If we could just recommend just one cookbook, it would be ANY of the America’s Test Kitchen Young Chefs Cookbooks. There are several books in this series and they are all absolutely FANTASTIC!

Not only do these cookbooks teach the basics like how to grate
cheese and the difference between hard boiled, scrambled and fried eggs; the recipes are easy and approachable without being boring or lackluster in flavor. Each book also includes a lot tips, like the proper way to plate and garnish a recipe, ways to change up a recipe and more.

Other books in the America’s Test Kitchen Young Chefs Cookbook
Series:

1. The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs: 100+ Sweet and Savory Recipes that You'll Love to Bake, Share and Eat!

(This is probably our favorite of all these cookbooks!)

2. The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists: Good Science Makes Great Food: 70+Recipes, Experiments, & Activities

3. My First Cookbook: Fun recipes to cook together . . . with as much mixing, rolling, scrunching, and squishing as possible!

If your child is a fan of those baking challenge shows like Cupcake Wars, Nailed It or Holiday Baking Championship, then this cookbook is for them!

In Super Good Baking for Kids, celebrity chef, Duff Goldman shares a variety of baking recipes for kids. From classics like Chocolate Chip Cookies, to more fun and elaborate decorated cakes like a bison decorated cake.

What we really like about this cookbook, in addition to the variety of recipes, is the VERY detailed recipe instructions and a TON of tips, facts and FUN ideas! This really is a fun and exciting kids' cookbook!

The Cooking Class series is another approachable kids cookbook that has step by step photos of kids making each recipe. We especially love Cooking Class Global Feast as it not only celebrates cultures from around the world with authentic recipes, like Irish soda bread, ANZAC biscuits and Ethiopian Atakilt Wat, it shares facts about different countries, as well as stories and photos of real kids from around the world.

The Food Network Magazine The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook and The Food Network Magazine The Big, Fun Kids Baking Book feature fun kid inspired twists on classic recipes. Think French Toast Pigs in a Blanket, Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Tacos and Ham and Cheese Wafflewiches.

In addition to fun and tasty recipes, seriously we want to
make each one, these cookbooks also have fun facts, food games and a photo
recipe index.

This cookbook is classic and has educated aspiring young chefs for decades (the first edition was published in 1955). The most current edition is full of bright colored photos and fun cartoon characters. The New Junior Cookbook teaches kids how to read and prepare a recipe, how to properly measure different ingredients, eat balanced meals, kitchen and food safety and different kitchen terms.

Each recipe has the ingredients and tools listed separately from the step-by-step directions, nutritional information, dietary exchanges, and full color photos of the completed recipes. Recipes include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts, party food and cater to different cooking abilities.

If you are wanting to spark an interest in cooking or baking in a child, we HIGHLY recommend gifting them a cookbook based around another interest, like this Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook for the biggest Harry Potter fans!

Compared to the other cookbooks on this list, this cookbook is very plain. No photos, no cooking tips or how-tos, however, it has a ton of recipes inspired by the books and is a fantastic way to get kids excited about cooking.

Note: This cookbook wasn’t specifically written for kids, and so the recipes may need more parent assistance. Also, just a heads up, some recipes call for alcohol.

This cookbook is very thorough and detailed in explaining cooking terminology and procedures to kids. Detailed explanations on how to be prepared, work cleanly, and illustrations of how to properly measure, chop, roll dough, crack eggs etc. There is also an illustrated guide to common kitchen tools and a chart of measurement equivalents.

Each recipe lists the ingredients and tools separately and have a few illustrations. Recipes also contain colored ‘caution’ icons at the top of each recipe indicating when recipes require a sharp knife, using an appliance, or a hot object.

Recipes include a brief forward by Emeril and most of the recipes include a side note with suggestions on what to serve with it, how to make a variation or a fun fact. This cookbook is huge and loaded with a variety of recipes.

This cookbook is chock full of color photos! There is a section with common kitchen tools with a color photo of each tool and then each recipe has multiple step-by-step color photos of kids preparing the recipe. All recipe directions are written exclusively for kids, with icons indicating when adult help is needed.

Recipes also include a list of tools needed, as well as prep and cook times and number of servings. This cookbook contains a special ‘how cooking works’ fact box for each recipe answering common kid cooking questions like, “Why do shrimp become pink when cooked?” and “Why do pancakes bubble when they cook?” Recipes include breakfast, meals, snacks and dessert. Most of the recipes are ‘basic’ and then give multiple examples of variations to change up the original basic recipe.

This cookbook contains helpful information with cartoon images of common kitchen tools, basic cooking tips and techniques, and a glossary of common cooking terms. The Cookbook for Kids contains recipes for breakfast, lunch, snacks and sweets. Each recipe has the ingredient listed separately from the directions and has measurements listed in cups and ounces/grams. Every recipe contains a ‘fun food fact” that is relevant to the recipe and is found clearly marked on the recipe in a colorful food graphic. Most of the recipes have beautiful full color photos of the completed recipe.