How to Write a Recipe: 5 Tips from Addie Gundry
RecipeLion's Executive Producer, Addie Gundry, gives her best advice for how to write a recipe!
Whether you're a baking novice or a seasoned chef, everyone needs to write their own recipes at some point, but sometimes recipes are easier to make than they are to write. Writing your own recipes is fun, but it's a process that requires attention to detail. There are numbers and measurements all over the place, complicated steps to keep track of, and when should you even use "divided" in your ingredients list?
We asked RecipeLion's Executive Producer, Addie Gundry, what advice she has for home cooks who write their own delicious recipes. Below are Addie's solutions to all of your recipe writing woes.
5 Recipe Writing Tips from Addie Gundry
1. Start with a Recipe You Love
Start with a recipe that you love, one you know works, or one that seems doable. Take that recipe and tweak it. It is easier to write your own recipe if you have a great one to base it off of.
2. Keep It Simple
You do not need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes a really simple twist or change of ingredient will make the world of a difference. For example, you don’t need to turn a blueberry tart into a savory cheese pie, just change from blueberries to blackberries!
3. Test It Out
Test and test and test. When you make changes, be sure to make sure they work!
4. Get a Second Opinion
Give your recipe to a friend or family member and have them make it. Sometimes things make sense to you but don’t to others. Like editing. Get a second set of eyes!
5. Don't Be Afraid of Failing
I have learned a lot more by messing up than I have by succeeding. When something doesn’t work you are going to remember why and that will make you a stronger cook.
Now that you have Addie Gundry's advice for writing your own recipes, watch the video below to learn how to make Addie's Green Bean Casserole, and use her tips and tricks to create your own version!
How to Write a Recipe
Writing the Ingredients:
When writing a recipe, the ingredients are by far the most important part. They're what makes a recipe stand out, and they're typically what chefs and bakers look at first to decide if they actually want to make the recipe.
1. List the ingredients in the order that they are used in the recipe. If more than one ingredient is used in the same step, list them by quantity.
2. Split the ingredients into different sections. Sometimes, if the list of ingredients gets too long, it's beneficial to split them into different sections. This is especially true for recipes that have multiple parts or use a homemade sauce, frosting, or filling.
3. If an ingredient is used more than once in a recipe, combine the amounts in the ingredient list, and write "divided." For instance, if you're writing a cupcake recipe, and you use 1/2 cup of sugar in the batter and 1/2 cup in the frosting, simply write, "1 cup sugar, divided."
4. Be as precise as possible, especially when it comes to measurements. The amount of a certain ingredient or even the size of the baking dish necessary are important for getting the recipe just right.
Writing the Instructions:
Almost as important as the ingredients are the instructions! The more complicated a recipe is, the more detailed you should be with your instructions. Clarity is key, and there's nothing quite
1. Give instructions beyond just times, temperatures. Things like “bake until brown and crispy” or “cover until the cheese has melted” are a great way to make your recipes easier to follow.
2. If you have ingredients "divided" in the ingredients list, be sure to mention how much of that ingredient goes in each section of the recipe.
3. Subsections are your best friend when it comes to writing instructions. Break down the instructions in a way that makes the most sense to you as you're making the recipe, but remember that everyone's experience levels are different.
4. It's better to over-explain something in the instructions that to confuse yourself when you're trying to read the recipe again later.
