Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between—The Ultimate Guide to Savory Baked Goods for Every Meal of the Day

by Erin Jeanne McDowell

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Book on Pie and The Fearless Baker, a savory baking book for delicious baked goods at any time of day.

Savory Baking is the next best thing to a private baking and pastry class from star food stylist and baking expert Erin Jeanne McDowell, given in her signature fun and reassuring style. Not only are each of her recipes intensely crave-able, they also offer inventive inspirations and variations for endless, out-of-the-box customizations and more flexibility.

Take her Buttermilk Biscuits, for instance, which comes together in a single bowl. You can cut them in different shapes--Erin prefers squares so there's no scrap dough left. And she suggests adding cheese (or fresh herbs or bacon) for bolder flavor. Or substituting the buttermilk with sour cream or cr�me fraiche for a je ne sais quoi tang. Or adding her green chile gravy when serving. Or make a monkey bread made of biscuit dough! Or...

Chapters span all day (and night) for freshly baked goods whenever the mood strikes:

Easy and Essential BakesStovetop SavoriesYeasted DoughsPizzas, Flatbreads, and Stuffed BreadsPastriesSnacks, Bites, and AppsPies and Tarts And for those who can't shake the sugar, there are "sweet tooth breaks" throughout. With Erin's can-do encouragement, expert tips, and "Prep School" features to get you equipped with basic techniques throughout, this sweeping and beautifully photographed guide to savory baking will exponentially expand your savory baking repertoire with a ton of delicious fun.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Ebooks, Food and Drink

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2022

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really solid and expansive book filled with savory baking projects! Every recipe has a photo, and most of them have optional variations at the end of the recipe so you can use the base to make a variety of different flavor combos, which I thought was fun. Very excited to make some of these as soon as the weather cools down enough for me to stand having my oven on!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cookbook I might have to buy! While Erin McDowell loves sweets and as a baker makes plenty of them, she also likes the savory side of baking. And that is what this whole cookbook is about. There are seven chapters of recipe categories like easy and essential bakes, breads, pastries, etc. Each recipe includes lots of helpful tips, variations you can do with that recipe, and also a few sweet bakes thrown in as well. I could definitely see this cookbook being one you would refer back to over and over. There are TONS of recipes I'd like to try! If you are interested in more savory baking or just want to change things up a little from sweet to savory this is definitely a cookbook to check out!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this cookbook. I usually like to bake sweet, but this cookbook has turned me onto baking savory, as well as sweet. A few of my favorites: caramelized onion, balsamic and parmesan monkey break; gooey cheese-stuffed monkey bread; tamale pie-pie; broccoli and cheese bierocks; and my all-time favorite, kolaches.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ton of basic recipes to build on and creative recipes to test myself. Could see this being a welcome addition to my kitchen

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible! I too have a salty tooth, and these recipes are so useful! Her instructions are very clear (I would love to take a class from her), and her difficulty levels are accurate. I love how she explains her techniques and gives the perfect amount of backstory for each recipe. There are lots of variations and twists, too.

If you read only one baking book this year, this should be it.

[Juli Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a treat! I will be trying many recipes from this book. I love the range of skill levels and taste palates addressed. Not a huge fan of the trendy, blown-out photography, but that's about what one can expect these days.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be buying the book

The easy approach to crumpets and English muffins along with a dozen other recipes definitely had me looking to buy my own copy.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won Savory Baking from a Goodreads giveaway and just received it yesterday. It is a gorgeous book & is packed FULL of so many tasty recipes to satisfy your "salty tooth." Breads, breakfast foods, pies+tarts, snacks, and so much more.

When I think of baking my mind automatically goes to sweets, but in all reality I am a salty gal. Breads, side dishes, and pretty much anything with garlic and cheese. Sign me up!!
This cookbook starts out with the classics such as corn bread and zucchini bread, but also ventures way off the beaten path with recipes like Swedish Sandwich Cake and Broccoli Rabe Gallete.

Despite loving savory foods I do love my sweets as well, so I love that the author has included "sweet tooth" breaks throughout the book. & the variety is not lacking in the least bit!

Each recipe lists its difficulty level (easy, medium, and hard) as well as variations that allow you to put your own spin on things with ease! & added bonus: the majority of the recipes call for ingredients I already have on hand!!

Another element I love are the "flavor-boosters" sprinkled throughout. Simple additions such as spices, spreads, flavored butters, and homemade pickles, each intended to kick your recipes up a notch.

I cannot wait to try out some of these well thought out, beautiful savory recipes. Elote Fritters, you're up first!!

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin effortlessly crosses over from the sweet side in her fabulous ode to the savory side of baking, featuring flatbreads, pizzas, tarts, breads, and more! Savory Baking truly is one of the most exciting baking books I’ve seen. From breakfast scones, buckwheat crepes, and waffles with fried chicken to cheese-stuffed pretzels, crispy baby baguettes and ‘bakery-level treats’ like ham and cheese croissants, chile-crunch gougères, and bánh patê sô filled with mushrooms and garlic, Erin’s got you covered with easy-to-follow instructions and spot-on tips to ensure success . . . for treats you’ll love any time of the day!
David Lebovitz

Great news for bakers: Erin Jeanne McDowell has gone all in on pie! Pies of every kind. So many crusts. And instructions as sharp as a lemon’s tang. Erin has an extraordinary talent for explaining—no matter how complex the technique, when she tells us how to do it, we get excited about it, we do it, and we succeed. It’s the McDowell wizardry.
Dorie Greenspan

It is inspiring to see the fine and evocative work of this prize representative of a new generation of bakers.
Rose Levy Beranbaum

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

it’s pretty rare that I read a cookbook where I not only can actually make every recipe (it’s hard to have good access to more exotic ingredients, or even some basic ones, when you live in the middle of nowhere) and also WANT to make almost every recipe. I’ve bookmarked more of the ones in here than the last like 5 cookbooks I’ve read combined. Just a really fun, well written, easy to follow collection of recipes. I’ll be buying a copy of this asap because I know I’ll want to make a bunch of these, and I think this would be a great, out of the norm book to get for any baker in your life as a gift.

my only complaint is that the ebook has some bad formatting with some of the photos covering up so measurements! but that’s not enough to make me take a star off.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As anyone who ventures into baking realizes, you can't always be baking sweets. This is when cookbooks like SAVORY BAKING come in handy.

Erin Jeanne McDowell, who has an excellent YouTube series called "Bake It Up a Notch," is known for her friendly and approachable recipes, and SAVORY BAKING contains a wide range of easy, medium, and hard recipes. Many of the recipes also include savory variations, and some have a sweet variation as well, for those who need to satisfy their sweet tooth.

All ingredients are given by weight and volume. There is one section dedicated to savory foods made on the stovetop, which seems out of place in a baking book, but it might be useful to some.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 hours with my library copy and I went to my bookstore and bought it. Fantastic photos for everything--finished products as well as crucial steps. Many recipes also include some variations so that you can adjust the flavors to your taste. I also appreciated all of the notes on how to make-ahead and store your bakes.
French Onion Muffins (stuffed with a hunk of gruyere) and Everything Kale Quick Bread are first up on my list to make. Followed shortly by the Lahmacun with Chiles. It's gonna be a tasty winter!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savory Baking is more than a cookbook. It is a handbook for better baking, period. In addition to recipes galore - most recipes include at least one variation (some sweet, most savory) - this book is packed full of useful information that will help home chefs gain confidence in any baked good they make. Erin breaks down even the most complicated recipes into steps that anyone could follow. Just like watching her show Bake It Up A Notch on the Food52 YouTube channel, Erin's tremendous knowledge and enthusiasm for baking comes through in every description and explanation. A truly phenomenal book.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a triumph! I loved this cookbook. I, admittedly, hate making pies and even though there are an abundance in this book (she is known for her pies, after all) I still found so much to love. These recipes are exactly what I would hope for in a savory baking book. Not just “plain bread with a roast” but instead making the bread or pastry part of the main event. Everything was delicious and, except for the mistake on the Italian sub bundt recipe, all the recipes worked well. I can’t wait to pull this one out again, especially when I want to make something impressive!

[Suzanne Deneuve Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter laughed that I READ cookbooks. Yes, I read them. Some have amazing stories written within the pages. You learn a lot about the Authors life and what they enjoy. I really enjoyed this one. It took about 6 1/2 hours to read. It has so many great recipes, interesting recipes that I want to try. Very few that I would not try, or eat, and that says a lot! Like her, I enjoy pastry and she has incorporated it into a lot of her recipes. It's nice that there are only savory recipes without all the sugary recipes other books feel they have to include. This is a book I will actually use!

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this book absolutely rocks. I have made about 10 recipes in the two weeks or so that I’ve had it (yes — they are that easy) and I love that there are so many recipes that use ingredients that I already have. Yes, there are options to jazz them up, but there are so many approachable recipes for any ability. It’s going to be a kitchen staple for sure.

[X · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute banger.

Recipes for everything, variants for basically all recipes.

Instructions on not only how to make the specific recipes, but also the base doughs used.

This book is great for the basics and how to build on them, but there are also lots of concrete recipes to get inspired by or just straight up follow.

Definite recommendation, 100/100.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy five stars! A rare cookbook that is actually packed with recipes I would like to make. There seems to be an especially large amount of good things to serve when entertaining that are different enough to impress guests, but not too complicated for the home baker. The book is filled with gorgeous photos of the finished products, which is always appreciated.

[JC Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great book that had tons of details as well as variations for different baked goods. Loved that recipe had ratings - easy, medium, hard - so if you don't bake often, you know what you are getting into and can build up. Think this would be a great book for someone looking to try a bunch of different baking without deep diving into hard recipes.

[WitchHaven Apothecary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book! I love this book from cover to cover. She has the most amazing recipes! Well written and executed. Illustrations are perfection. She really went the extra mile on this one. I highly recommend this book.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the recipes in this book and how Erin explains various steps, and says you can make the same items sweet or savory based off of switching ingredients. A great cookbook and I can’t wait to try all of the recipes.

[Caroline Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'm the most excited to try the savory muffin recipes, as my spouse prefers things that aren't as sweet.

I also very much appreciate the love of mushrooms that pops up throughout the book, there are a lot of great mushroom recipes to be tried!

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay for savory baking! Incredible recipes of every stripe and although there are a few sweet things as variations, the authoress stuck to savory with admirable skill, knowledge and creativity. I mean, there are a lot of cake books out there already. Recommended.

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A wide range of savory bakes. You're bound to find things you want to try. Nice photos. Some tips or techniques I haven't seen in other cookbooks. If I had room for any more books (vs. getting them from the library), I'd definitely add this one to my shelves.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I liked: So many creative recipes from a favorite Instagram Chef, and each has a delicious photo! Excited to try the quiche crusts made from quinoa and other grains.

What I disliked: Nothing to dislike. An amazing cookbook.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a baker, but this book makes me want to try more of it. Lovely spins on making it savory, rather than sweet, so the twists on formerly sweet recipes are also very inspired to see.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book which I was thrilled to win in a giveaway.

Now just to try all the recipes I have earmarked

[Jared F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ❤️ you EJM

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! One to own and get the pages dirty and dusty with flour and butter spots!

[Dabutler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cookbook that explains baking and offers tips to alter recipes.