How to Write Your Own Cookbook in Simple Format

If you are an excellent home cook, consider writing a cookbook.

If you have a sheaf of recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, or if your friends and family rave about your original dinnertime or dessert concoctions, you might consider sharing your recipes by writing a cookbook. Remember to include recipes that are unique and interesting and write clear instructions that will enable readers to successful recreate your most prised recipes.

Instructions

Plan

1. Choose a theme. Cookbooks are often based on a central theme that helps buyers more easily decide if the book would interest them. Examples include cookbooks devoted exclusively to vegetarian dishes, cupcakes, or salads. Other cookbooks include recipes made with a common ingredient like soup or rice, or that are prepared using the same method, such as in a slow cooker or on a grill.

2. Collect recipes or get in the kitchen and create new ones. You must include only your own recipes or get written permission from the recipe owner. Copyright laws prohibit you from reproducing recipes owned by another person or company without permission.

3. Create a list of the recipes you plan to include.

List ingredients and measurements

1. List the ingredients needed for each recipe in the exact order they are to be used. Specify the quantity of each item needed using standard cooking measurements, such as cups, ounces and teaspoons. Be specific. For example, write: "16-ounce package cream cheese" instead of "package cream cheese." Use standard abbreviations such as "c" for "cup."

2. Write an instructions section for each recipe. Write each step on a separate line and begin instructions with a verb. For example, say: "preheat oven to 375 degrees" instead of "you need to preheat the oven to 375 degrees." Begin at the beginning of the process and cover each action needed for a successful dish.

3. State how many people each recipe will serve and approximately how long it will take to prepare and cook.

4. Create a tips section for each recipe. Include information on possible ingredient substitutions, instructions for high-altitude cooking and serving suggestions.

Organize and Complete

1. Divide the recipes into categories, such as appetizers, main dishes and desserts. If your cookbook has only one type of item, such as cupcakes, this step is unnessessary.

2. Consider including additional information in your cookbook. For example, if you are writing a cookbook based on your grandmother's homemade recipes, you might include short anecdotes about some or all of the recipes. For example, "I remember my grandmother making these cookies every Saturday morning. She always got up long before we did to start baking and the sweet smell of her special molasses cookies would draw us from our beds."

3. Write an introduction to your cookbook. While this will appear at the beginning of the book, it is often helpful to finalize the contents of your book before you write the introduction. Explain why you wrote the book and what you hope the reader will gain from it.

4. Compile an index that helps readers find recipes by name or ingredient. If a specific ingredient, such as eggs, sugar or flour, appears in many recipes, you need not include an index entry for that item.

References

• Better Baking: So You Want to Write a Cookbook
• David Lebovitz: Writing Your Own Cookbook