9 Recipe Photo Book Ideas Perfect for The Cook In Your Life
Learn how to easily create your own cookbook photo book filled with all your fave go-tos.
Posted 5/1/2025
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There’s something special about creating your very own cookbook. Whether it’s Grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies, Dad’s secret BBQ sauce, or the lasagna you’ve made so many times you could assemble it in your sleep—it’s more than just food. It’s tradition. It’s love. It’s the story of your life told one delicious bite at a time. And what better way to hold on to those recipes than by creating your very own cookbook photo book?
Recipe Photo Book Ideas and Inspiration
If you’re wondering how to make a recipe book with pictures, first you need the perfect cookbook idea. Not sure if you want to go sentimental with a family cookbook or a little zanier with a fun twist? No worries. Here are some ideas to get your creative juice (and your stomach) rumbling:
- Create a family recipe cookbook: Add all the tried and true recipes from throughout the years. Bonus points for handwritten recipes and old family photos.
- Create a cookbook of your favorite recipes: Mom’s shepherd's pie, that chocolate cheesecake your friend made you that one time–add anything your tastebuds desire.
- Make a truly unique and thoughtful gift: Nothing says “I love you” more than a thoughtfully designed photo book cookbook of all their favorite foods and how to cook them.
- Around the world in food: Add one recipe per country from around the world for a true culinary adventure and travel photo book all in one.
- Have a few favorite celebrity chefs?: Add some recipes you want to try created by your favorites, Gordon Ramsay’s fish and chips, anyone?
- From Applebee’s to Peter Luger’s: Add recipes from all your favorite restaurants. They don’t have to be fancy, just delicious.
- Challenge yourself: Create a personal or family challenge with 100 days of recipes and add your favorite ones.
- Satiate that sweet tooth: Create a book of all your favorite confections from ice cream to croissants.
- Time travel through food: Make a recipe book and include recipes from the past 10 decades (spoiler alert: the 50’s were a wild time for food–shrimp jello, anyone?)
The sky’s the limit when you’re creating your very own recipe photo book–you can truly make it however you want, right from scratch.
Here’s How to Make a Cookbook
With Chatbooks, making a custom recipe book is as easy as preheating the oven. Whether you’re collecting handwritten notes from generations past or organizing your go-to weeknight dinners, here’s how to turn your kitchen staples into a recipe photo book that’ll last for years to come.
Step 1: Gather Your Recipes
Start by collecting your must-have recipes. Dig through old recipe cards, text your mom for that casserole recipe, and don’t forget to include your own modern favorites. Whether you want a book of holiday classics or a mix of everything your family loves, decide what kind of cookbook works best for you.
Pro tip: If you have handwritten recipes, snap a photo and include them in your book to give it that nostalgic touch.
Step 2: Organize Your Recipes
Sort your recipes into sections that make sense for how you cook. You can go classic—Appetizers, Mains, Desserts—or create fun categories like “Lazy Sunday Breakfasts” or “Meals That Save My Sanity.” Think about what’ll make flipping through your cookbook feel effortless when you're in the middle of a dinner rush.
Step 3: Add Personal Touches
This isn’t just any recipe book—it’s your recipe book! Gather family photos, funny kitchen mishap stories, or even little notes like “Mom always doubles the garlic in this one” to make it feel personal. These little details will turn your book into an heirloom that your kids (and grandkids!) will love flipping through one day.
Step 4: Start Creating Your Recipe Photo Book
With the Chatbooks app, creating your own cookbook is easy as pie. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Download the Chatbooks App
- Choose which type of photo book you want to use: a 6x6”, 8x8”, or 10x10” hard or softcover Classic Photo Book or a 10x10” Luxury Layflat Photo Book with pages that lay flat–perfect for reading your recipe as you go!
- Upload your photos
- Add text pages and captions to type in your recipes
- Add a blank page at the beginning of your recipe photo book so you can write an opening note
- Choose a cover photo from your camera roll or add a designer cover
- Admire your work
- Send to print and get excited
It really is just that easy.
Step 5: It’s Almost Here
Once your cookbook is ready, it’s time to bring it to life! Order a copy (or a few) and keep one in your kitchen, gift another to a family member, or surprise a friend who’s always asking for your recipes. Because food is best when it’s shared. Can’t wait for your book to get here? You can share your cookbook digitally by sharing the link to the Mini Movie that was automatically generated when you printed your cookbook–share to social or send a link via text.
Create, Cook, and Enjoy
A homemade cookbook isn’t just about organizing recipes—it’s about keeping family history alive, passing down traditions, and making sure that no one forgets how to make Aunt Linda’s world-famous banana bread. Plus, it makes an incredibly thoughtful (and delicious) gift for any occasion.
So grab your favorite recipes, round up those old family photos, and get cracking on a cookbook that’s just as special as the meals you love. With Chatbooks, turning your family’s food story into a darling personalized cookbook is easy as pie. (And yes, don’t forget to include your best pie recipe!) Create yours now.
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