Csaffitz

Claire Saffitz departed Bon Appétit in 2020 amid a widespread controversy over pay inequity and the treatment of staff of color at the company. After the magazine's leadership faced public criticism, several prominent test kitchen personalities — including Claire — stepped back from appearing in Bon Appétit's YouTube videos. She went on to launch her own independent YouTube channel and published her debut cookbook, "Dessert Person," shortly after leaving.

"Gourmet Makes" was a hugely popular Bon Appétit series in which Claire Saffitz attempted to recreate iconic packaged snacks — like Twinkies, Oreos, and Skittles — entirely from scratch using fine-dining techniques. The series turned her into one of the most recognizable food creators on the internet and built the devoted fan base she continues to serve through her independent work today.

"Dessert Person," published in 2020, is Claire's debut cookbook built around the idea that anyone who genuinely loves sweets can become a confident, skilled baker. It covers everything from laminated pastries and yeasted breads to layer cakes and tarts, with the kind of detailed, technique-forward instruction that reflects her test kitchen background.

"What's for Dessert" is Claire Saffitz's follow-up cookbook and it's intentionally more accessible than "Dessert Person" — focused on simple, everyday desserts rather than ambitious, multi-step baking projects. The book leans into fruit desserts, ice creams, puddings, and no-fuss treats, making it a natural next step for readers who want impressive results without marathon prep times.

Yes — her independent YouTube channel features a "Claire Recreates" series that carries on the spirit of "Gourmet Makes," tackling nostalgic packaged foods like Hostess Fruit Pies from scratch. It's one of her most fan-loved formats and a direct callback to the content style that originally made her famous.

Made In Cookware is one of Claire's active brand partners, featured in sponsored content on her YouTube channel. Made In is a direct-to-consumer brand known for professional-grade pots, pans, and knives, which makes it a natural fit for an audience of technique-focused home cooks and serious bakers.

Kerrygold, the Irish grass-fed butter brand, is one of Claire's YouTube sponsors — and it's arguably the most on-brand partnership in her portfolio, given that high-quality butter is foundational to almost everything she bakes. Her audience of dedicated home bakers tends to respond well to ingredient-focused sponsorships that connect directly to the recipes on screen.

Gozney is a brand that makes high-end outdoor pizza and bread ovens, and Claire Saffitz has worked with them as a YouTube sponsor. The partnership makes intuitive sense given her deep focus on dough, bread, and high-heat baking techniques — content areas where a wood-fired or high-temperature oven is genuinely relevant.

Cometeer is a specialty coffee brand that flash-freezes concentrated coffee into capsules, and Claire has collaborated with them for sponsored content on YouTube. Coffee is a recurring ingredient in desserts — from tiramisu to mocha cakes — making the pairing a logical extension of her baking-and-dessert-focused channel.

Claire Saffitz has grown her independent YouTube channel to well over a million subscribers since leaving Bon Appétit, and her engagement rate runs significantly above the category average — a sign that her audience is made up of genuinely invested bakers rather than passive viewers. Across all platforms combined, her total following reaches into the millions.