Family recipes
How to digitize your family's recipe cards
Grandma's butter cookies shouldn't live on one fragile, butter-stained card. Here's a simple way to save handwritten family recipes — so they're searchable, shareable with the people you choose, and safe for good.
Why it's worth doing now
Ink fades, cards get lost in moves, and the person who knows that "a little flour" means exactly ¾ cup won't always be a phone call away. Gathering for the holidays is the perfect moment: pull out the recipe box, ask the questions, and save the answers alongside the recipe.
The 4-step method
1. Photograph each card in good light
Lay the card flat near a window in daylight — no flash, which washes out pencil and causes glare. Hold your phone straight above it so the edges look square, and fill the frame. Snap the back too if Grandma kept writing on it.
2. Scan it into readable text
Upload the photo and Cook What You Got reads the handwriting — cursive, faded ink, and all — then sorts it into a title, ingredients with amounts, and steps.
3. Review and fill in the gaps
Old cards love to say “a pinch” or “bake till done.” Check every line, add the amounts and oven temperatures you know, and leave yourself private notes like “Mom always doubled the cinnamon.”
4. Keep it safe and easy to find
Every recipe lands in your private Recipe Box, searchable by name or ingredient. Tag it (“Nana’s”, “Christmas”), favorite it, and mark whether you’d make it again. Then tuck the original card somewhere safe and dry.
Your family's recipes stay yours
Original photos are never shown to anyone, and scanned recipes are private by default. Nothing is published unless you decide to share it. See how scanning works.
Good questions
What's the best way to digitize old recipe cards?
Photograph each card flat in natural light, then use a recipe scanner to turn the handwriting into editable text. Review each recipe, fill in missing amounts, and save it somewhere searchable so you'll actually use it.
Can it read cursive handwriting?
Yes. It handles cursive, faded pen and pencil well when the photo is clear. You always see an editable review screen before anything is saved, so you can fix any word it gets wrong.
Will my family's recipes be public?
No. Everything you scan is private by default and your original photos are never shown to anyone. A recipe is only shared if you choose to share it — and privacy is never a paid feature.
Where should I start if I have a whole box of cards?
Start with the recipes that only exist in one place — the card you'd be saddest to lose. Ten favorites is a great first afternoon. Your first 3 scans are free.
Start with the card you'd miss most.
Your recipes, finally in one place. Your first 3 scans are on us.