Import from YouTube

YouTube is packed with cooking content — from quick recipe shorts to detailed cooking tutorials. Cookonut can extract recipes from YouTube videos so you don’t have to pause and scribble notes while watching.

How to Import from YouTube

Share the video straight from YouTube to Cookonut — no copying links needed.

1. Open the YouTube video with the recipe
2. Tap Share below the video
3. Select Cookonut from the share options (tap More to find it if needed)
4. Cookonut opens with the link ready — tap Import

The screenshots above show iOS. On Android the flow is the same through the share menu — use the iOS and Android tabs at the top for device-specific steps.

If the description links to a recipe

If the video description doesn’t include the full recipe but links to a recipe website, Cookonut follows that link and pulls the recipe from the linked page.

What Cookonut Extracts

Cookonut analyzes the video’s metadata and description to build your recipe. You may get:

• Recipe title from the video title
• Ingredients and instructions from the video description (many creators list these below the video)
• Thumbnail image from the video
• Tags and categories based on the content

Tips for Better YouTube Imports

The quality of a YouTube recipe import depends largely on what the creator put in their video description:

• Videos with full recipes in the description produce excellent imports — ingredients, quantities, and steps are all there
• Videos with “recipe in the description” notes usually import well
• Videos with no written recipe (just a voiceover) will produce minimal results — consider using voice dictation while watching instead

Check the Description First

Before importing, take a quick look at the YouTube video description. If you see a full list of ingredients and steps written out, the import will likely be great. If the description only has promotional links and social media handles, you may want to try a different import method.

YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts work the same way — open the Short, tap Share, and select Cookonut from the share options.

Shorts descriptions are often shorter, so the import may need more manual editing.

Alternative Approach for Video-Only Recipes

If a YouTube creator only explains the recipe verbally without writing it out:

1. Play the video
2. Open Cookonut and choose Voice Dictation
3. Repeat the recipe as you hear it, pausing the video as needed
4. Or jot down notes and use the Paste Text import method

This ensures you capture every detail, even from videos without written descriptions.

Credit Usage

Each YouTube import uses 1 credit from your monthly pool. Free plan users get 10 credits per month; Premium users have unlimited imports.

After Saving

Once saved, your YouTube recipe is a full, searchable recipe in your collection — no need to rewatch the video every time you want to cook it. Add it to a cookbook, plan it for the week, or jump straight into cooking mode.