Great Bakes: Modern Classic Recipes from the Midwest

Martin Sorge, winner of The Great American Baking Show, guides readers through more than 100 recipes for sweet and savory bakes that celebrate the bounty of the Midwest, from modern classics to innovative show-stoppers.

When Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith crowned Martin Sorge the winner of The Great American Baking Show in 2023, few would have guessed that his baking journey began with him setting the microwave on fire trying to make a biscuit. But after years spent in the kitchen, he had become a full-fledged “baking nerd next door”—the perfect guide to explain how to adjust a recipe for rye flour or perfect your pavlova without bogging you down with too many details.

In this debut cookbook, Martin shares those tips and many more, in a collection of recipes that highlight the ease and enjoyment of wholesome ingredients and simple flavors, while encouraging readers to try new twists on familiar favorites. These breads, cookies, crisps, cakes, pies, pastries, and—yes—biscuits sneak surprising ingredients into the classics: Super-Soft Malted Cinnamon Rolls that elevate the childhood staple, Glazed Lemon Verbena Shortbread that gets a bit of zing from the window-box herb, Sweet Corn Milk Bread that highlights the perfection of an ear of summer sweet corn. From the Midwestern flavors of Chicago Dog Focaccia and Michigan Forest Cake to traditional Christmas Stollen and Swabian Soft Pretzels rooted in Martin’s German heritage, Great Bakes welcomes bakers of every level with recipes they’ll reach for again and again.