Write a Recipe from Scratch

Sometimes you don’t have a link to import or a photo to scan — you just know the recipe and want to type it in. Cookonut’s manual recipe editor lets you create a recipe from scratch, field by field. Best of all, this method never uses any import credits, so it’s always unlimited.

How to Create a Recipe Manually

1. Open Cookonut and go to the Recipes tab
2. Tap the + button
3. Choose Create from scratch
4. You’ll see the recipe editor with empty fields ready to fill in

Filling In the Recipe

Title and Description

Start with the basics:

• Title — the name of your recipe (e.g., “Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies”)
• Description — an optional short summary or personal note about the recipe

Photo

Tap the photo area to add an image:

• Take a photo of the finished dish
• Choose from your camera roll
• Or skip it for now — you can always add a photo later

Ingredients

Add ingredients one by one:

1. Tap Add Ingredient
2. Enter the quantity (e.g., “2”), unit (e.g., “cups”), and item name (e.g., “all-purpose flour”)
3. Repeat for each ingredient
4. Drag to reorder ingredients if needed

You can also add ingredient groups (like “For the dough” and “For the frosting”) to organize recipes with multiple components.

Instructions

Add steps one by one:

1. Tap Add Step
2. Type the instruction for that step
3. Repeat for each step
4. Steps are automatically numbered — drag to reorder if needed

Keep each step focused on one action for the best experience in cooking mode.

Times and Servings

Fill in the practical details:

• Prep time — how long the hands-on preparation takes
• Cook time — how long it cooks, bakes, or simmers
• Servings — how many portions the recipe makes

Tags and Categories

Add metadata to help you organize and find the recipe later:

• Meal type — breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert
• Cuisine — Italian, Mexican, Japanese, etc.
• Tags — any custom labels you want (e.g., “quick,” “family favorite,” “gluten-free”)
• Cookbook — assign it to one or more cookbooks

Save Your Recipe

When you’ve filled in everything, tap Save at the bottom of the screen. Your recipe is now part of your collection, just like any imported recipe. You can open it in cooking mode, add it to your meal plan, scale servings, and everything else.

No Credits Used

Writing a recipe from scratch is completely free and does not use any import credits. This means:

• You can create as many manual recipes as you want (up to your plan’s recipe limit)
• It’s a great option if you’ve used your monthly credits
• Family recipes, personal creations, and recipes you know by heart are perfect for manual entry

Tips

• You don’t have to fill everything in at once — save a recipe with just a title and ingredients, then add steps later by editing it
• Be specific with quantities — “200g butter” is better than “butter” when you want to scale servings or generate a grocery list
• Use ingredient groups for complex recipes — it keeps things organized
• Short, clear steps work best in cooking mode — each step should be one thing to do

When to Write from Scratch vs. Import

Use Create from scratch when:

• It’s your own original recipe
• You know the recipe by heart
• You’re adapting a recipe with your own changes
• You want to save credits

Use an import method when:

• You already have the recipe — from a website, social media post, photo, or pasted text
• You want to save time on data entry
• The recipe is from an external source