The 25 Best Cookbooks by Great British Baking Show Contestants

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One of the most soothing shows on television is The Great British Baking Show (also called The Great British Bake Off), which features a group of amateur bakers competing for the title. Judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, the contestants square off in a variety of themes—bread, dessert, pastry, and more—and try to impress with flavor, innovation, and absolutely no soggy bottoms.

Hollywood and Leith are both prolific authors—Hollywood has written nine books, and Leith has published 12 cookbooks, seven novels, and two memoirs. Former judge Mary Berry, too, has also penned numerous cookbooks, and an updated version of her Baking Bible came out this past spring. (If we included all of Hollywood, Leith, and Berry's books, we'd be here all day!)

"My husband complains, because people say to him all the time, 'Oh, you're married to the Bake Off lady. You must get wonderful cake at home.' And he says, 'If you only knew. My house is at the cake free zone! She never bakes, and I wish I'd married Mary Berry. I should have married Mary Berry!'" Leith joked to Town & Country.

On The Great British Baking Show, competitors have to submit completely original recipes ahead of each episode. Therefore, many of them were recipe writers before they even wrote cookbooks. Without further ado, here are 25 of the best cookbooks from bakers who have competed on The Great British Baking Show:

Nadiya Bakes: Over 100 Must-Try Recipes for Breads, Cakes, Biscuits, Pies, and More: A Baking Book

Nadiya Hussain won The Great British Bake Off season six, and has since become a household name. When she won, Hussain said, "I'm never gonna put boundaries on myself ever again. I'm never gonna say I can't do it. I'm never gonna say 'maybe'. I'm never gonna say, 'I don't think I can.' I can and I will." She has since presented other cooking shows, The Chronicles of Nadiya, Nadiya's British Food Adventure, and Nadiya Bakes, and released seven (!!) cookbooks. This one, Nadiya Bakes, features 100 simple recipes for just about every baked good.

Cook As You Are: Recipes for Real Life, Hungry Cooks, and Messy Kitchens: A Cookbook

Ruby Tandoh, a runner-up on season four of Bake Off, has written several books, but it's Cook As You Are that's our favorite. Intentionally published without photos, Tandoh's book is meant to help those who are short on time, and don't want to make something elaborate every evening. Publisher's Weekly called it a "no-fuss guide to feeding loved ones and themselves."

The German Baking Book: Cakes, Tarts, Breads, and More from the Black Forest and Beyond

Liam Charles Cheeky Treats: 70 Brilliant Bakes and Cakes

Liam Charles didn't make it to the final of The Great British Bake Off season eight, but that didn't stop him from becoming a fan favorite and a judge on Junior Bake Off. He's since published two cookbooks; this one, Cheeky Treats, is for those with a super sweet tooth, and is broken down into five sections; Sweet, Savory, Nostalgia, Simple, and "Celebrate."

Celebrate with Kim-Joy: Cute Cakes and Bakes to Make Every Occasion Joyful

"When I think of celebrations, I think of food, colour and joy," Bake Off season nine runner-up Kim-Joy writes in the intro to her cookbook. "So this book is full of just that!" Her cookbook is focused on celebrations: birthdays, holidays, weddings, and more. Plus, Kim-Joy provides gluten-free and vegan alternatives.

Super Sourdough: The Foolproof Guide to Making World-Class Bread at Home

Scottish doctor James Morton was a runner up on Bake Off season three, and has since applied his focus to the world of bread. A self-described "baking pedant and fermentation fanatic," his Super Sourdough cookbook is the perfect starter (no pun intended) guide to all things sourdough.

Good to Eat: Feel Good Food to Energize You for Life

For Bake Off season 10 winner David Atherton, eating healthy doesn't mean eating foods you hate."People often think that healthy eating means restricting foods or counting calories. But for me this form of 'healthy eating' was not sustainable. Plus, it was dull. I hated cutting out the food I loved best - bread, cake, pizza, Yorkshire puddings! That realization changed how I approached food. Food should be healthy, but so should our relationship with food. So instead of depriving myself of my favorite dishes, I found new, easy ways to make them better for me," Atherton explained. Nutritious and delicious!

Chetna's 30 Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals

Chetna Makan, who placed fourth in Bake Off season five and won the 2016 edition of the Festive Bake Off, is known for her Indian home cooking and creative flavor combinations. She has five cookbooks, but this is our favorite because of the accessibility of the 30 minute recipe time. Her main piece of advice? "Don't rush the eating part—you have done the hard work and saved yourself time to relax and fully enjoy the flavourful food!"

A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood

The first cookbook by Benjamina Ebuehi, a contestant on Bake Off season seven, was all about cake—60 recipes just focused on cake. Her second, A Good Day to Bake, features sweet and savory recipes that center how therapeutic baking can be. "I want this book to help us all remember and hold on to those moments of pause," she writes. "Every day could do with a bit more slowing down, a little more stirring, kneading, folding and peering into the oven watching bread puff up like magic. More than what the end result looks like, the route to get there can be just as fulfilling." The chapters are grouped by ingredients, and the photography is beautiful (Ebuehi also works as a food stylist).

Giuseppe's Italian Bakes: Over 60 Classic Cakes, Desserts and Savory Bakes

Season 12 winner Giuseppe Dell'Anno incorporated his Italian heritage into many of his bakes—and now, you can, too. Giuseppe's Italian Bakes feature focaccia, pannacotta, tiramisù, rum baba, piadine, Sicilian cannoli, pizza, all using his father's notes as inspiration.

Comfort: Delicious Bakes & Family Treats

Season seven winner Candice Brown's Comfort cookbook is all about food that brings you comfort. The recipes within the pages are include recipes meant for baking with kids, holidays, afternoon tea, and quick bakes for busy week nights. Her second book, Happy Cooking, is similarly targeted at comfort—and how to make your kitchen your happy place.

Bake Yourself Happy: Recipes for delicious bakes with a dollop of joy

Steph Blackwell, a finalist on season 10, has been open about her mental health struggles with depression, disordered eatings, and anxiety—and how baking has been therapeutic. "Putting yourself forward for the nation's biggest baking show isn't exactly meditative, however, the experience was life-changing and my appearance on the show has afforded me incredible opportunities like this one: writing about the two things that I'm passionate about, baking and happiness," Blackwell writes in the introduction.

The Seasonal Baker: Baking All Year Round

Michelle Evans-Fecci, who also competed on Steph Blackwell and David Atherton's season, published a cookbook centered on seasonal bakes and growing your own produce. She has recipes on jams, winter cookies, summer cakes, and more. It's a delight.

The Wicked Baker: Cakes and treats to die for

Helena Garcia remained committed to her witchy aesthetic throughout her season of Bake Off, even though she was sent home in the fifth episode. (She was also on season 10, along with many bakers on this list.) Garcia's cookbook The Wicked Baker is perfect for Halloween—or creepy bakes all year round. From a cinnamon role resembling a brain to a vampire tears cake, it's perfectly spooky.

Crave: Brilliantly indulgent recipes

Martha Collison, Bake Off's youngest-ever contestant at age 17 on season five, made it to the quarter finals. Her second cookbook, Crave, focuses on eight key categories: citrus, fruit, nut, spice, chocolate, caramel, cheese, and alcohol, and spotlights Collison's favorite recipes in each category.

Simply Vegan Baking: Taking the Fuss Out of Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Breads, and Desserts

Freya Cox made history as the first vegan contestant to appear on Bake Off, and she's continuing her focus on the vegan diet by publishing 70 recipes for vegan baked goods, including sugar cookies, scones, and tiramisu. Throughout, she includes tips on her transition to veganism, and makes sure to only use ingredients found in all large supermarkets—to challenge the assumption that vegan baking requires super specialty ingredients.

Supper: Recipes Worth Staying in For

Supper, Flora Shedden writes, is "the perfect balance of casual and considered dining." But it doesn't matter what you call your evening meal—she just wants to make sure you enjoy it, and it isn't too hard to make. The aim of Supper is to spark, or reignite, a love of cooking at home. Shedden competed on season six of Bake Off, and has since opened her own bakery in Scotland.

Small Batch Bakes: Baking cakes, cookies, bars and buns for one to six people

Edd Kimber, the first-ever Bake Off winner, has been busy since his season aired 2010. One of his newer cookbooks, Small Batch Bakes, is perfect for small households, or when you just want one single cookie. Also check out One Tin Bakes and Patisserie Made Simple.

Peter Bakes

Peter Sawkins became the youngest ever winner of the Great British Bake Off in 2020. His debut cookbook, Peter Bakes, features very easy-to-follow recipes. "The book is full of my favourite sweet recipes to bake and eat," he posted on Instagram. Bonus: Every recipe has gluten-free modifications, so you will be able to make all of these even if you are gluten free.

A Flash in the Pan: Simple, speedy stovetop recipes

John Whaite won the third season of Bake Off back in 2012. After winning, he studied at Le Cordon Bleu in London, and then started writing his own cookbooks. A Flash in the Pan is his most recent book, and exclusively features recipes you can cook in—you guessed it!—a pan.

Showstopping Cakes: Mastering the Art and Science of Baking

Rahul Mandal won Bake Off in 2018, and has since garnered a huge Instagram following—so it only makes sense his cookbook, Showstopping Cakes, is how to make beautiful creations that are absolutely social media-worthy. As the publisher writes, "This is the handbook that Rahul wishes he’d had when he started baking and should be the book that all aspiring bakers turn to when they want to create a cake for a special occasion."

Baking Imperfect: Crush, Whip and Spread It Like Nobody's Watching

Lottie Bedlow competed on Bake Off in 2020, and her cookbook is focused on how you don't need to be perfect. As she wrote in an essay, "Baking—which had begun as my secret hobby and turned into a personal, creative outlet—was now a hilarious and messy process that I actually enjoyed sharing with others. The sense that we were ‘all in this together’ was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I want to give other people that feeling. That is why I’ve written Baking Imperfect. To encourage anyone who feels nervous about baking to give it a go, and to push more experienced bakers to challenge themselves. What is the worst that can happen?"

Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists

Recent Bake Off finalist Crystelle Pereira (she was on season 12) has her debut cookbook coming out this spring. "The best way to describe Flavour Kitchen is that it’s me in a book," she wrote on Instagram. "It’s a mix of baking and cooking, sweet and savoury, with over 70 recipes representing EVERYTHING I love about food. And there are plenty of veggie and vegan dishes, whilst many of the others have vegan substitutes!!" We can't wait to read it.

How Baking Works: And What to Do When It Doesn't

Simple French Baking: A Simple French Baking Love Story

Another upcoming book comes from Manon Lagrève, who competed on Bake Off season nine. Her debut cookbook features French cuisine—and proves that "elegant French baking does not have to be difficult or pretentious to make."

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