Spoil Your Gluten-Free Friends With These 5 Cookbooks

Megan McKenna is a UK MasterChef finalist, so you know this book is as legit as it gets. Containing over 80 mouth-watering gluten-free recipes — you can cook up a storm in your kitchen and answer the question “Can You Make That Gluten-Free?” yourself. *Spoiler* The answer is heck yes! All it takes is swapping the right ingredients and a bit of food science.

The Loopy Whisk blog by Katerina Cermelj has single-handedly saved so many gluten-free folks (myself included). She has a seemingly never-ending catalog of sweet treats and baked goods recipes, including her infamous GF tortilla recipe that is — not to be dramatic — PERFECT. I mean, it’s better than fully-loaded glutenous tortillas, she has made the burrito dreams of so many GF folks come true. Okay, but enough of my praise towards the gluten-free fairy godmother, her cookbook is an absolute gem. If you want to show some love to the gluten-free homie or family member in your life (and also to this wonderful human) buying her cookbook is a MUST.

If you or someone you love is a) gluten-free and b) loves to bake, chances are there is a long-standing, complicated relationship with ingredients xanthan gum or guar gums. Look, there are times these mysterious additive powders majorly assist in a baking pinch, but more often than not, they lend their presence to rubbery textures and more, unnecessary chemicals in your diet. So if you love all the super gluten-y products — pizzas, bagels, cakes, pastries and the rest — buying this book is non-negotiable for enjoying those tasty, tasty foods without shredding your or your loved one’s stomach.

Sometimes after receiving a celiac diagnosis or being informed that the suspicions were true, there’s a gluten intolerance, all you or the GF person in your life wants is to get back to cooking basics. Without a major food group, it's like having to learn to cook all over again. Luckily, there are cookbooks like this one from Lindsay Garza that take all the fuss out of figuring out what can or can’t be eaten just yet (still important to do at some point). But the main point is mindless cooking is less of an option when something that used to be a staple in your diet is now on the persona non grata list. This book takes away the overthinking on your end and breaks down simple, yet hearty meals listed out for you, all you have to do is buy the ingredients and throw ‘em together.

Like other authors on this list, Becky Excell saw a need in her gluten-free community and committed to meeting it. Forget about forgetting all the foods you love, because YES! You most definitely can make it gluten-free, you can make it so GF that you can’t even taste or tell by its texture that it is GF. And the choir of groaners at family cookouts when something is announced to be “gluten-free” will be a lot quieter. For even more recipes from Excell, you can check out her Instagram and enjoy them on top of the ones in this cookbook.