As someone that has a weekly watch party for the show, I love that there's a cookbook featuring treats from that time period. My favorite part was the history behind the recipes, and I can't wait to make some of these over the holidays!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is absolutely stunning with some beautiful detailing and the colours compliment each other so well it adds to the decadent feel of the Gilded Age theme. The foreword and intro provide enough detail without being too long and the little Gilded Age facts scattered throughout add to it in a cool and not too text dense way. I like that New Years Eve and Hanukkah were thought of too with them both being important holidays in the ‘Christmas’ season too. The recipes are easy to follow and the photos are really appealing and make me think of trying a few recipes I wouldn’t have without the images of them. The recipe index is also really helpful making it easier to find a recipe I’m looking for without having to flip back through hunting for one.

As an avid baker during the Christmas season I cannot wait to try out the many wonderful recipes this cookbook has to offer. One of the biggest things that drew me into this book was actually my love for period dramas and the show The Gilded age. I am always fascinated by the food, especially because it always seems so lavish. Becky Libourel Diamond did a wonderful job putting this book together as well as showing the reader how to display the food with antique pieces or giving tips on how to do so even when you don't have the same pieces in your own kitchen. If you like to bake and are interested in diving into recipes from another era then this book will give you that satisfaction.
*I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.*

The author has done an admirable job of culling interesting, sometimes esoteric, facts about Christmas from an amazing array of sources and turning that dry history into a readable, very entertaining exposition of holiday traditions of the Gilded Age. Digging deep into the roots of many of our current holiday traditions and giving the origin stories new life with short, well-crafted paragraphs complemented by lovely illustrations, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook is an absolute delight to read. I especially enjoyed the section on games and may use some of the old time games in modified versions for the always-dreaded ice-breaker games in the business world! However, I think I’ll leave Snapdragon to history. What a time it was when children were allowed to play that game!

Also notable is the inclusion of Black Christmas traditions and Jewish Hanukkah traditions that were practiced during the Gilded Age, along with the recipes for things like sufganyot.

While the recipes and their backstories are interesting and well-adapted for 21st century cooking, I didn’t find anything new, but I am an avid reader of Christmas recipes, so someone who is relatively new to Christmas cooking and baking will surely find many recipes that will become family favorites.

If you know me personally then you will know I am a huge Christmas girly. Sometimes I put the tree up before it’s even Thanksgiving and don’t take it down till January. Many of my favorite memories revolve around Christmas. Thanksgivings gathered at grandma’s dining room table looking at and circling everything we want from the toys r us and target catalogs so we know what to ask Santa for. Getting to go out shopping and everything being decked out in ornaments and lights. The smells of cinnamon and peppermint everywhere and the smell of crisp cold air as it starts to snow. Like I said I’m a Christmas/Winter girl thru and thru.
This was nostalgic and wholesome. Nostalgic to me personally because some recipes and traditions were very reminiscent of ones in my family. Coming from a family with German/Irish background a lot of it hit home 🎄❄️🎅🏻🍪🇩🇪❤️
I will say although it was cozy and unique I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it 🥹as much as I wanna recommend it I just can’t. just felt random and all over the place. It reads more like a research paper or textbook. Maybe it’s because there aren’t as many pictures and examples of the gilded holiday items and traditions and no pictures to accompany the recipes. It was a unique cookbook and idea just did not enjoy it personally.

The childhood wonder of Christmas can be easily invoked by the smell of baking cookies or the taste of THAT casserole, the one Grandma always made. My husband was active duty military, we travelled to many installations and met many people of differing cultures, not to mention ages. At the holidays, our group always tried to make the season special for those who were missing home the most. We spent alot of time researching recipes and taste testing the results to get them just right. Becky Libourel Diamond has poured so many of those almost forgotten recipes into this excellent cookbook. It deserves a place of honor in your kitchen. I know several of my friends are receiving it as a gift this holiday season.

I absolutely adore learning about different times and history. Tie it to something that I can relate to today? I’m even more interested!

With the recipes and history based upon the nineteenth century, I was mesmerized with each and never entry in this book. So I will say it again, this book is absolutely perfect for me. In fact, I’ll be buying it for several friends as well.

This entertaining and informative cookbook presents historical recipes for Victorian-era Christmas cookies and confections, adapting them for modern kitchens. The book includes historical context and Christmas lore to make the traditional recipes more meaningful.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book is so much more than a cookbook! It's an artfully assembled combination of recipes, history, and beautiful photographs.

I personally would have liked to see more pictures of the finished recipes. Since many of the recipes are things I am not familiar with, it would be nice to see what the end result should be.

This would make an excellent gift for anyone who loves history and baking.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Globe Pequot for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This cookbook is great for anyone with an interest in history, or wanting to add a bit of tradition to their Christmas sweets. It is a fascinating deep dive into all the Christmas traditions that are common today. My only minor complaint is that I wish there were more photos of the recipes, but overall it’s such an interesting cookbook!

This is much more than a cookbook. The recipe sections include cookies; cakes; pies, puddings, and custard; candies and other confections; Hanukkah; and New Year’s desserts. It was interesting that a lot of the colorants they used were actually poisonous so modern options are provided. There is a lot of information about the Gilded Age that was very interesting. The pictures that are in the book are beautiful. I would like to have seen more pictures for the recipes, especially when they’re older recipes. It would be nice to know what your finish product should look like.

Thank you to the author, Globe Pequot, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This book was very information heavy. That isn't a bad thing, but for a cookbook I did expect to have more visuals as it is competing with online recipes, and those are full of them.
However, it would be good for someone who likes the history behind baking, or an enthusiast on the subject.

As a lover of social history & Christmas i was excited to read this cookbook. It is a blend of recipes, history and beautiful pictures. A lot of the foods were new to me, and I think they would be made more easily in America due to the measurements & food items used. If you are willing to convert each measurement & spend more time seeking out items that are more costly outside of America this isn’t a concern. I do think that the book would benefit from more pictures of the finished products of the recipes. Some of the information was a little boring to me, such as the description of gem pans and the origins of their names, but perhaps that’s because I’m not hugely into baking. I finally know what a sugar plum is thanks to this book! This would make a great Christmas present for the historians & enthusiastic bakers in your life.

This cookbook has lots of delightful stories and anecdotes. Unfortunately, the digital version makes it hard to really enjoy (or even follow in some cases). I do wish there were more photos of the cookbook items. I'm sure this will be a beautiful printed cookbook and I plan to seek it out at my local bookstore to get the full experience.

it's hard to rate without having a better version to review, so I'm starring at 3 -- middle of the road.

Book Review: The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook by Becky Libourel Diamond

Rating: 5 Stars

I have to say, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook totally won me over from the moment I saw its gorgeous cover. It’s one of those cookbooks that’s as much about diving into a fascinating slice of history as it is about baking delicious treats, and I honestly couldn’t put it down.

This book takes you on a charming journey back to the late 1800s, a time when holiday sweets like sugar plums were all the rage — though I’ll admit, I had no idea what a sugar plum really was before reading this! (Spoiler: it’s not just a plum dusted with sugar.) These treats were once luxuries of the Gilded Age Christmas season but pretty much vanished as we stepped into the 20th century. Becky Libourel Diamond does an amazing job of bringing these lost confections back to life, blending old-fashioned recipes with modern twists so you can actually make them in your kitchen today.

What I loved most was how each recipe came with the backstory—little snippets about the origins, the meaning behind the names, and how these goodies fit into the holiday traditions of the era. The book is sprinkled with interesting historical tidbits and colorful illustrations that add so much character. It’s like part cookbook, part history lesson, and all-around festive fun.

If you’re into Christmas traditions, food history, or just want to try something a bit different this holiday season, this cookbook is a gem. It’s packed with rich stories and recipes that feel both nostalgic and fresh. Honestly, it sparked my curiosity about the past while filling my kitchen with sweet smells and joy. Highly recommend!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook is an absolute gem, part culinary journey, part historical treasure, and entirely heartwarming. From the very first page, I felt like I had stepped into a different era, filled with the elegance, charm, and festive spirit of Christmastime in the Gilded Age.

This book is so much more than just recipes, though the recipes are truly fantastic. It’s filled with beautiful storytelling, rich historical context, and stunning illustrations that bring the past to life in the most enchanting way. I loved learning about the traditions, customs, and menus of the time. You can feel the care and research that went into every page.

The recipes themselves are both nostalgic and approachable, with many that can easily be recreated in a modern kitchen. Whether you're looking to bring a little vintage flair to your holiday table or simply enjoy the magic of the season through food and history, this book delivers on all fronts.

It’s the kind of cookbook you’ll reach for every December, and display proudly on your coffee table in between. A must-have for history lovers, foodies, and anyone who believes the holidays are a little more special when you stir in some old-fashioned charm.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

With holiday music playing, I cracked open The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America’s Golden Era and tried out several recipes: Ingwer Gebäck, Brown Sugar Cookies, Raisin Penuche, Hot Chocolate, and Jelly Doughnuts. I made a few plant-based swaps: agave syrup for honey, vegan butter for butter, ground flaxseed for eggs, and soy milk in place of dairy. Even in the middle of summer, it really put me in the holiday spirit.

As expected with most fried treats, the Jelly Doughnuts were delicious, and the Brown Sugar Cookies had a lovely gingery flavor. The Ingwer Gebäck, on the other hand, had a cakey, Play-Doh-like texture, fun to handle and great for small hands, but not especially tasty. The Raisin Penuche was heavy and overly sweet, and the Hot Chocolate, while good, was similar to other versions I’ve tried.

But the real value of a cookbook like this lies less in culinary excellence and more in the atmosphere it creates, and in that, it succeeds. Diamond offers helpful context throughout, with explanations of ingredients and lesser-known dishes, as well as brief explorations of related traditions like poems, cards, and games. However, some of the selected facts and stories can seem a bit eclectic, and, like many historical cookbooks, the overall recipe selection is limited.

One final note for ebook readers: unfortunately, as with many cookbooks, the Kindle formatting is poor and detracts from the overall reading experience.

Thanks to Globe Pequot and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.

GORGEOUS. Simply gorgeous, and evoking the lavishness of The Gilded Age, this cookbook is only part cookbook and part history lesson(s). As someone who loves both cookbooks *and* history *and* the spirit of the Christmas season, this title is an easy 5-Stars for me.

From the start, and the acknowledgement of the German influence on era baked goods and the immigrant influences on traditions that were becoming more commonplace and carrying into today's times, I was hooked. I really appreciate the historical research and explanations of Christmas (and toward the end of the book, those of Hanukkah) of the age and learning about things I didn't realize "existed" that far back, such as iced sugar cookies (I don't know, I just think of these as more mid-1900s cookies?). The history of sugars, of food colorings for icings/foods, the evolution of depictions of Santa by Harper's Weekly's Thomas Nast (as well as his influence on U.S. political party mascots--the side quests in this book are fantastic as well!), the history of animal crackers, origin of Currier & Ives, the rise of Christmas dishware, Black society and social clubs of the age, Bon Bon lore, bra pies and "stir-up Sundays", mustache cups...so many fun things to learn about!

Recipes I'm excited to try this season: sand tars, lemon gingerbread, fudgy chocolate cake, bakewell pudding, lemon drops, chocolate wine, and New Year's cookies. Things I don't need to try but loved the nostalgia turning the page to the recipe evoked was lovely: popcorn balls. What I learned are actually sugar plums: a probable skip. Macy's Chicago, you lied to me with your gelatinous plum-y flavored candy years ago!

Releasing on August 5th, I'll be buying a copy for myself and a couple gift copies as well.

My thanks to NetGalley and Globe Pequot for the opportunity to preview this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read an advanced copy. Cookbooks don’t always show well in the ARC format as they are not finished and polished, such was the case with this one. I liked looking at the recipes but none seemed exceptional or rare. Nice pictures, just ok dialog.

History is fascinating, and most readers love to read about nostalgic subjects, especially connected to their personal history. Many of us love vintage recipes and the historical facts connected with them; some have been handed down for generations and have originated in foreign countries. Christmas traditions are often celebrated in families, and most likely have stories connected to them that are passed down from generation to generation. Becky Libourel Diamond has researched food through the gilded era and released a cookbook a few years ago. Now, she has released a wonderful cookbook filled with nostalgic recipes, stories, vignettes, and traditions from many places: The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America's Golden Era . This is a delightful book that will have many readers curling up in a corner to enjoy reading this well-written book. The prose is fascinating, and the recipes are very appealing.

The recipes are easy to follow and include comments by the author, as well as a list of ingredients followed by step-by-step instructions that make it easy for anyone - beginners and veteran cooks – to successfully prepare the holiday recipes.

The book includes beautiful photographs that showcase many of the recipes, and includes colored pages with the stories. All told, this is an excellent book and will be a nice addition to a holiday cookbook collection. It would also make a nice gift for a cook.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.