Our Favorite Bread Making Cookbooks

When it comes to cookbooks of any kind, we definitely indulge. We flip and examine the pages of any books that we can get our hands on and examined we did. When you are learning a new craft, it’s a great idea to flip through as many resources as possible to get an idea of different approaches. We combed through many cookbooks dedicated to bread and these are our absolute favorite.

For BEGINNERS

The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook by Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez

The famed New York bakery teaches the basics of bread making, covering unleavened and leavened flatbreads, crusty loafs and rolls. Unlike the majority of approaches, the recipes don’t call for a starter or levin, rather, they rely on a pâte fermentée, a technique that incorporates dough made from a previous bread recipe.  Recipes also include dishes from around the world, inspired by their global kitchen staff including Albanian Cheese Triangles and Tibetan Momos.

The Cult Favorite

Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson

If you make pilgrimages for bread, then Tartine Bakery in San Francisco should be high up on your list. Chad Robertson, and his many bakeries, has amassed a cult following since he started turning out loaves in 2002.  This edition, the bakery has four books total, explores naturally leavened breads, but also includes recipes for olive oil brioche, croissants, in addition to their signature basic country loaf. Chances are if you are making bread you will have leftovers, but waste not, chapter four shines a spotlight on day-old breads with recipes like involtini and baked French toast. 

The Fundamentals

Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish

Ken Forkish opened Ken’s Artisan Bakery in Portland, Oregon in 2001 after taking a leap of faith by quitting his corporate job, after coming across an article about the famed Parisian baker Lionel Poilâne.  He was immediately hooked and delved head-first into his new passion. When it comes to baking bread, the majority of bakers rely on an electric scale and measurements in grams, but this book is friendlier to the average baker in that it includes cup conversions.  Further, he also outlines working with pre-ferments, biga and poolish. 

The Award-Winner

Sourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets, Savories, And More by Sarah Owens

Baker Sarah Owens will open your eyes to just how versatile a sourdough starter can be—for starters, pun intended, it isn’t just for bread.  The James Beard Award Winning book outlines the basics of making bread including the terminology, techniques and how to stock your pantry, with heritage grains of course. Part two delves into seasonal baking with the Seeded Turmeric and Leek Levain loaf and the Nettle and Ale Bread.  Readers will be delighted to discover that they can incorporate their levain into everything from buttermilk biscuits to strawberry coffee cake.

The Classic Book

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart

When this award-winning and best-selling book was first released in 2002, it became an instant hit.  Reinhart demonstrates through step-by-step imagery how to shape various breads including a bâtard and impressive scissor cuts along with the twelve essential stages of making bread.  Readers can rely on one of the leaders in artisanal bread making in the US to guide them through recipes like pain à l’ancienne and Pugliese. 

SHOP OUR FAVORITES

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