they’re every bit as creative as the offerings at the trendy sandwich shop down the street.
This is the book you need when you’re in the kitchen after hours, looking for that third rum and coke. Recipes include everything from a Philly steak to Pakistani lamb kofta, all guaranteed to deliver comfort and nourishment no matter what you’re craving. Don’t worry – there are a number of checkpoints included to determine the reader’s drunken state (“If you’re trying to read this, then you probably shouldn’t be trying to cook”), and dangerous techniques like deep-frying are ruled out entirely. from the text. I don’t know if I’d have the ability to make Spicy Thai-Style Pork Burgers in a less sober state, but I sure would love to eat them.
Why is everyone on your social media having the same thing for dinner? The answer is likely to be TikTok. This book is filled with viral recipes and brand new recipes from the most popular TikTok food creators, plus tips and techniques from chefs who have entered the platform like Alex Guaranaschelli. Too lazy to read and follow the recipe? Each recipe has a QR code to scan so you can go straight to that maker’s page and watch along as they make it.
Whether you’re hosting a gathering for the bereaved or a dinner party for coworkers, comedian Amy Sedaris is here with a hilarious guide to being a good entertainer, no matter the occasion. There are recipes and tips for hosts, and tips for guests too (ie don’t be fifteen minutes early.) In our favorite section, “Be Prepared,” Sedaris shares her insights on what to keep in your medicine chest and what emergency numbers you should have on hand.
This cookbook inspired by your favorite hip hop artists manages to put a pun in the title of every recipe, from Ludacrispy Duck to Queen Labeefah and Tiramisu Elliott. We came for the lulz, but we stayed for the recipes that rely on pantry essentials and are quick to prepare. To stay completely on topic, cooking time is given in BPM (beats per minute).
If you’re wondering where you can find all the skills and recipes you need to survive a real-life zombie apocalypse, you’ve come to the right place. There are recipes for the meals featured on the show (Carl’s cookies, Maggie’s no-fork apple pies), along with a guide to foraging, hunting, and outdoor cooking. You’ll also find tips on how to make your own DIY fishing lines—information that can come in handy when trying to avoid being eaten by a walker.
Whether it’s the Bleu Is the Warmest Cheese Burger or the Bruschetta-Bout-It Burger that sparks your fancy, there’s a burger for everyone. Hungry fans can now recreate one of Bob Belcher’s Burgers of the Day specialties with 75 recipes straight from the show. The best part? The book is fully illustrated in the style of the series and features the entire Belcher family, so you can get fully into character. Don’t worry if you feel a knock coming on.
We are we I tweet. We are in recipes. So this collection of 140-character recipes makes perfect sense to us. The cookbook includes a glossary of common Twitter abbreviations. What about recipes? With dishes like migas & salsa verde and coffee-stuffed dates, our interest is piqued.
Chicken, but sex? And delicious too. This parody of Fifty Shades of Grey features—you guessed it—50 recipes for everyone’s favorite bird. The photography is beautiful, and the dishes, like bacon-wrapped wings and sticky chicken fingers, sound like something we’d want to get down and dirty with.
of Star Trek Cookbook begins by asking these important questions: “Is there a food that humans, Klingons, Bajorans, and Vulcans would like? If so, what would it taste like? How would you make it? Can you find all the ingredients locally ?” This is a treasure trove of a cookbook for Trekkies, who will appreciate the nods to everyone’s favorite characters in the recipe titles. But even those unfamiliar with the show can find a lot to love in the recipes: We’re on board with Vulcan Apple Pastry, even if we don’t quite get it.
This compilation of our favorite rockers’ favorite recipes may lean heavily on kitsch, but it’s too clever not to enjoy. Dig into thrash kabobs, metallic mushroom tuna melts and… hummus? This funny cookbook inspired us to bring back the kitchen playlist. Rock on.
Are you undecided? Do you have a tendency to swear? Have we got a cookbook for you? What the F*@# should I have for dinner? seeks to answer an age-old question with the worst mouth. Step-by-step recipes, such as “Honor the Mighty Pig Lord with Some Prosciutto and Balsamic Glazed Melons,” are light and profane.
It’s Wookiee Cookies made by wookiees, or are they just wookiees’ favorite candy? Only reading this cookbook will provide the answers. In short, our favorite recipe from the collection is Boba Fett-uccine. The cookbook also includes tips for children; whether Star Wars References are what it takes to make kids cook, we’re all for it.
Breakfast after you open The Drunk Cookbookgrab a coffee spoon and get the “how addicted, exactly” assessment you are. The Hungover Cookbook. The recipes lean toward comfort food, and while we’re not convinced that lemon and demerara sugar pancakes will cure all that ails us, damn it, we’ll give it a try.
This piece was originally published in 2014 and was updated in 2022.
