How to Display Handwritten Recipes

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References

If you come from a long line of cooks and bakers, you’ve probably amassed a lot of handwritten recipes. Old recipes are prone to falling apart, so they might be tucked away in a box somewhere—but they don’t have to be! If you want to display your recipes for all to see, you can choose from a few different ways to preserve your recipes and show them to the world.

1

In a frame

If your recipes are super old, you might want to preserve them forever. Close them into a nice glass frame, then hang them up in the kitchen where you can still use them.^{[1]
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- This is a good way to preserve recipes that are written on old paper.

2

In a shadowbox

If you want to add family photographs, this DIY is for you. Place your recipe in the center of a shadowbox, then add family pictures and other nostalgic items that remind you of your ancestors.^{[2]
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- Hair bows, dried flowers, and pine needles are all fun additions to your familial shadow box.

3

As a cookbook

If you have a lot of recipes, compiling them in a book is a great option. Grab a scrapbook or a photo album and include all your recipes along with some family photos.^{[3]
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- If you don’t want to use glue, pick a photo album instead of a scrapbook.
- You can keep your cookbook in the kitchen to look at the recipes, or you can store it in the living room as a fun trip down memory lane.

4

On a tea towel

This is a decorative way to keep your recipes around. Scan your handwritten recipe, then visit a website like Spoonflower or Shutterfly to transfer your scan onto a towel.^{[4]
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- This might not be the most readable way to save your recipes, but it’s a great way to print them out if the paper is falling apart.

5

On a wooden plank

To make your recipes a permanent piece of art, grab your Modge Podge. Scan each recipe and print them out, then place them face up on a small wooden plank that can sit on top of your countertops. Add a thin layer of Modge Podge and let it dry to attach your recipes permanently.^{[5]
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- You can display your wooden plank in your dining room or your kitchen for a little taste of home.
- Using a copy of the recipes will keep the originals intact so you don’t cover them in glue.

6

Scanned and shared digitally

If you want to show off your recipes but they’re super fragile, a photograph might be your solution. Scan your handwritten recipes in a high-quality scanner, then upload the photos to your computer.^{[6]
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- Now you can email the recipes, text them, or post them to social media.
- Old paper tends to break down quickly, and scanning your recipes can make them last forever.

7

On a cutting board

If you’d like a useful item in your kitchen, this one’s for you. Scan and upload your recipe to a site like Etsy, then purchase a personalized engraved cutting board with your handwritten recipe on it.^{[7]
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- If you know how to etch wood, you can try to DIY this project. Otherwise, leave it up to a professional.

8

In a recipe binder

This binder is perfect if you have more than a handful of recipes. Slide your recipes into the plastic sleeves, then organize them on a 3-ring recipe binder to keep them in one spot.^{[8]
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- You can find recipe binders at most home goods stores.
- Keep your recipe binder next to your cookbooks for added convenience.

9

Inside a recipe tin

If the recipes are still in good shape, you can keep them in a small tin. Put your tin in your kitchen so you can flip through each recipe and pick out the one you want.^{[9]
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- Be careful with this idea if your recipes are super old. If the paper is falling apart, you probably don’t want to flip through it to find the recipe you want.

10

On a canvas

If you’d like to draw attention to your recipes, you can make them the star of your kitchen. Use a service like Spoonflower or Shutterfly to print your recipes onto cotton fabric, then stretch the fabric onto a canvas and staple it in place.^{[10]
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- Hang 2 to 3 of your recipes up in your kitchen for show-stopping decor.