Which ‘Magnolia Table’ Cookbook Is Better? All 3 of Joanna Gaines’s Volumes, Reviewed

Joanna Gaines may be known for Fixer Upper (and, by extension, the modern farmhouse movement), but she’s no slouch in the kitchen. Beyond owning a coffee shop (Magnolia Press), restaurant (Magnolia Table) and bakery (Silos Baking Co.) in Waco, Texas, and hosting her own cooking show on her network, Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines, she’s released three cookbooks.

All three are volumes within the same series, titled Magnolia Table, but how do they compare? Should you buy all three? And, if we’re being totally honest, which Magnolia Table cookbook is better? Or, dare we say it, the best? I’ve been testing Gaines’s recipes for eight years now—I started back when she just shared recipes on her blog—and after baking my way through several recipes in all three, here’s my take.

First, You May Be Wondering: Are Joanna Gaines’s Recipes Any Good?

Yes, her recipes are legit. I’ve tested several celebrity cookbooks over the years, and there are definitely plenty of duds, but these recipes are solid. Everything I’ve tried from the Magnolia Table series has provided consistent, reliable dishes (particularly baked goods) that are well-balanced and tasty. Cook times are usually the biggest issue, but even with those, I’ve had no issues.

Her chocolate chip cookie recipe from Magnolia Table Volume I has been my go-to for the past three years, and several of her recipes from her more recent cookbooks featured scaled-down versions of dishes served in her cafe and restaurant.

All 3 of Joanna Gaines’s Cookbooks, Ranked & Reviewed

3. Magnolia Table, Volume 3

Best for: A taste of Waco & a wide range of hearty, weeknight dinners

Pros:

• Most robust cookbook so far (and longest, by six pages)
• Doesn’t waste pages with old-school cookbook sections that aren’t so useful (does anyone really need an entire chapter devoted to kitchen gadgets worth buying and pantry essentials?)
• Great variety of cuisines for weeknight dinners (Italian, French, Tex Mex, Chinese, Korean, etc.)
• Entire chapter devoted to Jo’s strong suit: breads

Cons:

• Feels less personal than the other cookbooks
• Recipes themselves aren’t that exciting or surprising; there’s no “ooh, gotta make this ASAP!” dish

Recipe to Try FIRST: Japchae, a Korean stir fry with rib eye steak and sweet potato noodles

The Verdict:

Volume 3 would make for a great wedding or graduation gift for anyone looking for a range of classic dishes—with reliable recipes, rather than trusting whatever ranks first in Google. You’ll find meals like baked ziti with bolognese sauce, chicken gyros with tzatziki, spinach enchiladas and lobster mac and cheese.

While there are a few recipes from the Gaines’s restaurants, this cookbook also features dishes from the Silos’s food trucks, like The Taco Truck (Cast-Iron Spicy Street Corn) and Maggie’s Sweet Shoppe (Sopapilla Hand Pies).

Volume 3 is also as close as Gaines gets into “trendy” food, though her takes aren’t as TikTok current. You’ll find hits from the past half-decade, like hot cocoa bombs, cold foam cold brew and sheet pan s’mores.

2. Magnolia Table, Volume 1

Best for: getting the most personal glimpse into the Gaines’s life and go-to meals

Pros:

• Excellent breakfast section with solid range of hearty, brunch-worthy dishes
• Recipes feel the most personal and focus on Gaines’s family go-tos (like Mom’s Bulgogi and the Gaines Family Chili)
• Easy-yet-elegant desserts you’ll want to bring to parties

Cons:

• Several recipes lack photos
• Six pages are devoted to explaining basic kitchen gadgets, like what a ladle and measuring cups are, and why they’re useful
• No bread chapter!

Recipe to Try First: Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Verdict:

Any diehard Gaines fan likely owns this cookbook already, but if they don’t, get it for them immediately. It feels the most homespun and heartfelt; more of a collection of Jo’s family recipes—including dishes from aunts and other relatives—than a bunch of internet crowd-pleasers Gaines put her own spin on.

1. Magnolia Table, Volume 2

Best for: Comfort food fans & Jo Gaines Stans

Pros:

• Entire Breakfast & Brunch chapter feels special occasion-worthy
• Only cookbook with a Scratch-Made chapter, showing how to make various pie crusts, gnocchi and more
• There are no “duh” sides (like “roasted green beans…roast green beans in the oven!”); everything makes you want to learn the recipe
• More helpful guide at the beginning (substitutions and herb pairings for recipes)

Cons:

• Wish there were more food photos (or even overhead shots featuring multiple dishes, with the recipes spreading out over a few pages, so everything is represented visually)
• Some recipes are so moody that they’re a bit dark and harder to appreciate

Recipe to Try First: Prize Pig, aka the bacon and cheddar-studded biscuits served at Silos Baking Co.

The Verdict:

Gaines admits in her intro that this cookbook stretched her, getting her to experiment with cooking beyond her family’s tried-and-true recipes (since those were largely captured in the first book). But with the opening of her restaurant and bakery, she had plenty of new inspo to draw from.

Admittedly, I’m a bit biased with this one, just because after covering Silos Baking Co.’s one-year anniversary for Delish, I went home dreaming about the Prize Pig biscuits and cupcakes, so I was psyched to see so many Silos dishes featured here. But this cookbook, by far, has the best range of recipes you’ll want to pull out and refer to again and again, especially the breads, from scratch and breakfast sections.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in May 2023. It has since been updated to ensure all facts are accurate, links are functional and that my stance hasn’t changed. (Psst: It hasn’t. I still swear by cookbooks one and two!)