How many changes to call a recipe my own?

[Anonymous]

I have a cookie recipe that I've modified from a cookbook. At what point can I call the recipe my own and stop saying it is from X?

I've altered the amount of butter significantly, reduced the amount of flour, and changed the preparation steps. Occasionally, I'll substitute in some whole wheat flour.

TIA!

[Anonymous]

Are you selling the recipe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you selling the recipe?

No. Does that matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you selling the recipe?

No. Does that matter?

NP. It could matter - copyright issues - if you were selling it.

[Anonymous]

I'd call it your own. If I were publishing it in a book, I may say "adapted from The Joy of Cooking."

[Anonymous]

It's not a Copyright problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not a Copyright problem.

No copyright for recipes?

[Anonymous]

In cookbook publishing, the rule used to be change three ingredients. This sounds like you're changing proportions, and trading off some white flour for whole flour. So, it's not technically a new recipe, it's a modified one. That said, who are you giving these details to? I've modified an oatmeal cookie recipe, the one on the Quaker Oats box, inspired by several recipes I saw online but this version is mine in that it's combines the best of several with a few twists. Technically I could call it my own because I've changed or added four ingredients. But I tell people who ask it's a riff on the box recipe. I think it can come off as pretentious to claim to have developed a recipe.

[Anonymous]

I repeat: Sorry but as described this is not a new recipe.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Right now I have "Adapted from X" on the bottom of the recipe (friends have asked for it so I've typed up my version). But at what point can I stop saying "Adapted from X"? How many changes are needed for it to no longer be a copyright issue?

[Anonymous]

I think it will always be an adapted recipe. You did not create it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In cookbook publishing, the rule used to be change three ingredients. This sounds like you're changing proportions, and trading off some white flour for whole flour. So, it's not technically a new recipe, it's a modified one. That said, who are you giving these details to? I've modified an oatmeal cookie recipe, the one on the Quaker Oats box, inspired by several recipes I saw online but this version is mine in that it's combines the best of several with a few twists. Technically I could call it my own because I've changed or added four ingredients. But I tell people who ask it's a riff on the box recipe. I think it can come off as pretentious to claim to have developed a recipe.

OP here. So by change three ingredients do you mean add/take away three ingredients, not change amounts?

Yes, I do give credit to the original recipe. I guess I wonder how some recipes can claim to be original. Chocolate chip cookies, for example, have basically the same ingredients with very little changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not a Copyright problem.

No copyright for recipes?

Me again. Check to see if a recipe qualifies for copyright protection. It might be in the category where there is not enough creativity to qualify like listings telephone directories or titles.

[Anonymous]

If you are not selling it, why does it matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are not selling it, why does it matter?

This is a good point. Just don't sell it.