Phoenix- The CODES List, a committee of the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), has announced the 2025 selection of essential cookbooks for public libraries. Essential Cookbooks 2025: The CODES List highlights titles for both avid home chefs and those just learning the rewards of making a meal. The list further supports those who appreciate the many joys of reading cookbooks, even if they rarely venture into the kitchen. As judged by librarians who cooked from them and hosted book groups about them, these are the cookbooks from 2025 that will stand the test of time, become reliable favorites, and nourish readers. This juried list marks an initiative from CODES to help librarians identify works destined to become the backbone of our most popular collections, works that serve as sure bets for readers and standards of their genre. Look for more lists in the coming years addressing additional topics vital to public libraries.
The list was announced Sunday, January 26, 2025 during the Book & Media Awards Ceremony at ALA LibLearnX.
The 2025 selections are:
100 Afternoon Sweets: with Snacking Cakes, Brownies, Blondies and More by Sarah Kieffer. Chronicle Books. 9781797216188.
For those with free afternoons, work your way through Kieffer’s 15 one bowl wonders in the first section. Just the variety of these offerings will keep you interested before moving on to the remaining seven delicious chapters. With readily available ingredients, you can satisfy your sweet cravings and no one will ever know if you indulge in the morning or evening.
Baking in the American South: 200 Recipes and Their Untold Stories by Anne Byrn. Harper Celebrate, an imprint of HarperCollins. 9780785291336.
Byrn, a native Southerner and food historian, draws from heirloom cookbooks and documents to describe how traditions, geography and culture shaped cooking trends and food development. Pound cake and cornbread are familiar to most, but less well-known regional recipes such as Baltimore Berger Cookies and Cantaloupe Cream Pie are highlights.
Big Book of Bread: 125+ Recipes for Every Baker by Jessica Battilana. Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. 9781668009741.
Beginners and experienced bakers will enjoy the well-illustrated, detailed instructions for making all kinds of yeast, sourdough, and festive breads, like challah and babka. There is a wealth of information about necessary tools, types of flour, starters and baker’s math as well. The experts from King Arthur’s Flour provide a wealth of delectable recipes, with clear step by step instructions.
Bodega Bakes: Recipes for Treats and Sweets Inspired by My Corner Store by Paola Velez, Union Square & Co., LLC, a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing Co, Inc. 9781454952374.
Combining her Dominican heritage with years growing up in New York City, Velez offers a refreshing take on unique and mouth-watering sweet creations. With her signature can-do approach and coaching style, she offers unique flavor combinations and stunning photographic examples of her recipes that encourage home bakers to explore their surroundings and take on new challenges. Start with her multiple versions of her signature Thick-Ems cookies as the gateway treat to make everything else in the book.
Chocolate Lover: A Baking Book by Michele Song. Chronicle Books. 9781797215914.
Too much of a good thing doesn’t apply here. Satisfy your chocolate needs with a mix of traditional and innovative recipes for all types of desserts. Start simple with the Anytime Chocolate Snack Cake and the Very Best Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Food Book: the Stories, Science, and Histories of What We Eat. Dorling Kindersley, an imprint of Penguin Random House. 9780593842706.
The food-curious will not be disappointed with this fascinating deep dive into the history of food. With a multitude of colorful illustrations and photographs, this title is both a useful research tool and a browser’s delight. Over 200 food groups from around the globe are examined, and readers will discover things to eat and drink that might surprise (or repulse) them!
Hot Sheet: Sweet and Savory Sheet Pan Recipes for Every Day and Celebrations by Olga Massov. Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins. 9780593842706.
Make your life easy and your eaters happy with these pantry-wise creations that use just a simple sheet pan. Emerging home cooks and seasoned pros will find recipes to encourage and elevate their kitchen knowledge and skills. The Gochujang Steak Fajitas with Kimchi, Onions and Peppers is a umami bomb, and do not miss the “Make Someone Happy” Cake.
Italian Snacking by Anna Francese Gass. Union Square & Co., a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 9781454949756.
From breakfast to desserts, this book has a wide variety of treats from all regions of Italy. Well-detailed instructions and beautiful photographs accompany recipes for all cooking levels. Whether you want to indulge in Fried Calzones for lunch or Lemon Ricotta and Semolina Cake with Boozy Blueberries for dessert, there are many savory and sweet options to choose from.
Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking by Joe Yonan. Ten-Speed Press. 9781984860644.
Discover the beautiful and nutritious world of plant-based cooking withYonan’s exhaustive compendium. More than 300 thorough recipes help readers create a vegan pantry that can be used in place of store-bought counterparts. This foundational title includes weekday recipes such as Lentil-Walnut Picadillo and weekend projects like Eggplant & Artichoke Pastitsio.
Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy, Savory Recipes for 24/7 Deliciousness by Jesse Sheehan. Countryman Press, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company. 9781682688694.
Sheehan’s latest book focuses on the savory aspect of snack recipes. This title is a great resource for all skill levels and the ingredients are very easy to find. Start with the beautifully photographed cover recipe for Salami, Brie, and Figgy Mini Pies and work your way to recipes like the Cheesy Butter-Swim Old Bay Biscuits.
What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers. Union Square & Co., a subsidiary of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 9781454952718.
Chambers focuses on delicious food with minimal effort, and organizes this book by preparation time – from shopping to having food on the table. Many tips, swaps,and shortcuts offer options for each recipe, which makes it easy for anyone to find something they like, with the ingredients at hand. Dilly Chop with Salt & Vinegar Chippies is an example of powerful flavor that comes together quickly to save the day.
Zoë Bakes Cookies: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Favorite Cookies and Bars by Zoë Franςois. Ten-Speed Press. 9781984860804.
Hungry for something sweet? Then start baking cookies from Franςois’ latest title which shares her life story through a variety of recipes. The first sixty pages are devoted to the “cookie academy” along with information about ingredients, decorating, and equipment. She also calls out those recipes which are nut-free, dairy-free, or gluten-free.
Essential Cookbooks 2023: The CODES List committee includes: Dodie Ownes, Denver Public Library, CO, chair; Barbara Bibel, retired; Ron Block, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH; Edward Kownslar, Stephen F. Austin State University, TX; Jean Moats, Johnson & Wales University, NC; Holly Skir, Touro University; Christa Van Herreweghe, Kirkwood Public Library, MO.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more at www.rusaupdate.org.