I will be upfront about it: I love Christina Tosi. I love her. So I was very excited to be provided with an advanced copy of ‘Dessert Can Save the World’ from NetGalley to review.

Christina’s optimism and life philosophy are shared in this very easy-to-read book. It was honestly very inspiring to hear how she aims to bring joy to others by sharing joy itself: baked goods and sweets. I finished the book with many ideas and lessons that I wanted to incorporate into my own life. I was particularly motivated to share joy with others in any way that I can, and to celebrate even the smallest achievements in life because, hey, life is too short not to. The book is not all about sweets and smiles, there are also lessons about hard work and perseverance. It was great to read about Christina’s journey, and I love that she wanted to share what she has learned in this book.

If you are as obsessed with Christina as I am, you may be a little disappointed that several stories are repeated from her previous cookbooks or documentaries. A few of the latter chapters are also a little bit boastful, but I think the philosophy behind the writing is well-intentioned. I definitely preferred the earlier chapters about her grandmother and mother as they really felt like tributes to the women who have inspired her own life journey.

Overall, this was a great read for any Christina Tosi fan or anyone who loves baking as it really makes you feel like there is so much more to it than just yourself and an oven: it can save the world.

This is not a recipe book, it is more of a selection of stories. It is a really nice book, but if you are looking for recipes you might be disappointed.

When I received the ARC, Dessert Can Save the World by Christina Tosi, was I surprised! Having long been a fan of Milk Bar and Tosi’s creations, I have enjoyed reading and making desserts from her other cookbooks, Momofuku Milk Bar and ALL About Cake. After a try at her famous crack pie (delicious and sticky sweet) and layered birthday cake with cookie crumbs, I was excited to see what other recipes she had to share. The surprise, the book seems more like a memoir and guide to well-being. It’s filled with many stories of Christina’s childhood and family experiences along with her professional work as a pastry chef. In each of the 6 chapters there is a recipe or two, however the book contains mostly stories and life lessons combined through sweet lens of dessert. I found it to be an interesting read however, some readers may be disappointed to find out it is not a traditional cookbook.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to review.

I always find Tosi to be a super sweet read, not the greatest, but still recommendable for foodies and dessert snobs

What a fun read! Christina Tosi is so vibrant and creative, so it's a joy to get a glimpse into her mind and her dessert empire. I enjoyed learning the inspirations behind many of her creations, the hard work it took to get to where she is today, and the way the pandemic impacted her and her team. This is a great read for anyone with a dream who needs a bit of the inspiration and creative spark that simply oozes out of Tosi.

I’m a sucker for a sweet treat. Always have been. And if it’s something that was created with both skill and love? So much the better.

Perhaps no one in the larger cultural sphere is as currently celebrated for that brand of combined creative prowess than Christina Tosi, perhaps the most famous American pastry chef out there. She’s a two-time James Beard Award winner, the founder and owner of the legendary Milk Bar and author of numerous cookbooks. She also hosts the Netflix series “Bake Squad” and has appeared on numerous other television programs as a guest, judge and/or host.

And now, she’s written a memoir of sorts.

Tosi’s new book is “Dessert Can Save the World: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes for a Stubbornly Joyful Existence.” In it, she offers up her own story, one that saw plenty of pitfalls and setbacks as she made her way to the top of the baking world. And yet, her relentless optimism shines through on every page, a joie de vivre in which she fervently expresses her belief that, yes, dessert can indeed change the world.

Interspersed throughout her charming and compelling life’s journey are recipes drawn from particularly salient moments in that journey. Sure, this is a memoir, an account of her personal story, but here’s the thing – that story would not be complete without sharing at least a few of the delectable desserts she made along the way.

Tosi’s connection to food began at an early age. She grew up largely in Virginia, surrounded by a collection of strong women whose shared love language was baking – a language in which Tosi became fluent from a young age. She spent much of her childhood in the kitchen, and while she learned plenty of recipes from her mother and grandmother, she also found herself fascinated with the experimental possibilities of baking. That fascination never left her, even as she initially pursued other potential interests. She always found her way back to the kitchen.

She worked her way through the fine dining realm, getting a big break from chef and restaurateur Wylie Dufresne and ultimately winding up as part of the staff at David Chang’s iconic Momofuku. It was there that she would start embracing her own unique perspective and begin crafting some of the unorthodox offerings that would lead her to Milk Bar and other successes.

But really, that’s just the nuts and bolts of the story. “Dessert Can Save the World” is really about Tosi herself and her relationship with the sweet side of life.

The book really cooks (sorry) when Tosi delves into the why of her fascination with dessert. She talks about the love she has for trying new things, enjoying the misfires as much as the masterpieces. She shares her theories about our relationship with sweets – if nothing else, her ongoing discussion of the notion of “dirty dessert secrets” alone is worth the price of admission. She talks about her family and how she learned the power inherent to sharing these sorts of creations. Ultimately, it boils down to something simple: joy. Tosi’s unwavering belief in the joy that comes with dessert emanates from every word in this book.

And honestly? It’s pretty great.

“Dessert Can Save the World” isn’t your garden-variety memoir. Sure, there are the recipes, which are great – is it weird when simply reading about a dessert is enough to make your mouth water? – but it’s more about the singular focus that Tosi brings to her story. That sense of joy and gratitude is utterly charming, confessional in a way that makes you almost feel like you’re engaged in conversation with a friend. Tosi’s tone certainly contributes; her writerly voice is that of a buddy who is chatting with you while, yes, probably up to her elbows in some sort of dough destined to become a treat that she’ll wind up delivering to your house just because.

The casual nature of Tosi’s writing is devoid of pretension; this is not the story of someone interested in making sure you know how talented she is (though she is of course immensely talented). Obviously, there’s a degree of self-involvement that comes with writing a memoir, but the absence of ego in these pages is actually rather striking. Tosi loves dessert and thinks you might love dessert too, so she’d like to share her thoughts on that love. The end result is a sweet and tasty read.

“Dessert Can Save the World” will make a wonderful read for anyone who has ever experienced the joy of baking in any capacity. If you’re someone who lives for making treats, you’ll enjoy it. If your interest begins and ends with the eating, well … you’ll also enjoy it. Anyone who has ever been drawn to the sweet side of the street is going to want to dig in to this one.

When Christina Tosi used one of my all time favorite (and entirely underrated) quotes from Wally Lamb's book "She's Come Undone", I knew it was a book for me. (The quote being: Accept what people offer. Drink their milkshakes. Take their love.")

As a dessert lover and home cook, I really enjoyed reading this. It was filled with inspiration and motivation in the language of foodies, as well as favorite recipes, some of which you'll recognize if you're a frequenter of Milk Bar. I loved the little names she assigned to feelings and phenomenons... "joy trails", "dirty dessert secrets", etc. Even if you don't own your own business, or your favorite place isn't the kitchen, you will still walk away with something to remember from this book.

4 Stars
I fell hard for Christina Tosi when I first learned of her on the show Masterchef for Kids. Her exposure allowed me to see how she was personally as well as professionally. She was engaging, had a wonderful sense of humor, and had an honest way of teaching and talking with the kids on the show.

This led me to search out articles and interviews with her. Everything I saw and read was revealing in how she became the person she was and how she developed her interest in baking and the food industry.

She is a delight, a complete professional, and a very savvy businesswoman. This book gives the reader everything they could want; insight into Tosi, her recipes, and all the backstories of her experiences.

I watched a documentary on Milk Bar creator Christina Tosi and was so compelled by her story, and energy I found myself at her Melrose store a few days later to try her cornflake cookies and crack pie. When I heard about her new self-help/inspirational/cookbook all about how dessert can save the world, I was all in!

I didn’t know what to expect from the book, but what I found myself inspired by Tosi’s pledge to kindness. She is so earnest in her belief that commitment, kindness and a plate of cookies, just may be able to solve a lot of challenges, that by the end of the book, I had highlighted half the book to bookmark all of her pearls of wisdom.


One of my favorite inspirational quotes from Tosi is:

“It’s an underdog’s long game. Just keep going, keep wearing them down with your vision and unrelenting commitment to doing whatever it takes to get hold of that cookie at the finish line.”

Available now: Dessert Can Save the World, STORIES, SECRETS, AND RECIPES FOR A STUBBORNLY JOYFUL EXISTENCE, By Christina Tosi

I loved reading this book! I found the writing to be very insightful and interesting. I was intrigued by the premise and I enjoyed reading it from start to finish.

I LOVED this book!! I only kind of had heard of Christina Tosi and Milk Bar, but the dessert part is what really sold me on wanting to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Christina's writing style, personality, and stories that she shared. To be clear, it's not a recipe book but you do get some fun bonus recipes that tie into the stories she shares. Even though it's not a recipe book, she still gives you some amazing stuff you can make! And, it feels really personal like she's sharing her family's secret recipes with you. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun read that is inspirational with a side of dessert magic!

I love every book that Christina Tosi writes. This one is equal parts stories and recipes which I really enjoyed. I took her class and enjoy her bake club on Instagram. I will definitely be making some of these recipes. For me the focus of this one was on the stories, that's where I got the majority of my enjoyment. Christina comes through so well on paper. It's like she's in the room talking to you. Her recipes, as always, are spectacular.

Part memoir and part life skills pep talk, I was very surprised how much I enjoyed this book. In summary: celebrate everything (from parking tickets to new jobs, to getting yelled at by your boss, there is always a reason to eat dessert), be a good human, etc. etc. Read the book, it's funny and a quick read, and it will make you believe that you should be baking more, because dessert spreads joy. Maybe it's a mid-western thing...

Such a fun and easy read! I already loved Milk Bar and now love it even more. Tosi gives readers tips and tricks for changing their outlook on life and finding joy at all corners. A great read for anyone who wants a light-hearted and quick read with tiny bits of knowledge thrown in along the way. Will recommend it to my friends.

If Eat a Peach by David Chang is the macho bravado of how to open and run a restaurant, this is like the easy sweet (in every sense) feminist manifesto of how baked goods can spread joy in the world. Through opening and running a bakery! I thought some of the prose was repetitive, but overall I liked Christina Tosi's voice- and it made me wish over and over again for a cookie! There are a few recipes which are more like ideas than full recipes (as an experienced cook they made perfect sense, but I would have some concerns for new cooks). That said, the gist of this is to follow your own path, stick to love and sharing over greed and selfishness, and to celebrate the good moments as well as the challenges. Cute! 4 stars.

As a follower of the author Christina Tosi, I was so excited to get the opportunity to read this book. I loved the real humor and real voice from the author in this book. I enjoyed the creative recipe ideas included and the tips from Tosi herself on places to find great eats. If you love baking and humor I would definitely recommend this read.

A big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Dessert Can Save the World: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes for a Stubbornly Joyful Existence. I became a huge fan of Christina Tosi after watching her on MasterChef Junior. This was a delightful book to read and I really enjoyed the recipes that she included. I recommend this memoir to anyone and everyone who bakes or enjoys desserts!

If you love Tosi and her quirkiness, this maybe a good read for you. It has anecdotal stories with recipes sprinkled in. Light hearted read that aims to keep you entertained and upbeat in usual Tosi-style much like her social media content.

This book was giving me so much life and now that I have finished it I already want to do a reread. To say I love dessert and baking is an understatement. It high on my list of most favorite things. I try to bake at least once a week and when I’m not actually baking I’m thinking about baking. It is how a de-stress, reflect and show love to others. This book has put all those feelings into words and I am so happy I had a chance to read it!

But wait! What if I am not really a big dessert person? Well first of all… WHAT?! Can…not…process…Jk Jk but in all seriousness you don’t have to be sugar obsessed to enjoy this book. It is filled with Christina’s personal anecdotes and views on celebrating ourselves & others, creating joyful moments, being unapologetically & authentically ourselves, trying new things, finding our “why”, accepting help, saying yes, and so much more. Dessert is obviously the lens by which Christina incorporates all of these things into her life but she also makes it clear in the epilogue that “A freshly baked chocolate chip round can’t change the world on its own, but bringing the feeling it holds into every area of your life definitely can. Dessert is my vehicle of choice, but so many other things can do this, too.” and to essentially find your own version of “dessert”.

I appreciated the balance of Christina’s personal story and her ability to use them as examples of actions others can incorporate into their lives. The book is also dispersed with simple recipes and lists which add some extra fun to the reading experience. I swear I highlighted the whole book and these few words don’t do enough to sum it up but I hope you check it out for yourself.

Christina Tosi’s determinedly upbeat memoir and cookbook comes at a time when optimism is in short supply. But her relentless pursuit of her goals and her commitment to her customers and staff come shining through in this book.

I may not bake a single sugary sweet confection from the recipes here, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how she developed them, and had to smile at their ingredients and names.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.