How to Read a Recipe

Becoming a good cook or baker doesn't happen overnight. It takes years of practice to perfect, but one skill that can improve your cooking instantly is learning how to properly use a recipe. This comprehensive guide on "How to Read a Recipe" demystifies common recipe terminology and provides a step-by-step approach to ensure accurate recipe execution every time.

Learning how to read a recipe properly will prevent a lot of unnecessary kitchen mishaps. Because written recipes are meant to be short and to the point, there are often a lot of directions included in the finer details of a recipe that might be overlooked if you aren’t careful. As there is no official, standardized formula for writing a recipe (and anybody can write one), recipe formatting can vary widely.

Baking and cooking share a lot in common with science, and a recipe can be viewed similarly to a scientific formula. Much like following a scientific formula, understanding the general format and what to pay attention to specifically can enhance your success with recipes. Looking for key features can help you identify any recipes that may be questionable, and can guide you to ask the right questions and avoid failures.

Elements of a Recipe

While recipes have been around for as long as people have been cooking, there is no official, standardized formula for writing them. There are, however, generally accepted practices, and each major publication and (good) food blog will have its own style (you can read more about mine in my Ethics and Editorial Guidelines). Here is an overview of the elements of a recipe, with both a graphic and some overview of the elements.

Read Through the Recipe!

I hate to have to actually say this, but this is the number one mistake most cooks make. Before you begin preparing your recipe, it's crucial to carefully review both the list of ingredients and all of the instructions. While this step may seem obvious, it's easy to overlook crucial details that could lead to errors or stress (hello, surprise overnight chill!). This will ensure you have all the ingredients, time, and equipment you need to complete the recipe. It’s also helpful to visualize yourself making the recipe as you read over the instructions. This is probably the most easily solved problem when it comes to successfully making recipes.

Properly Gather and Measure Ingredients

We’ve all heard that it’s good practice to prepare your mise en place (i.e. to measure and prep out all of your ingredients) before starting cooking, and for good reason. Making sure all your ingredients are prepared and ready to go before you start the actual cooking process can help make things go much more smoothly, especially in time-sensitive recipe steps.

Sometimes, ingredients may not be listed in the ingredients list, such as when you need water to boil something. Running through the instructions first helps you understand the recipe steps and ensures you aren’t overlooking any hidden ingredients.

Instructions Within Ingredient Lists

In many recipes, preparation begins directly within the ingredient list.

For example: a recipe may call for "butter, melted" in the ingredient list, meaning the butter should be melted before beginning the recipe instructions. In the subsequent instructions, when the melted butter is to be added, the recipe may simply specify "butter," assuming it has been melted according to the instructions provided earlier in the ingredient list. So be sure to pay attention to preparation instructions listed after a comma with each ingredient in the ingredient list, and complete that step before beginning cooking.

This also applies to the temperature of certain ingredients. Notice when a particular ingredient such as butter, cream cheese, or an egg is called for as “softened” or “room temperature,” meaning you will need to take it out of the refrigerator for a period of time before starting to cook. The same goes for frozen items that may be called for as “thawed,” or water that needs to be warm or brought to a boil ahead of time. Many missteps occur when readers overlook these minor details or think they don't matter. Good recipe writers include only details or instructions that truly affect the outcome, so don't overlook these.

Divided Ingredients

When an ingredient is divided in a recipe, it means that the total quantity of that ingredient is divided into separate portions, and each portion is used at different stages or in different parts of the recipe. This division could be indicated in various ways, such as specifying in the ingredient list with the word "divided." Typically, the recipe will give you the quantities you will use with each addition within the instruction step, totaling the quantity in the ingredient list. Be careful not to automatically add all of the ingredients at once, if it needs to be divided between different steps.

How To Measure

The comma in an ingredient list indicates the sequence of actions. Instructions following the comma should be carried out after measuring the whole ingredient. This ensures accurate measurements and prevents errors in preparation.

For example: “1 pound apples, peeled, cored and sliced” means that the apples should be weighed to equal 1 pound first, then peeled, then cored, then sliced “1 pound peeled, cored and sliced apples”, by contrast, means the apples should be peeled, cored, and sliced first, then weighed to equal 1 pound. 

The difference in volume of these two different preparations can be great enough to change the outcome of a recipe. 

Weights vs. Volume

Speaking of volume: I know there is widespread reliance on cup measurements in the US, but measuring by volume can (and often does) produce inconsistent bakes. This is because of variations in ingredient density and packing methods. Using a kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure ingredients, especially flour.

Even under identical conditions, two people using the same standard cup measuring technique to measure flour will often end up with significantly different amounts of flour per cup. You can try to get the correct amount whether you scoop and level off or sift and spoon it in, but there is just too much room for error.

You might be wondering: Why does this even matter?  Well, simply put, it will mess up the recipe. Sometimes, recipes are so precise that an extra amount of an ingredient can make or break a recipe. Seek out recipes that include weight measurements, especially when it comes to dry ingredients like flour. If a baking recipe doesn't give that information, there is much more room for failure in replicating the recipe. Check out this guide to using a scale if you are new to weighing your ingredients.

Specificity in Ingredients

Review the list of ingredients required for the recipe and take note of any unfamiliar ingredients or items you may need to purchase. Do an internet search for something you haven’t heard of before, so you know what to look for at the store. 

Don’t make assumptions about ingredients, such as mistaking apple cider vinegar for fresh apple cider. Or assuming cake flour is the same as all-purpose flour. Or that you can substitute baking powder for baking soda. Generally speaking, a recipe should specify exactly what’s needed to be successful, and should tell you if using something different will affect the outcome.

For example, a recipe calling for “almonds” should mean that you can use any type of almond you want, such as whole skin-on almonds or sliced almonds, without it making a difference. But if a recipe calls specifically for “blanched slivered almonds,” there is probably a good reason, so try to match up what is called for with what you cook with or buy at the store. .

See Note

Sometimes ingredient lists or recipe steps will say to “see note”—it’s always a good idea in general to check the recipe notes before you start to cook. The notes are a place where the recipe writer will add additional information that may not fit in the ingredient list (due to space limitations) or want to give you more details that don't necessarily belong in the recipe. Another good reason for reading through the full recipe from start to finish before cooking!

Before You Begin the Instructions

Make sure anything that needs to be preheated is done. Put oven racks where they need to go. Ensure that you have any specific-sized baking pans called for. Don’t use an 11-inch pie dish when the recipe calls for a 9-inch pie dish, a tart pan when it calls for a pie plate, or an 8-inch square baking dish when it calls for a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. All of these substitutions can affect the final outcome.

When Following the Instructions

Avoid relying solely on timing when cooking, as oven temperatures and stove strengths can vary widely across kitchens, among many other factors that can cause your food to cook at different times. Instead, opt for recipes that offer both timing and cues that engage all of the senses—sight, smell, and sound—to assess doneness accurately. In addition to following timing and sensory cues during cooking, pay attention to cooling times as well. Ignoring a stated cooling or resting time can negatively impact a recipe.

For example, if you try to put a glaze over a hot pop tart, the glaze is likely to slide off. If the recipe says to cool something to room temperature before proceeding, be sure to follow that instruction.

As a recipe developer, I hate hearing when readers have a recipe fail. But almost always, those failures can be traced back to a person not fully reading through a recipe and not following the necessary steps. Even minor changes in a recipe can result in failure.

And while it's fun to see what happens when we take our own spin on a recipe (I know! It's my job--and even when I'm not "working" I'm always tinkering in my kitchen for my own family), don't do it unless you are prepared for the possibility of less-than-perfect results. Carefully following recipes will improve your cooking skills and give you the confidence to customize them creatively, adding your own innovations and taste preferences over time.

Want to learn more?

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