Welcome to today’s episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast! I’m thrilled to bring you a conversation with a true baking powerhouse: Bobbie Lloyd, CEO and Chief Baking Officer of the iconic Magnolia Bakery @bakewithbobbie. You might know Magnolia for its world-famous banana pudding and charming New York City roots, but under Bobbie’s leadership, it’s grown into a global dessert destination with over forty locations worldwide.

And just in time for the unofficial start of summer, Bobbie joins me to chat about her brand-new book: The Magnolia Bakery Handbook Volume 2: Icebox Desserts. In this episode, she gives us the inside scoop on what makes icebox desserts so beloved—think no-bake layers, cool textures, and nostalgic flavors—and shares tips for mastering them at home. We talk roasted strawberries, Frozen Key Lime Pie, and, of course, the dessert that started it all: Magnolia’s famous banana pudding. With an entire chapter devoted to 13 irresistible variations, this book is a celebration of cool, creamy, crowd-pleasing treats. Whether you're a longtime Magnolia fan or a home baker looking for summer dessert inspiration, you’ll love what Bobbie has to share.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Register for the Build Your Author Platform workshop

Magnolia Bakery Handbook of Icebox Desserts

Magnolia Bakery

Bobbie Lloyd @bakewithbobbie

Welcome to today’s episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast! I’m delighted to be joined by Jessica Merchant, the force behind the wildly popular blog How Sweet Eats and the bestselling author of Everyday Dinners, The Pretty Dish, and Seriously Delish. Jessica is a full-time recipe developer and writer known for her down-to-earth approach, vibrant flavor combinations, and deep passion for all things food.

In this episode, we dive into her newest book, Easy Everyday, and explore her tried-and-true strategies for making dinner doable, without sacrificing flavor. From her game-changing "Big 3" dinner shortcuts to her 10-Minute Meal Prep Strategy and go-to list of kitchen gear, Jessica shares how to bring ease and joy back to mealtime. She also opens up about her journey as a self-taught cook and offers valuable advice for aspiring cookbook authors looking to turn their passion into a published book.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

How Sweet Eats

Easy Everyday by Jessica Merchant

Entertaining by Martha Stewart

Publish in a Day VIP Experience

Welcome to another episode of the podcast. I’m excited to be here today for an interview with Sarah Ahn. Sarah is a digital storyteller and creator of Ahnest Kitchen, where she shares and documents her mother, Nam Soon Ahn’s recipes. In their new book Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes, Sarah and Nam Soon take a deep dive into Korean home cooking along with decades of wisdom and techniques that help anyone cook like a Korean umma. Today on the show we talk all about Sarah’s building of her presence online with Ahnest Kitchen, the journey with her mother writing their book Umma, helpful tips for building a pantry that brings out the three key flavors: sweet, salty, and tang and what recipes to start with when using the book, as well as a mother’s love and wisdom and how far they will go for their children.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Ahnest Kitchen

Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes

Welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today, I’m excited to have an interview with Sapna Punjabi. Sapna combines a lifelong vegetarian practice with Ayurvedic training and expertise as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. In her new book Dal Chawal, Sapna presents Indian comfort food at its finest: economical, healthy, and delicious, with 85 recipes that form the foundation of Indian home cooking. In our interview today,we talked all about Sapna’s journey to writing Dal Chawal, writing a cookbook rooted in identity and wellness, her routines and habits that helped her write her book, and Sapna’s tips for first-time cookbook writers.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Dal Chawal: 85 Vegetarian Indian Recipes Combining the Power of Dal and Rice.

Connect with Sapna @bespiced

Download a copy of the Art of Cookbook Creation checklist to organize, design, and publish your recipes with ease.

If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a cookbook—but the book isn’t here yet—you’re not alone. In this installment of Being a Cookbook Writer, I’m sharing exactly what I did to move from dreaming to actually writing my cookbook. I’ll walk you through the daily and weekly routines that helped me stay connected to my goal, even in the midst of a busy life. From journaling to documenting meals to typing just two recipes a day, I’ll show you how small steps can lead to a finished book. If you’re ready to stop waiting and start writing, this episode is for you.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Download a copy of the Art of Cookbook Creation checklist to organize, design, and publish your recipes with ease.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today on the podcast I’m excited to have an interview with Steph Pixley. Steph is the deputy food editor for America’s Test Kitchen’s books team and culinary producer of the Cook's Country TV show. She attended the New England Culinary Institute and is most at peace when she's in the middle of a good baking project. For our episode today we talk all about ATK’s new book: Baking for Two. ATK takes the guesswork out of baking on a smaller scale by reengineering all your favorite baked goods. Steph explains the testing that went into baking small-scale recipes, how to turn your freezer into a treat factory, and the wide variety of sweet and savory baked goods that this new book allows home bakers to bake for two.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Download a copy of the Art of Cookbook Creation checklist

@pixleypics on Instagram

America’s Test Kitchen

Baking for Two

Six Seasons

Hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today on the podcast I’m excited to have an interview with Jan Brandenburg. Jan is a cook, digital content creator, and pharmacist from eastern Kentucky. As a vegan and wanting to enjoy the flavors of her childhood, Jan spent years developing plant-based alternatives to traditional Appalachian dishes. Today on the show we talk about her journey from cookbook idea to publication including her favorite vegan Appalachian recipes, her tips for plant-based cooking, and her advice for anyone who wants to write a cookbook and get it published.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Connect with Jan @appalachianvegan

The Modern Mountain Cookbook

Claire’s Corner Copia cookbook

Download a free copy of the Art of Cookbook Creation checklist

Hello and welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today on the podcast I’m excited to have an interview with Diane Morrisey. Diane Morrisey is the founder of @DianeMorrisey on Instagram. She is known for her acute sense of encouragement and humor and her easy and innovative recipes that come with a big side of “you got this” encouragement. A former caterer, Diane was also an executive at Whole Foods where she oversaw the prepared foods business and overall operations for stores in New York and Connecticut. In other words, she knows what people want to eat—and what they can cook in the short window most of us have to get dinner on the table. She lives in Connecticut, with her husband and whichever of her six children happens to be home for dinner. You Got This! is her first cookbook. Today on the show we talk about the emotional side of feeding people and being fed, Diane’s journey to writing a cookbook, and Diane’s tips for choosing what to cook for supper based on the mood the cook is in.

Things We Mention In This Episode:

Connect with @dianemorrisey on Instagram

You Got This: Recipes Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love

Download a copy of the Art of Cookbook Creation checklist