Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook

The first cookbook from Portland’s most inventive ice cream company, built around a brilliantly simple concept: one five-minute, no-cook base recipe that serves as the foundation for dozens of creative flavors. Tyler Malek shares the recipes behind Salt & Straw’s most beloved creations, from the approachable Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons to the adventurous Buttered Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

Why Start Here

This is Tyler Malek’s defining work and the book that best captures what makes Salt & Straw special. The no-cook base recipe removes the biggest barrier to homemade ice cream: you do not need to make a custard, temper eggs, or wait hours for a hot mixture to cool. The base takes five minutes to stir together, and from there you can build in any direction.

The recipes are organized by season, which teaches you to think about ice cream the way a professional ice cream maker does. Spring brings delicate floral and herbal flavors, summer highlights ripe fruit, autumn leans into warming spices and comfort food, and winter goes rich and indulgent. Malek explains the inspiration and technique behind each flavor, so you learn principles rather than just following instructions.

What to Expect

A 240-page cookbook with beautiful photography and a seasonal structure. The base itself is genuinely easy, but the flavor additions range from simple stirring-in to more involved processes like making caramel, roasting fruit, or preparing brittle. Some recipes call for specialty ingredients. An ice cream maker is required. The book rewards curiosity and a willingness to try unexpected combinations, and Malek’s enthusiastic writing makes even the more ambitious recipes feel achievable.