Funny Cookbooks That Deliver Gourmet Delights

Stephen Colbert cracks up fans far and wide as the host of The Late Show — and in his brand-new cookbook, he shows us that he’s equally as entertaining in the kitchen. Co-authored with his spouse, Evie McGee Colbert, Does This Taste Funny? is filled with good-humored banter between husband and wife, beautiful shots of the Colbert family’s South Carolina home, and plenty of fun recipes everyone will enjoy. Reading it is a bit like joining the Colberts at a warm and relaxing dinner party, listening as the couple crack wise and share their favorite culinary delights, from tasty appetizers and main course meals to delectable drinks and desserts. As the charming couple put it: “Hopefully reading this book and cooking these recipes will feel like hanging out with us at home. We basically live in the kitchen anyway.”

Amy Sedaris is at her uproarious best in this funny cookbook — and equally as helpful as she is zany. I Like You is a clever send-up of the party-planning manuals of yesteryear. Across its pages, Sedaris simultaneously satirizes hospitality and the pressures of hosting while delivering delish recipes and advice on entertaining guests. Some of her tips and tricks may be more practical than others, but all of them come with a delightful punchline.  

Did you catch the pun, Scout? Tim Federle’s charming little cocktail book is exactly what it sounds like — a book of drink recipes based on literary puns. From Love in the Time of Kahlúa and Romeo and Julep to Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margarita, bookish wordsmiths will drink up Tequila Mockingbird. But you don’t need a degree in literature to enjoy this funny cookbook — in addition to its 65 drink recipes and commentary, the book includes ideas for drinking games and flavorful bar-bite dishes to serve alongside your top-shelf cocktails. 

If someone told us 20 years ago that Snoop Dogg would channel his extraordinary talents into writing a million-selling cookbook, we’d have had a hard time believing them. But having Martha Stewart as a bestie has clearly rubbed off on the rapper, who published his entertaining soul food cookbook in 2018. From Crook to Cook is Dogg’s first recipe book, and it mixes classic Snoop stories with behind-the-scenes photos and wildly appealing recipes. Fried bologna sandwiches alongside lobster thermidor? Yes, please! 

When you think about the foods featured in cookbooks, sandwiches might not be the first meal that comes to mind. Tyler Kord is here to get you to think again. Kord is a master sandwich maker and the chef–owner of the No. 7 restaurant group. He also has a lot of thoughts about many things, whether it’s sandwich philosophy and Tom Cruise or the perks of getting drunk in the shower. In A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches, Kord lays it all out on the table, mixing incredible recipes with his raw and hilarious musings on life, love, and the art of a really good sandwich. 

Be honest: Do your culinary ambitions match your real-world kitchen abilities? Or did that three-course meal end up becoming a piece of burnt toast? If the latter, we feel you — and so does this cookbook. Based on the popular YouTube channel of the same name, You Suck at Cooking is a funny cookbook packed with plenty of laughs. It’s also chock-full of clever tips and approachable recipes designed to make you suck slightly less as a cook, from a handy diagram of a spatula to how to prepare Broccoli Cheddar Quiche Cupcake Muffin-Type Things.

Sure, Bob’s Burgers is an animated TV show based on a fictional family and a burger shop that doesn’t exist. But don’t let those pesky details stop you from chowing down on this New York Times bestselling cookbook. Written by series creator Loren Bouchard with the help of his writers’ room, The Bob’s Burgers Burger Book serves up inventive burger recipes inspired by the burgers featured on the show’s “Burger of the Day” chalkboard. The funny cookbook also contains original artwork and character commentaries, which makes it a treat for any fan of the show. 

Zach Golden’s What the F*@# Should I Make for Dinner? is a very amusing cookbook packed with recipes that are easy to make and a hoot to read. As its title suggests, the book is heavily seasoned with “salty” language. It may not be for everyone, but the foul-mouthed cook in your life will surely find it fits well on their bookshelf. 

Boasting “50 chicken recipes bound to be delicious,” F.L. Fowler’s Fifty Shades of Chicken is sure to please. The book offers a decadent blend of satire and cookbook, serving up succulent recipes and plenty of innuendos that poke fun at E.L. James’s blockbuster erotic romance novel Fifty Shades of Grey. If you love a good lampoon, this one’s for you. And with three levels of recipes (basically easy, hard, and harder), the cookbook works for any skill level. 

Milton Crawford’s The Hungoevr Cookbook is a witty delight — and the perfect nightcap to our list of funny cookbooks. Indeed, anyone who’s ever (over)indulged in an evening of drinking could make use of this amusing book. In it, Crawford delivers nourishing recipes to counteract the different ailments that plague us the day after knocking back one too many. There’s even a bit of hangover science alongside the recipes, plus fun mind games and quizzes to humorously diagnose your hangover type and tell you whether your cognitive abilities are beginning to return. Cheers!