Books from $89 · Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas · Free shipping on every book · Approve every page before it prints · $25 off orders over $150 with code HOLIDAY25 through Nov 15Books from $89 · Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas · Free shipping on every book · Approve every page before it prints · $25 off orders over $150 with code HOLIDAY25 through Nov 15Books from $89 · Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas · Free shipping on every book · Approve every page before it prints · $25 off orders over $150 with code HOLIDAY25 through Nov 15Books from $89 · Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas · Free shipping on every book · Approve every page before it prints · $25 off orders over $150 with code HOLIDAY25 through Nov 15Books from $89 · Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas · Free shipping on every book · Approve every page before it prints · $25 off orders over $150 with code HOLIDAY25 through Nov 15Books from $89 · Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas · Free shipping on every book · Approve every page before it prints · $25 off orders over $150 with code HOLIDAY25 through Nov 15
from the recipe box, to the book
The family recipes worth keeping

Turn your family's recipe cards into a book you'll keep forever.

We keep the original handwriting, type every recipe beside it, and design a hardcover cookbook from your family's collection. You approve every page before it prints.

Make your family cookbook — from $89

Books from $89 · Free US shipping · Nothing prints until you approve it

Giving it as a gift?

  • Every card scanned in high resolution
  • Approve every page first
  • Two rounds of changes included
  • Order by Dec 1 for Christmas
Covers

Three covers

Pick one, then write your own title, subtitle and family name on it.

Your Family Name

Family Recipes

A Cookbook

Three Generations of Recipes

Breads · Soups · Mains · Cookies · Pies & More

Retro

Red and cream checks, like the cookbooks on Grandma's shelf.

Start with Retro →

Family Recipes

A Cookbook

Three Generations of Recipes

Breads · Soups · Mains · Cookies · Pies & More

Your Family Name

Classic

Bold type on brick red. The cover of our own family's book.

Start with Classic →

Family Recipes

A Cookbook

Three Generations of Recipes

Your family photo

Breads · Soups · Mains · Cookies · Pies & More

Your Family Name

Heirloom

Dark cloth with a family photo set into the front.

Start with Heirloom →
How it works

Your part takes about 20 minutes

  1. 1

    Pick a cover

    Choose a design and add your title. Takes two minutes.

  2. 2

    Snap your cards

    Photograph each card with your phone, or mail the box to us.

  3. 3

    Approve your proof

    See every page before it prints and tell us what to change.

We do everything else: scanning, typing, design and printing.

See inside

From a box of recipe cards to a family heirloom

Start your book — from $89
What we do for you

The work that goes into every book

01

Every card, preserved

We scan each card in high resolution and print it exactly as it was written: the handwriting, the notes in the margins, the splatters.

02

Every recipe, typed beside its card

Each recipe is typed word for word next to the original, so anyone in the family can read it and cook from it.

03

Designed, page by page

We sort your recipes into chapters and design the cover and every page. You never open a design tool.

04

Your stories and photos, if you want them

Add family photos, a favorite verse or a voice memo about a dish, and we set them in beside the recipes.

Pricing

Choose your book

Small

Up to 25 recipes

$89

For a small recipe box. Up to 70 pages. Premium edition $179.

Choose your book
Recommended

Recommended

Up to 50 recipes

$119

For most family collections. Up to 130 pages. Premium edition $249.

Choose your book

Large

Up to 100 recipes

$159

For a big family, or more than one box. Up to 250 pages. Premium edition $349.

Choose your book

Every book includes

  • Every card scanned in high resolution
  • Every recipe typed word for word beside its card
  • Chapters, pages and cover designed for you
  • Your title, cover and dedication
  • A full proof, with two rounds of changes
  • An 8 x 10 in hardcover, shipped free

Prices shown are the Standard edition, printed in full color on 70# uncoated paper. Upgrade to Premium (thick 100# matte photo paper) when you design your book. If your recipes need more pages than your size includes, we'll tell you the cost before we start.

Why we started

Some recipes are too important to leave in a box.

Cards fade. Boxes get lost. And most grandkids can't read the cursive.

Heading into Christmas 2024, my grandma died unexpectedly. She was 87. My mom took it hard.

In our basement sat boxes of recipe cards from both sides of the family, in my grandparents' own handwriting. A Portuguese family and a German family. No one used them, and most of the grandkids couldn't read them.

So I made my mom a gift: every card scanned, every recipe typed beside it, bound into one hardcover book. My family loved it. Then friends asked for books of their own. Now Handed Down makes the same book for yours.

Ryan, founder

How it works

What happens after you order

  1. Right away

    Check your email

    You get your upload link and a one-page guide to photographing your cards.

  2. When you're ready

    Send your cards

    Snap each card with your phone, or mail them in. Add family photos or voice memos if you like.

  3. Within 3 business days

    See your proof

    We scan and enhance every card, type every recipe and design every page. You get the whole book as a digital proof.

  4. Your call

    Approve it

    Request changes or approve it. Two rounds of changes are included, and nothing prints until you approve.

  5. About 2 weeks

    Open the box

    Your hardcover is printed, bound and shipped to your door, free.

About 2 to 3 weeks from the day we get your cards. Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas.

Our promise

Nothing prints until you say so.

  • See every page first

    You get the whole book as a digital proof before anything is printed.

  • Request changes

    Spot something on your proof? Tell us and we fix it before it prints. Two rounds of changes are included.

  • Full refund until we start

    Change your mind before we start designing your book and you get every dollar back.

The book

Made to sit on the counter for decades

Size
8 x 10 inch hardcover
Cover
Printed hardcover with a matte finish, both editions
Paper
Standard edition: full color on 70# uncoated paper. Premium edition: thick 100# premium matte photo paper
Printing
Printed and bound to order by a professional book printer
Shipping
Free standard shipping in the US
Extra copies
Add copies for siblings and kids, at order or after your proof
Sending your cards

Send whatever the family kept

The recipe cards are the start. Everything else is what makes it your family's book.

Photograph them

Use your phone and our one-page guide. Your originals never leave the house.

Included

Rather mail them in?

Add mail-in when you order. We email you a prepaid label. Put your cards, photos and notes in one box, and we scan everything and send it all back, tracked.

+$69

What you can send

  • Every recipe card
  • Old cookbooks with handwritten notes
  • Photos of the people
  • Holiday recipes
  • Sticky notes
  • Photos of the dishes
  • Handwritten notes and letters
  • Stories
  • Food memorabilia
  • Family traditions
Christmas

Giving it for Christmas?

You have their cards

Order by December 1 and send us the cards right away. It arrives before Christmas, ready to wrap.

Make your family cookbook

They have the cards

Give a gift card with a printable certificate for under the tree. They make the book after the holidays.

Christmas gift options

Questions

How long does it take?

About 2 to 3 weeks from the day we get your cards. Your proof comes within 3 business days, and once you approve it, the book takes about 2 weeks to print and arrive. Order by December 1 and send your photos within a few days to have it by Christmas.

What's the difference between Standard and Premium?

Only the paper. Both are 8 x 10 inch hardcovers with the same pages and design. Standard prints in full color on 70# uncoated paper. Premium uses thick 100# premium matte photo paper, so the card scans look richer.

What if I change my mind?

You get a full refund any time before we start designing your book. Once we have started, you get two rounds of changes on your proof, and nothing prints until you approve it.

The handwriting is hard to read. Is that a problem?

That is most cards. Every card is printed exactly as written, in high resolution, with the recipe typed beside it. Anything we cannot read is flagged on your proof for you to check.

Do my photos need to be good?

A phone is fine. Shoot each card flat, in daylight, from straight above. The photo guide walks you through it, and we'll ask if a card needs a retake.

Do my original cards leave the house?

Only if you want them to. Photograph them at home, or add mail-in: we email you a prepaid label, scan your cards, and mail them back, tracked.

Which size do I need?

Count the recipes you want in the book and pick the size that covers them. Small includes up to 70 pages, Recommended up to 130 and Large up to 250. If yours need more pages, we'll tell you the cost before we start.

Can I order more copies?

Yes, for siblings and kids. Add them when you order, or after you see your proof.

Can I give it as a gift?

Yes. If you have their cards, design it and we ship it to them. If they have the cards, give a gift card. You get a printable certificate to wrap, and they make the book whenever they're ready.

Do I see the book before it prints?

Yes. You get every page as a digital proof. Request changes or approve it. Two rounds of changes are included, and nothing prints until you approve.

How do I add family photos, quotes and stories?

Upload them with the link in your order email, along with your card photos, and tell us which page each one goes on. Voice memos work too: talk for a minute about a recipe and we'll turn it into the story on that page. Mailing your cards instead? Put photos and notes in the same box.

Can I change things in my book?

Yes. On your proof you can change any recipe, word or photo, the page order and the dedication. Two rounds of changes are included, and nothing prints until you approve it.

Still have a question? Email help@handeddowncookbook.com.

Start with the cards you have.

Books from $89. Order by December 1 to have it by Christmas.

Make your family cookbook — from $89

Full refund until we start your book. Questions? Email help@handeddowncookbook.com

from $89Make your family cookbook