Skip to content
Open menu Close menu

Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors

penguin logo

Christmas 2023 Gift Guide: Cookbooks to give as Secret Santa or stocking filler gifts

by Jessica Lockyer-Palmer

published on 6 November 2023

From show-stopping cocktails to cheese pairings, and even Heinz ketchup, these small but mighty books make the best thoughtful, quirky gifts for any food and drink lover on your Christmas list.

Looking for more gifting inspiration? From the best vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, to the best cookbooks for bakers and the perfect recipe book for the cook who has everything, discover all of our Christmas gift guides here.

The Curious Cocktail Cabinet

by Hendrick’s Gin, Ally Martin

Every gin lover will be familiar with a Hendrick’s Gin & Tonic. In the Scottish gin company’s beautifully designed first book you’ll find summer stunners, winter warmers, and clever twists on old favourite cocktails – the ultimate addition to any drinks trolley!

The Cheese Wheel

by Emma Young

If you’ve got a cheese connoisseur or just a passionate cheese lover to shop for this Christmas, this is a one-stop guide to the world of cheese. Learn how to curate the perfect cheeseboard, pair it successfully with the right drink, and discover the finest new cheeses from around the world in this beautifully designed book.

Food on the Go Chilly's

Food on the Go

by Chilly’s

From the pioneers of reusable bottles and containers comes this collection of 75 easy, healthy, and tasty meals to suit all tastes. Whether you’re an avid meal prepper or just want to up your packed lunch game, there’s something everyone in this book, with recipes such as ramen, salmon poke bowls, and plenty of inspo for delicious wraps and sandwiches.

Bakes That Break The Internet

by Kat Buckley

This is the go-to guide to the internet’s most-loved cakes. Find the perfect easy recipes for recreating the decadent and indulgent snacks filling your TikTok For You Page. From Jammy Dodger ice cream to Nutella freakshakes, prepare to spice up your baking and your Instagram!

Pigs in Blankets

by The Jolly Hog

The ultimate cookbook for fans of this classic Christmas accompaniment, Pigs in Blankets features fifty bacon and sausage recipes to intrigue, inspire and delight. Proving that PIBs aren’t just the reserve of the festive season, the book also features ideas for every season, from barbecue dishes to winter warmers.

The Tofoo Cookbook

by The Tofoo Co.

Find simple, accessible recipes from the UK’s favourite tofu brand, Tofoo. Readers will learn how to whip up easy weekday meals, meat-free versions of comfort classics, desserts, snacks and everything in between in this fun and endlessly useful cookbook.

Heinz Cookbook

The Heinz Cookbook

by Heinz

This Heinz ketchup lover’s dream cookbook features one hundred inspired ways to use the nation’s favourite condiment in your everyday cooking. Incorporate it into marinades, sauces and more to create myriad dishes with the magic ketchup touch.

Rainbow Bowls

Rainbow Bowls

by Niki Webster

Eat the rainbow with forty accessible, vibrant and flavourful recipes from Niki Webster, the food writer and photographer behind Rebel Recipes. Layered with flavour and nutrients, these vegan treats will delight the plant-based cook on your Christmas list.

The Alcorithm jacket

The Alcorithm

by Rob Buckhaven

As its title suggests, The Alcorithm uses a revolutionary algorithm to accurately predict the kinds of booze you’ll enjoy based on the flavours you love, from fruity to floral, smoky to sweet. For each of the key profiles in the flavour spectrum, Rob suggests myriad new drinks to try, helping to expand your repertoire of go-to tipples and grow your confidence in choosing alcohol you’re guaranteed to like. Innovative and approachable, it’ll totally transform the way you drink.

The Alchemist Cocktail Book

by The Alchemist

Become an expert mixologist with this boundary-breaking collection of cocktail recipes from the team behind the popular nationwide bars. With a focus on creativity and flair, these are recipes to take you far beyond the basics and to help you inject a little theatre into your at-home cocktail making.

Everything You Need to Know About Whisky

by Nick Morgan, The Whisky Exchange

Take a deep dive into the wonderful world of whisky with this compact little guide exploring everything from the process behind the perfect Scotch to insider tips on how to find your new favourite whisky, plus plenty of whisky-based cocktails to try.

Which Wine When

by Claire Strickett, Albert Blaize

Which Wine When is a wine and food pairing guide for anyone who finds themselves struggling to pick a bottle of wine based on anything more than an attractive label. Divided into chapters for specific dishes and styles, from home-cooked classics to takeaways to snacks and nibbles, it offers a host of potential wine pairings, making it much easier to choose what to drink with dinner.

Fizz: 80 Joyful Cocktails And Mocktails For Every Occasion

Fizz

by Olly Smith

The perfect gift for Christmas, this recipe book celebrates the art of cocktail making. From Champagne to cava, cider to beer, even soda to kombucha (for the teetotallers), Olly Smith collates 80 simple cocktail and mocktail recipes for every occasion. Our favourite? The Sherbet Fizz Mocktail.

The Hot Sauce Cookbook

by Heather Thomas

A brilliant guide to cooking creatively with chilli sauces, this little book shows how to add flavour and intensity to meals using popular spicy sauces, from Thai sweet chilli to Sriracha. One for the chilli fiends.

Eat to Sleep

by Heather Thomas, Alina Tierney

Getting a good night’s sleep can be easily affected by what we eat and when we eat it, so for anyone in your life having trouble with getting a good kip, this cookbook could be the winning ticket. With eighty recipes, plus tips and advice, this handbook will spell out how to eat the right foods at the right time to help keep those sleep hormones in check.

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich: 60 Unbrielievably Delicious Recipes

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

by Sian Henley

This fun little cookbook is a celebration of the grilled cheese sandwich in all of its forms. From breakfast and brunch to something sweet, this cookbook will inspire you to branch out beyond the conventional cheese toastie.

Share

You might also like


View all

Book Collections

Christmas 2024 Gift Guide: The best cookbooks for bakers

Find the perfect gift for the star baker in your life with our pick of the best cookbooks on baking.

Book Collections

The best cookbooks of 2024

Discover new releases by Bored of Lunch, Jamie Oliver, Ottolenghi, Nicola Lamb, The Batch Lady, and more.

Book Collections

The ultimate guide to Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks

Discover the best Jamie Oliver cookbooks, including 5 Ingredients, One, Together, The Naked Chef, and more.

newsletter

Subscribe to The Happy Foodie email newsletter

Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every week