Apps for Cooks

With the Williams-Sonoma Recipe of the Day app you'll get a recipe for every day of the year—and plenty of cooking inspiration throughout the seasons. Every week, this subscription-based app delivers seven delicious, dependable recipes from the kitchens of Williams-Sonoma. Shopping-lists, timers, and smart search filters round out this simple, elegant app. (For iPad and iPhone.)

JOY may just change the way you think about planning and cooking food. Based on the trusted, timeless cookbook of the same name, it is a marvel of recipes, reference, and app-only features. All-inclusive and all-encompassing, here's an app all cooks will want to have at their fingertips. Voice commands and voiced recipe steps, too. (For iPad and iPhone.)

Everyone loves this bestselling, award-winning app, based on Mark Bittman's masterpiece of cooking know-how and recipes. Special features such as shopping lists, bookmarks, favorites, and preset timers enhance the can-do cooking instruction, while some 2,000 recipes and variations satisfy experts and beginners alike. (For iPad, iPhone, and Windows Phone.)

Based on How to Cook Everything The Basics, Mark Bittman’s latest book in his award-winning series, this app features more than 1,000 beautiful photographs and nearly 200 time-tested recipes. Expand your cooking knowledge with in-app cooking classes, and enjoy a host of design features such as My Notes and Photos, shopping lists, and a favorites folder. (For iPad and iPhone.)

Expand your repertoire with some 2,000 meatless recipes in this all-inclusive app. You'll find the same level of reliable cooking advice from Mark Bittman and the same incredible interface as in the How to Cook Everything app. Hundreds of make-ahead and fast recipes make this app a popular kitchen companion among vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike. (For iPad and iPhone.)

For adults, teens, and kids alike, Hello, Cupcake! showcases a collection of brilliant cupcake designs, and gives detailed information on making them at home. Tantalizing animations that are fun to watch over and over are part of the appeal. With this app, even if you don’t know how to make toast, you’ll want to decorate cupcakes. (For both iPad and iPhone.)