How to Create a Family Cookbook

Many of us remember the days of making cookbooks for school or church fund raisers. I will never forget the “fun” of using whiteout to correct the mistakes in the ingredient, measurements or directions when we typed in something wrong. Now it is much easier to create a custom family cookbook. If you are looking for a perfect way to collect and store all your favorite family recipes, I’ve got tips for how to gather and create a family cookbook for your personal collection or a super fun gift!

This post includes affiliate links. Some products were received to facilitate this post.

How to Create a Family Cookbook

The first thing you need to get started on your family cookbook is pictures and recipe cards. Start with your own recipe box and take pictures of the cards you already have. Go through your recipes and take pictures of any cards you have that are special to you and your family.

I started with the simple photo holder that my mom gave me a few years ago where I store my favorites. I pulled out the special family recipes and took pictures of each of them.

Then I pulled out my three ring binder and pulled out the family recipes that I love like my favorite recipe that my Grandma wrote out for me years ago in the front slip cover.

Once I had taken pictures of my personal favorites, it was time to recruit help from all my family members. I asked my aunts, parents and other family members to take a picture of their favorites and send them to me.

It was so special to not only see the recipe cards from my family’s collections but also to hear the stories behind the cards and see the handwriting of some of our family members from years past.

Tip: Buy or create recipe cards that you share with your family members and ask them to write out the favorite recipes. I love these custom cards that I created on Mixbook.com so I could use my favorite gingham napkin design.

I created a simple design in a photo editing software prgoram and then uploaded the design to the blank card layout to make these recipe cards.

Once you have all your photos and recipe cards collected, it’s time to start making your cookbook. With Mixbook you can select a cookbook template and use their food themed designs or backgrounds.

One of my goals is to try each of these recipes and take pictures as I go. I have been making Grandmother O’s bran muffins for years so I had the perfect pictures to include along with the recipe in my family cookbook.

Upload your recipe card pictures and finish designing your cookbook. Make one copy for yourself or order your family cookbook for someone on your special gift list. This is such a fun way to share family recipes with future generations.