Samantha Wade / 26 May 2025
How to Create a Family Cookbook That Preserves Generations of Flavor and Love
In every family, there are dishes that taste like home. Grandma’s Sunday roast, Dad’s brisket, Auntie’s famous apple pie—these aren’t just recipes, they’re memories served on a plate. Creating a family cookbook is a meaningful, and fun way to preserve these traditions, pass them down through generations, and celebrate the people behind them.
Whether you’re gathering handwritten notes from your relatives or compiling favorite weeknight meals into one place, here’s how to create a family cookbook that’s both functional and full of heart.
1. Start with a Recipe Hunt
Begin by reaching out to family members. Ask them to share their favorite recipes—especially those that are part of family traditions or stories. Don’t forget to ask about the origins of each dish. Sometimes, the story behind a recipe is just as meaningful as the recipe itself.
Tip: Record voice memos or video calls with relatives as they talk through the steps. You’ll capture their voice, personality, and kitchen wisdom. You can add these into books (more to come later).
2. Organize Your Recipes
Once you’ve gathered your recipes, decide how to categorize them. Some common sections include:
- Breakfasts
- Mains or by types of meat
- Sides
- Baked Goods
- Holiday Favorites
- "Grandma's Originals" (or another family-specific section)
If you have a lot of contributors, you might consider organizing the cookbook by family member instead.
3. Add Personal Touches
What makes a family cookbook special is the personal touches. Include:
- Photos of dishes or handwritten recipes
- Photos of family members in the kitchen or around the table
- Family stories and traditions
- Cooking tips passed down through generations
- Notes like “This was always made on Thanksgiving” or “Aunt Kim insisted it needed extra garlic”
These details turn a simple recipe collection into a family heirloom.
4. Choose a Format
You can keep your cookbook digital, or have a professionally bound book for gifts for the family. Options include:
- DIY scrapbooks (great for kids to help with!)
- Printable PDFs you design yourself (Canva is a good tool) and then print it as a bound book with The Print Refinery.
- Have a designer help you put it all together for a bound book at The Print Refinery.
5. Make It Collaborative
A family cookbook is more meaningful when it’s made together. Create a shared folder where everyone can upload their contributions, or host a family recipe day (in person or virtually) where everyone cooks, shares stories, writes things down, and takes pictures.
6. Don’t Worry About Perfection
Measurements might be vague. Cooking times may say “until it smells right.” That’s okay. These quirks make the cookbook uniquely yours. My favorite recipe of my grandma tells us to make the meatballs hearty, not like those chintzy ones you buy premade.
Final Thought
Creating a family cookbook is more than collecting recipes—it’s preserving history, honoring loved ones, and passing down something delicious to future generations. So grab a pen, fire up the oven, and start gathering those family flavors. Your legacy might just be written in butter and sugar. Or, in this author's family, Barbeque Sauce.