7 Ways to Write Better Recipes as a Food Blogger

Discover 7 expert tips to write better recipes as a food blogger. Learn to craft clear, engaging, and accessible recipes that boost reader trust and engagement.

As a food blogger, your recipes are the heart of your content. They’re not just instructions; they’re a bridge connecting your culinary creativity to your readers’ kitchens. A well-written recipe can inspire, build trust, and turn casual visitors into loyal followers. But crafting recipes that are clear, engaging, and foolproof is no small feat. It requires precision, empathy for your audience, and a touch of personality. This article outlines seven actionable strategies to elevate your recipe-writing game, ensuring your readers can recreate your dishes with confidence and enthusiasm.

1. List Ingredients in Order of Use

Clarity is king in recipe writing. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to ensure your recipe is easy to follow is to list ingredients in the order they’re used. This approach mirrors the natural flow of cooking, allowing readers to move seamlessly from gathering ingredients to executing steps without backtracking.

For example, if you’re writing a recipe for chicken tinga tacos, list the ingredients for the sauce (like tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and onions) before those for the taco assembly (tortillas, cilantro, lime). This logical progression minimizes confusion and helps readers visualize the process from start to finish.

Why It Matters:

Reduces Errors: Readers are less likely to miss or misuse ingredients.
Improves Flow: The recipe reads like a story, guiding the cook intuitively.
Enhances Efficiency: Cooks can prep and use ingredients in sequence, saving time.

Pro Tip: Group ingredients by recipe component (e.g., “For the Sauce” or “For the Garnish”) to further clarify complex recipes with multiple parts.

2. Infuse Your Unique Voice

Your voice is what sets your blog apart in a sea of food content. Whether you lean toward witty, conversational, or informative, let your personality shine through in your recipes. A distinctive voice makes your content memorable and builds a connection with your audience.

For instance, Pinch of Yum’s recipes, like their Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme, are instantly recognizable for their warm, approachable tone. They blend humor and relatability while remaining clear and instructional. To find your voice, ask yourself: What experience do I want my readers to have? Do I want them to feel inspired, confident, or entertained?

Balancing Voice and Clarity:

Experiment Thoughtfully: Try different tones—playful, educational, or storytelling—to see what resonates with your audience.
Avoid Overloading: Too much wit can obscure instructions. Ensure your steps remain clear and actionable.
Stay Consistent: A consistent voice across recipes reinforces your brand identity.

Example: Instead of a dry instruction like “Mix the ingredients,” try “Toss everything into a bowl and give it a good stir—think of it as a mini workout!” This adds personality without sacrificing clarity.

3. Include Both Weight and Volume Measurements

To make your recipes accessible to a global audience, include both weight (grams, ounces) and volume (cups, tablespoons) measurements. While volume measurements are common in the U.S., most of the world relies on weight for precision, especially in baking.

Benefits of Dual Measurements:

Global Accessibility: Readers worldwide can follow your recipe without needing to convert measurements.
Improved Accuracy: Weight measurements are more precise, reducing errors in recipes like cakes or breads where ratios matter.
Scalability: Doubling 100 grams of flour is easier than doubling ¾ cup.
Fewer Dishes: Measuring by weight often means using a single bowl and a scale, simplifying cleanup.

How to Implement:

Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients by weight during recipe development.
Provide conversions in parentheses, e.g., “1 cup all-purpose flour (120g).”
Reference reliable conversion charts or tools like King Arthur Baking’s ingredient weight chart for accuracy.

Example Table: Common Ingredient Conversions

Ingredient	Volume	Weight
All-Purpose Flour	1 cup	120g
Granulated Sugar	1 cup	200g
Butter	1 stick (½ cup)	113g
Chopped Onions	1 cup	150g

By catering to both measurement preferences, you broaden your audience and enhance recipe reliability.

4. Specify Doneness Cues

Vague instructions like “cook until done” leave too much to interpretation, especially for novice cooks. Instead, provide specific visual, tactile, or temperature-based cues to indicate doneness. This ensures consistent results, regardless of kitchen equipment or user experience.

Examples of Effective Doneness Cues:

Roasted Potatoes: “Roast until golden brown and a fork pierces the potatoes easily with no resistance.”
Steak: “Cook to an internal temperature of 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare, checked with a meat thermometer.”
Cake: “Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.”

Why It Matters:

Accounts for Equipment Variations: Ovens and stovetops vary widely. Specific cues help readers adjust for their setup.
Builds Confidence: Clear indicators empower beginners to trust their judgment.
Ensures Success: Precise doneness instructions lead to better outcomes, fostering trust in your recipes.

Pro Tip: Include time ranges as a guide (e.g., “Bake for 25–30 minutes”), but emphasize doneness cues over strict timing to account for variables like oven calibration.

5. Offer Substitutions and Variations

Not every reader has access to the same ingredients or equipment, so providing substitutions makes your recipes more inclusive. Whether it’s dietary restrictions, regional availability, or equipment differences, thoughtful substitutions show you care about your audience’s needs.

Common Substitution Scenarios:

Dietary Needs: Swap chicken for tofu in a stir-fry for vegetarian readers.
Equipment: Offer stovetop instructions for a recipe originally designed for an Instant Pot.
Ingredient Availability: Suggest dried herbs if fresh aren’t available, with adjusted quantities (e.g., 1 tbsp fresh basil = 1 tsp dried).

How to Include Substitutions:

Add a “Notes” or “Substitutions” section in your recipe card.
Be specific: “Use firm tofu in place of chicken, pressed and cubed, and cook for 8–10 minutes until golden.”

Example: Substitution Notes for a Chicken Curry Recipe

Notes: For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with 1 lb (450g) cubed paneer or tofu, cooking for 5–7 minutes until lightly browned. If using a slow cooker instead of a stovetop, cook on low for 6 hours.

This approach ensures your recipes are adaptable without cluttering the main instructions.

6. Provide Detailed Storage Instructions

Storage instructions are a game-changer for recipes, helping readers reduce waste and enjoy leftovers safely. Specify how to store the dish, how long it stays fresh, and whether it’s freezer-friendly.

Key Questions to Address:

Storage Method: Should it be refrigerated, kept at room temperature, or frozen?
Shelf Life: How long will it stay fresh? E.g., “Refrigerate for up to 4 days.”
Freezing Tips: Can it be frozen? Include instructions like “Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.”

Example: Storage Instructions for Sesame Noodle Bowls

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.

Chart: Storage Guidelines for Common Dishes

This chart helps readers quickly understand storage options based on dish type, enhancing usability.

7. Give Credit for Adapted Recipes

Transparency builds trust. If your recipe is inspired by or adapted from another source, give proper credit. This not only respects the original creator but also strengthens your credibility as a blogger.

How to Credit Properly:

In the Recipe: Note the source, e.g., “Adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate chip cookie recipe.”
Link to the Original: Include a hyperlink to the original recipe or cookbook in your blog post or recipe card.
Make It Your Own: Avoid copying verbatim. Tweak ingredients, techniques, or flavors to create a unique version, and write the recipe in your own words.

Example: For a modified lasagna recipe, you might write:

Adapted from: Bon Appétit’s Classic Lasagna, with added mushrooms and a lighter béchamel sauce.

This approach ensures ethical recipe development while showcasing your creativity.

Additional Tips for Recipe Writing Excellence

Beyond the seven core strategies, here are supplementary tips to refine your craft, drawn from expert advice and common pitfalls:

Test Recipes Multiple Times

Before publishing, test your recipe at least twice to confirm measurements, timing, and outcomes. This ensures reliability and catches errors, like missing steps or incorrect quantities. Write down exact measurements during testing, as “eyeballing” ingredients can lead to inconsistent results.

Assume No Prior Knowledge

Your readers may range from beginners to seasoned cooks. Avoid assuming familiarity with techniques or terms. For example, instead of “sauté the onions,” write “Cook the onions in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.”

Use Consistent Formatting

Consistency in formatting enhances readability. Follow these guidelines:

Lowercase Measurements: Use “tablespoon” instead of “Tablespoon.”
Spell Out Units: Write “teaspoon” instead of “tsp.”
Use Subheadings: Break up multi-part recipes (e.g., “For the Dough” and “For the Filling”).
Clarify Quantities: Avoid ambiguous phrasing like “2 8-ounce cans.” Instead, use “2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce.”

Describe Preparation Clearly

Specify how ingredients should be prepped before measuring. For example, write “½ cup chopped walnuts” instead of “½ cup walnuts, chopped” to indicate that chopping precedes measuring.

Avoid Overused or Redundant Terms

Streamline your language to keep instructions concise:

Eliminate “Set Aside”: Instead of “Chop the onions and set aside,” proceed directly to the next step, e.g., “Chop the onions. Heat oil in a pan.”
Avoid Repetition: Replace vague terms like “mixture” with specific ones like “batter” or “sauce.” For example, rewrite “Mix the mixtures” as “Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.”
Cut Verbosity: Instead of “Roll out the dough with a rolling pin,” write “Roll out the dough.”

Include Secondary Recipes

If your recipe relies on another (e.g., a pie crust for a cherry pie), include the full ingredients and instructions within the recipe. Linking to a separate recipe disrupts the user experience and may deter readers.

Example: Pie Crust for Cherry Pie

Pie Crust Ingredients: 1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour, 1 stick (113g) cold butter, ¼ tsp salt, 3–4 tbsp ice water.
Instructions: Pulse flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until crumbly. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until dough forms. Chill for 1 hour.

Line Edit for Clarity

When revising, focus on tightening language and choosing precise words. For example:

Change “Add in the flour gradually” to “Add the flour in small batches.”
Replace “Allow the cake to cool” with “Cool the cake for 30 minutes.”
Avoid stating the obvious, like “Serve hot or cold.” If the serving temperature isn’t critical, omit it.

Chart: Recipe Writing Workflow

This workflow ensures a systematic approach to creating polished recipes.

Conclusion

Writing better recipes is about more than listing ingredients and steps—it’s about crafting an experience that’s clear, engaging, and reliable. By listing ingredients in order, infusing your voice, using dual measurements, specifying doneness, offering substitutions, providing storage instructions, and giving credit where due, you create recipes that resonate with a diverse audience. These strategies, combined with rigorous testing and concise writing, will elevate your food blog’s credibility and keep readers coming back for more.

Experiment with these tips, refine your process, and share your culinary passion with the world. What are your favorite recipe-writing hacks? Share them in the comments to inspire fellow food bloggers!

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