I Cooked From 6 Fandom Cookbooks – Here’s My Ranking

I love browsing cookbooks and finding new recipes to try. Nowadays, more and more cookbooks based on pop culture are being released. I thought it would be fun to try recipes from 6 different fandom cookbooks and rank them from worst to best.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through my links, but there is no extra cost to you.

What Are Fandom Cookbooks?

Fandom cookbooks are cookbooks based on pop culture, including movies, TV shows, video games, books, and comics. The cookbooks are meant to appeal to fans and allow them to make dishes from their favorite media. The cookbooks can be official in that they are licensed by the creators of the media. There are also unofficial cookbooks that are generally created by a fan and do not include any licensed material. For this post, I selected 6 fandom cookbooks based on TV shows and video games. Half of the cookbooks are official, while the other 3 are unofficial.

How Did I Rank the Cookbooks?

To be able to rank the cookbooks, I decided to make one main or savory dish and one dessert from each cookbook. I also came up with 4 criteria to rate the cookbooks on. The criteria include:

• Presentation: How the recipes are organized in the cookbook, and if there are photos or illustrations of the recipes. Presentation also includes whether there are any images from the show or video game or illustrations related to the media.
• Consistency: Are the recipes consistent across the cookbook in that they require you to make the recipes from scratch, use pre-made ingredients, or an odd mix? Furthermore, consistency also includes whether the level of difficulty is the same across the recipes.
• Representation: How well the cookbook accurately represents the show or game. Are the recipes actually tied to media, or are there generic references made?
• Recipe Quality: Are the recipes easy to follow, and how do they taste? Recipe quality also covers whether I would make the dish again.

Fandom Cookbook Ranking

#6 The Unofficial Sims Cookbook

The Unofficial Sims Cookbook includes 88 recipes that are all dishes from The Sims video games. The cookbook is divided into categories for breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, desserts, and beverages. That said, only 35 of the recipes have a photo of the dish. There are also no in-game screenshots or illustrations to represent the dishes. However, each recipe clearly states The Sims game(s) it is from. Furthermore, the introduction often mentions specific locations and characters in The Sims.

Some of the recipes use premade ingredients, like the Flirty Heart Cookies, which includes a boxed sugar cookie mix, and the Caesar Salad requires bottled dressing. Other recipes are too simple to justify being in a cookbook, like Grilled Cheese and Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus. However, there are some recipes made from scratch. For the Autumn Salad, you make your own dressing, and for the Plumbob Sugar Cookies, the dough is made from scratch. The recipes I selected to make are the Pasta Primavera and Plumbob Sugar Cookies.

Pasta Primavera

The Pasta Primavera dish is from The Sims 4, but I had multiple issues with the directions. Step 1 is to cook the penne for about 8 minutes. However, the penne I bought needed 10-12 minutes to be al dente according to the package. If I followed the directions of the recipe, I would have hard and chewy pasta. Furthermore, the salt, pepper, and dry herbs are added at the end and cooked for 30 seconds before serving the dish. I would add the dry herbs in step 2 with the vegetables so the flavor can develop. The tomatoes are also added with the herbs, and they do not release any flavor within those 30 seconds.

The Pasta Primavera does taste good with the vegetables. However, the penne by itself is bland because it is only covered in some herbs. There is also no sauce for the dish. The vegetables are the highlight, and the best bites are the penne with the vegetables. I would make the Pasta Primavera again with modifications. I would let the tomatoes cook longer, and I would also add some tomato paste or passata.

Plumbob Sugar Cookies

The Plumbob Sugar Cookies are from The Sims 4: Get to Work, but the recipe was disappointing. I believe there are too many wet ingredients, including the 1/4 cup of milk, and the dough was very sticky. I ended up adding more flour than the recipe required, so I could take the dough out of the mixing bowl.

Also, there is nothing in the directions telling you what consistency the dough should be and what to do if the dough is too wet. Other sugar cookie recipes will often say to add more flour if it is too wet and sticky. After chilling the dough for more than an hour, I rolled it out. However, it could not hold a shape because the dough was still too wet. I added more flour and put it back in the fridge. Afterward, the dough was easier to cut, but it still stretched and did not hold the shape well.

I baked the cookies for 9 minutes, and they puffed up in the oven. Also, I added a generous amount of green sugar on top, but the Plumbob Sugar Cookies did not look the best. I had dough leftover after the first batch, and I decided to add even more flour and put the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. After being in the freezer, I could actually use a cookie cutter and hand-cut the plumbob shapes, but again, the dough became puffy in the oven.

After the failure of the Plumbob Sugar Cookies, I looked up standard sugar cookie recipes. None of the recipes included milk in the ingredients. I do think the milk caused the dough to become too wet and not like regular cut-out cookies. The Plumbob Sugar Cookies did taste fine, but the flavor is a bit one-note. Also, the cookies were soft and chewy and not like traditional cut-out sugar cookies. I would not make the cookies again because the recipe required too many modifications, and it did not make plumbob cookies.

Ratings

• Presentation: 3/5
• Consistency: 2/5
• Representation: 4/5
• Recipe Quality: 2/5
• Total: 11/20

#5 Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook

The Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook has over 75 recipes. The recipes are categorized into Le Bistro, La Brasserie, Le Restaurant, La Pâtisserie, Le Café, and Les Bases. The everyday person, including fans of Emily in Paris, may not know the difference between these categories unless they are familiar with French cuisine. Around half of the recipes include a photo of the dish while the rest of the photos are stills from the Netflix series. The introduction to some of the recipes references Emily and specific moments in the series. However, the other recipes are simply French recipes with no tie-in to the series or even a name drop to any of the characters. For the cookbook, I chose the Provençal Eggplant & Tomato Gratin and Îles Flottantes recipes to try.

Provençal Eggplant & Tomato Gratin

The introduction to the gratin references a scene in Emily in Paris where Gabriel made coq au vin and grilled aubergine, and Emily announced she is allergic to eggplant. However, the gratin does not seem to be from the series. The directions are easy enough to follow, but it is a longer process. There are no prep or cook times listed, so at first glance the recipe looks simple enough. However, it takes over an hour from start to finish to make. The eggplants are salted for 30 minutes, then baked for 25 minutes, then the gratin is baked for 20 minutes. That said, the gratin tastes delicious, and with every bite you get a little bit of breadcrumbs, herbs, and tomato juice. I would make the Provençal Eggplant & Tomato Gratin again without any changes.

Îles Flottantes

The introduction to Îles Flottantes does not include any references to Emily in Paris. Instead, it states the dish is old-fashioned but still found on many Parisian menus. The recipe for Îles Flottantes is divided into 3 parts: making the crème anglaise, the caramel syrup, and the poached meringue. The steps to make the crème anglaise are easy enough to follow, but the directions do not mention the size of heatproof bowl to use. After 5 minutes over a saucepan, the cream was still thin and did not coat a spoon. I do think the size of the bowl, saucepan, and amount of water I used affected the timing of the cream, which is not clarified in the steps.

For the caramel syrup, you add 2/3 cups of sugar with only a tablespoon of water in a pot and stir to dissolve the sugar. Then you cook the sugar without stirring for 4-8 minutes until a light caramel forms. At 4 minutes, the sugar was still white and bubbling. Then, around 7-8 minutes, the sugar started to turn light brown. I immediately took it off the stove, but the sugar ended up crystallizing. Other caramel syrup recipes I looked at had equal parts sugar and water, which would likely be easier to follow to prevent crystallization. Instead of attempting the syrup again, I decided to omit it from the recipe.

For the poached meringue, I found the directions unclear because I was unsure if I was supposed to flip the meringue right away or after 3-4 minutes. Then, the directions stated to turn off the heat and cook them for 5-8 minutes. However, I would have to continuously reheat the water for every batch. I decided to put the meringue on the water, wait for 4 minutes, flip them, and keep them on the heat for an additional 4 minutes. I also continuously kept an eye on the water and ensured it was below simmering and not boiling. The poached meringue turned out well and held together.

As far as the taste, the crème anglaise is delicious. However, the poached meringue tastes a bit too eggy for my preferences, and I would prefer to have baked meringue. Also, the caramel syrup would probably be nice and balance the meringue, but I followed the recipe as best as I could, and the sugar crystallized. I would make the crème anglaise again but not the poached meringue. I would also try following a different caramel syrup instead of the one in the cookbook.

Ratings

• Presentation: 3/5
• Consistency: 4/5
• Representation: 2/5
• Recipe Quality: 3/5
• Total: 12/20

#4 The Unofficial Bridgerton Cookbook

The Unofficial Bridgerton Cookbook includes 100 recipes that are categorized by breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, sweets, and drinks. It would be easy to find a recipe if you want to make a dish for breakfast, for example. The recipes themselves use the character’s name in the title, reference a character in the introduction, or have a generic Regency-era reference. However, I often felt like there was not enough connection to the Bridgerton series. There were multiple Penelope recipes, but just because she wears yellow, it does not mean she would eat Penelope’s Favorite Omelet or Penelope’s Yellow Cake.

The recipes are made from scratch, which is expected for a Regency-themed cookbook. Around 35 of the recipes have a photo of the dish. There are also no other illustrations of the dishes or graphics tying to the Regency era or Bridgerton theme. Furthermore, some recipes are far too simple to justify being in a cookbook, like the Chocolate-Dipped Duke and Duchess Strawberries, which are just strawberries dipped in chocolate, and Archibald’s Indebted Asparagus, which is simply asparagus cooked in a skillet. I decided to make Simon’s Quick-Dip Croquettes and Mended Heart Sablé Biscuits from the cookbook.

Simon’s Quick-Dip Croquettes

Simon’s Quick-Dip Croquettes include Simon’s name in the title, and the introduction mentions that he is a quick dipper, but I still found the connection surface-level. The recipe also does not include prep, cooking, or total times, and you have to read through the directions to know how much time to set aside. That said, the first steps of the croquettes are easy to follow because you cook the mushrooms and shallot, then add butter, flour, and milk. You then put the filling in the fridge for an hour. However, step 3 states to fill a large pot with oil to cover the croquettes, but it assumes you made croquettes before and know their size and how much oil to use. It would be helpful if the recipe mentioned 2-3 inches / 5-7 cm of oil to give you a rough estimate of how much to use.

That said, I was able to bread and fry the croquettes, and they held together. The mushroom filling is creamy and delicious. The breading is crispy, but a bit bland. The only seasoning used is pepper in the mushroom filling, while the breadcrumbs have no seasoning. I would make the croquettes again, but I would add more seasoning, especially to the breading.

Mended Heart Sablé Biscuits

The introduction of the Mended Heart Sablé Biscuits states that it is 2 doughs that come together like Daphne and Simon, who are joined by love. Again, the connection to Bridgerton is superficial and does not go any deeper than mentioning characters in love.

With that said, the sablés recipe is easy to follow. You make one dough with flour and a separate dough with cocoa powder. Then you chill the doughs for 30 minutes, roll them out, and combine them. The combined dough was not too wet or sticky, and it could easily be rolled out and cut into heart shapes. I baked the cookies for 12 minutes, and they were delicious. Every bite tasted a little different depending on the marbling, and some bites were more chocolate-forward while other bites had more of a standard butter cookie taste. I would make the Mended Heart Sablé Biscuits again because the cookies were delicious and turned out well.

Ratings

• Presentation: 3/5
• Consistency: 4/5
• Representation: 3/5
• Recipe Quality: 4/5
• Total: 14/20

#3 The Unofficial Animal Crossing Cookbook

The Unofficial Animal Crossing Cookbook includes 60 recipes for starters, soups, mains, sides, desserts, baked goods, and drinks. The categories do make it easy to find a recipe. Also, every recipe includes a real photo of the dish. Many of the recipes are made from scratch, and only a few recipes include store-bought ingredients. The recipes in the cookbook are based on recipes you can make in Animal Crossing as well as food you can buy in the game. The introductions to the recipes include references to Animal Crossing, but there are no in-game images, illustrations of characters, or quotes from the game to deepen the connection. I chose the Bread Gratin and Berliner from the cookbook to make.

Bread Gratin

Bread Gratin is a recipe you can make in Animal Crossing: New Horizons with 2 flour and 2 whole wheat flour. The directions in the cookbook were easy to follow. The recipe also included the total cooking time, which is helpful. I was nervous about the bread bowl, but the filling stayed in. However, I had a lot of leftover filling. I did use a standard bread loaf from the bakery, but you would need a really big round loaf to fit all the filling. I ended up putting the extra filling in a baking dish with the bread that was hollowed out from the loaf. The Bread Gratin tasted good, and it was flavorful with all the vegetables, cheese, spices, and even white wine. I would make the Bread Gratin again, but I would use less ingredients for the filling.

Berliner

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you can buy Berliner from Nook Shopping around New Year’s Eve. For the first step to make Berliner, you combine a fresh yeast cube with cold milk and salt and let it sit for one hour. With fresh yeast, I would usually warm the milk until it is lukewarm, then dissolve the yeast and use it right away. Also, I found out American yeast cubes are about 1/3 the size of those in Denmark. It does not mention the size of yeast cube to use, so it would be helpful for those outside of the US if there was a measurement listed.

The yeast did dissolve after sitting for 1 hour in the milk. That said, the total time could be shortened if you used lukewarm milk instead. The recipe also uses 1 tablespoon of vinegar, but it does not specify the type of vinegar. It would be helpful if it listed white vinegar, as there are many different types of vinegar. The dough did come together, though, and the frying was straightforward. However, I found the filling challenging because I did not have a piping bag. That said, the Berliner did taste good with the raspberry filling and powdered sugar coating. I would make the Berliner again, but for special occasions because it did take about 3 hours to make.

Ratings

• Presentation: 4/5
• Consistency: 4/5
• Representation: 4/5
• Recipe Quality: 4/5
• Total: 16/20

#2 The Official Bridgerton Cookbook

The Official Bridgerton Cookbook includes 70 recipes for starters, mains, desserts, and drinks based on the Netflix series. The cookbook begins with Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers to tie the cookbook into the universe. Then the recipes are divided by the Bridgertons, Featheringtons, Lady Danbury, Duke and Duchess of Hastings, Viscount and Viscountess of Bridgerton, and Queen Charlotte. The chapters thematically fit, but it does make it harder to find a recipe. If you want to make a dessert, for example, you have to look through every chapter to see what dessert recipes there are. Each chapter then begins with a photo from the series of the family, an introduction to the family, and inspiration for the recipes based on the characters.

The recipes also have a real photo, a reference tied back to the family, and more photos from the series. The recipes are made from scratch, which is expected from a Regency-era themed cookbook. However, depending on the family in the cookbook, the level of difficulty for the recipe varies. For example, the Bridgerton family recipes are more approachable and include Tattie Scones and Victoria Sandwich Cake for Accomplished Ladies. On the other hand, Queen Charlotte’s recipes are technically difficult, with recipes for Regal Roast of Lamb and Croquembouche. I decided to make the Cast-Iron Tandoori Cauliflower and Eggplant Steaks with Cucumber Raita and Rice and the Victoria Sandwich Cake for Accomplished Ladies.

Cast-Iron Tandoori Cauliflower and Eggplant Steaks with Cucumber Raita and Rice

The recipe is in the Viscount and Viscountess of Bridgerton chapter, and it is introduced using Kate’s favorite spices. Making the Tandoori Cauliflower and Eggplant Steaks is a long process, but not much of the total time is active cooking time. Also, there are no prep or cook times listed. Therefore, you have to read through all the directions to know how much time to set aside. First, the eggplant is salted for an hour, then the eggplant and cauliflower are marinated for 2 hours.

From there, they are cooked on the stove for about 20 minutes, then placed in the oven for around 15 minutes. The directions state to cook the eggplant and cauliflower at medium to medium-high heat to deeply brown them. I tried medium-high first, but the eggplant started turning black. I turned down the heat to medium, and the rest of the eggplant browned much better. However, the cauliflower did not get much browning on medium, so I had to turn up the heat again. Therefore, you will have to adjust the temperature depending on your stove and what vegetable you are cooking. While the eggplant and cauliflower were in the oven, I made the rice and cucumber raita.

The Tandoori Cauliflower and Eggplant Steaks with Cucumber Raita and Rice taste delicious, and the dish is flavorful without being spicy. The cucumber raita is fresh and cooling, and the rice makes it a complete meal. Also, the cauliflower and eggplant taste good on their own and with the rice and raita. I would make the recipe again, but I would remember that the prep time is quite long. I will also keep in mind the cooking temperature on the stove.

Victoria Sandwich Cake for Accomplished Ladies

The Victoria Sandwich Cake for Accomplished Ladies is in the Bridgertons chapter because the family loves having afternoon tea and tables full of refreshments for the family and guests. The recipe is easy to follow with simple ingredients and uncomplicated directions. I only had one cake pan, so I baked each cake for 20 minutes instead of baking both cakes at the same time. The recipe does specify that the cake is done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. I liked having this tip as it gives you a visual indicator to look for instead of relying completely on the stated baking time.

The ingredients do give different suggestions for jam fillings, and I decided to use raspberry. The Victoria Sandwich Cake for Accomplished Ladies is delicious, and the cakes are soft and not dense. Also, the raspberry layer is great, and every bite is enjoyable. I would make the cake again.

Ratings

• Presentation: 4/5
• Consistency: 4/5
• Representation: 5/5
• Recipe Quality: 4/5
• Total: 17/20

#1 The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook

The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook includes 52 recipes based on in-game recipes and foods from version 1.5 of Stardew Valley. The cookbook starts with letters from Grandpa and another letter from the Queen of Sauce, which ties the cookbook well into the game’s universe. The recipes are divided into the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter chapters. The chapters do fit with the farming nature of the game, but you may want to make recipes outside of the seasons they are intended for.

Each recipe begins with an introduction from the Queen of Sauce or from a villager in Stardew Valley, and their illustrated portraits are shown. Some of the recipes have real photos, but all dishes have an illustration. The recipes also have a quote from another villager to further tie into the Stardew Valley theme and sense of community. The recipes are made from scratch, and there are no premade boxed cake mixes to make the Pink Cake, for example. I found that the cookbook is for people who enjoy cooking and do not want to take shortcuts. For The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook, I selected the Survival Burger and Pink Cake to make.

Survival Burger

The Survival Burger is a fall recipe from Linus’ kitchen as he spends time outdoors and learned to live off the land. However, there are no prep or cook times listed. Therefore, you do have to read through the directions to know how long the recipe takes. To make the vegetable patties, I baked the eggplant, shallot, and garlic for 20 minutes until they browned. I then used a blender as I did not have a food processor. From there, I added the beans and brown rice, followed by the egg and breadcrumbs. The patties did actually come together, and I chilled them for 30 minutes in the freezer. I then cooked the patties for 5 minutes on each side and topped them with cheese.

The Survival Burger tasted delicious, and I enjoyed the burger sauce as well. The patty held together while I ate, and it tasted good with the vegetables, beans, and rice. I did not make the carrot ribbons because I could not find purple carrots or grape juice in Denmark, even after going to a supermarket. That said, I would make the patties again. I would also make the burger sauce again. However, I do not always want a ketchup and mayonnaise sauce combination, so I would not make it every time.

Pink Cake

The Pink Cake is a summer recipe from the kitchen of the Queen of Sauce, and it is an iconic dish in Stardew Valley. The directions are easy to follow, but it is a long process with multiple components to make. First, I made the watermelon strawberry jam in the morning, as the jam needs to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours. In the afternoon, I baked the 2 cakes. I only had 1 cake pan, so I baked them one at a time. Also, the ingredients list 2 duck eggs, but duck eggs are not common in Denmark. There was no substitution included, so I decided to use 3 chicken eggs instead.

After baking the cakes, I had to let them cool before I could assemble them. From there, I made the strawberry cream cheese frosting with freeze-dried strawberries. I like that the frosting is naturally pink and does not use food dye. Once the jam was set and the cakes were cooled, I assembled the cake with the jam filling in the middle and the strawberry cream cheese frosting covering the whole cake.

The Pink Cake is decadent. The watermelon strawberry jam is so good, and I could actually taste the watermelon flavor. The cakes are also soft, and the strawberry cream cheese frosting was not overly sweet. I would make the Pink Cake again, but for special occasions, as there are multiple components involved, and it does take time to make and assemble the cake.

Ratings

• Presentation: 4/5
• Consistency: 5/5
• Representation: 5/5
• Recipe Quality: 4/5
• Total: 18/20

What Makes a Good Fandom Cookbook?

After reading through 6 fandom cookbooks and making 12 different recipes, I believe a good fandom cookbook balances good representation with good recipes. When you flip to a recipe and read through it, you should be able to immediately tell what TV show or video game the recipe is based on. For example, if I turn to any recipe in The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook, I know it is based on Stardew Valley. The recipe is based on food in the game, it is introduced by a character in Stardew Valley with their portrait shown, and there are quotes from other characters in the game about the dish.

The recipes themselves also need to be tested and make the dish. I questioned whether the recipes from The Unofficial Sims Cookbook were tested because the Plumbob Sugar Cookie included milk in the ingredients, which led to a batter that was too wet and could not hold a plumbob shape. When I compared the ingredient list to other cut-out sugar cookie recipes, none of them included milk. Also, The Unofficial Sims Cookbook does not credit a recipe developer, and the author only has a background with The Sims. In comparison, the other fandom cookbooks are written by food writers or in collaboration with recipe developers.

Another question I wanted to explore was whether a cookbook has to be official to be a good fandom cookbook. I believe being an official cookbook can help, as the two highest-rated cookbooks, The Official Bridgerton Cookbook and The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook, were licensed. However, being official does not automatically mean the cookbook itself will be good and have good representation or even good recipes. Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook is a licensed cookbook, and it included pictures from the Netflix series. However, the recipes had vague references or no references at all to the show.

When a cookbook is unofficial, it does have to work harder to make a strong connection to the universe. For example, I felt the connections were superficial in The Unofficial Bridgerton Cookbook because the recipes simply referenced a character’s name or appearance. On the other hand, The Unofficial Animal Crossing Cookbook was able to make a stronger connection as the recipes were based on foods in the game.

---

Have you bought a fandom cookbook before?