The 6 Best Sustainable Cookbooks for the Holiday Season

As we gather around the table this season, the meals we prepare become more than nourishment; they become gestures of care. Not only for the people we love, but for the world that sustains us. Last year, we explored how conscious cooking can transform the holidays in our feature on the Best Cookbooks for Sustainable Recipes, guiding readers toward a more mindful kitchen. This year, we continue that journey.

The Farm Table

The first thing to think about when centering your Christmas menu around sustainability is what food is in season in your region. In Julius Roberts’ cookbook The Farm Table, he takes you through the seasons and highlights the ingredients that are best to use when they are in season. During the winter, he features hearty stews with pumpkin, sage, and sausage, and flavorful one-pan chicken fennel orzo dishes sure to satisfy warm holiday cravings.

Wild Sweetness

Wild Sweetness is an exciting cookbook to come out of Australia, featuring recipes with nature at the center. There are 95 desserts following seasonal themes and highlighting the extraordinary, multi-layered flavor profiles of sweetness. Thalia has crafted the book in such a way that you feel like you are reading a novel rather than a cookbook because all of your senses come to life. The holiday recipes are sure to be showstoppers for the dessert course.

Delia’s Happy Christmas

For desserts, a can’t-miss cookbook for the holidays is Delia’s Happy Christmas. What is great about the book is that it features many vegetarian and pescatarian recipes, so everyone can enjoy flavorful meals this holiday season. Replacing the meat in dishes is made easy with this book, and a standout for the tablescape is the Luxuriant Vegetable Pie, which cooks in just 40 minutes.

Planet-Friendly Baking

From traditional bakes to new twists on the classics, Planet-Friendly Baking brings you all the recipes you need for a sustainable holiday season. Focusing on minimal waste and using all ingredients, your desserts will be set up for success when following this fabulous cookbook. You will do more than bake—you will learn about energy-saving techniques, the art of seasonal cooking, and how to produce showstopping bakes for the holidays.

I’ll Bring Dessert

I’ll Bring Dessert was an exciting new publication in 2024 and should be at the top of everyone’s list to either receive as a gift or try out a recipe from this holiday season. Benjamina Ebuehi makes desserts accessible and alleviates the stress of bringing dessert to a holiday function with 70 easy-to-make bakes. There is a little bit of something for everyone in this book, from gluten-free to vegan. Despite the recipes being simple, they bring depth of flavor and flair that will light up any room.