Can you sell food made from someone else’s recipe found online or in a cookbook?

As a self-taught cottage baker these are important ethical questions I had to ask myself. I cannot create recipes out of thin air. I certainly didn’t learn sourdough on my own. I absolutely learned from cookbooks and online. After reading the Tartine cookbook, I settled on that as the primary way I approach baking. I may have increased my wheat percentage and hydration level but it’s fundamentally Tartine’s recipe and method. Is it okay to sell sourdough based on this cookbook? The short answer is, Yes. You are selling a product not intellectual property. The actual process of cooking and baking is not protected by copyright. In contrast, it is not okay to copy-paste that recipe and sell the recipe as your own. The latest influencer move is to sell recipes. It isn’t good practice or ethical to sell someone else’s work even if there is no regulating body that will hold you accountable for it.

What guidelines should we follow to adapt a recipe in order to call it our own?

As a self-taught baker, I always start with a base recipe. No one’s reinventing the wheel here-just giving it a fresh spin. If you are selling a recipe, how many things do you need to change to comfortably say it’s your own? The general rule of thumb is 3-4 meaningful changes should be made. It isn’t as simple as adding cinnamon to banana bread and claiming it as yours. If you swap the oil, add brown butter and tahini and top with sesame now it’s yours. When I adapt a recipe I often change a portion of the total flour from all purpose to a whole wheat Sonora. I will incorporate freshly milled flour to improve the freshness. I love adding obscure spices that aren’t normally found in dessert like urfa pepper and coriander. I like to change the fat used from butter to coconut oil. I will often change the sweetener from sugar to honey or date syrup. Lastly, I love to incorporate crunch with nuts and seeds. However, I am not as comfortable changing rising time, mixing methods or baking temperatures because that is the foundation or base. In the culinary world, especially among self-taught bakers, adapting and evolving recipes is not just common, it’s how recipes live and grow. Very few recipes are truly original in the strictest sense; rather, they are reinterpretations inspired by your personal taste. Baking is a science we need a reference point. One of the best parts of baking is being inspired and taking that inspiration to evolve a recipe by adding and subtracting and shaping it into something new. It is good practice to say “this recipe was adapted and inspired by.” This is not mandatory but creates a honest framework between you and your audience.

Best practices for Cottage Bakers & Influencers:

Adapt the recipe with intention.

Always credit your source when you’re inspired to gain trust.

Don’t sell or share complete recipes that you didn’t create.

If you’re teaching or sharing a recipe, ensure it represents your own work.