Softcover 8.5×11, matte, side-sewn
8.5 × 11 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $4.60
$1.60 + $0.15 a page, $0.11 on Pro
Printing a cookbook
Whether it is a family's recipes or a fundraiser for the school, a cookbook is judged on whether it is easy to cook from. Here is which size and binding suit a kitchen, how many pages you will need, and what it costs.
From $4.60 a copy, before shipping
Sizes and prices
Prices per copy, the same at any quantity. Each order adds handling, shipping and any sales tax.
Specs and templates
Hardcover 8.5×11, matte, side-sewn
8.5 × 11 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $6.60
$3.60 + $0.15 a page, $0.11 on Pro
Softcover 9×9, matte
9 × 9 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $4.80
$1.60 + $0.16 a page, $0.12 on Pro
Hardcover 9×9, matte
9 × 9 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $6.80
$3.60 + $0.16 a page, $0.12 on Pro
Worked prices
Worked out from the price list, at Starter prices. Each order adds $1.50 for handling, and shipping and any sales tax are added when you order.
96-page Softcover 8.5×11, matte, side-sewn
a fundraiser cookbook
$16.00 a copy, $12.16 on Pro. 50 copies: $800.00 for the books, plus $1.50 handling.
120-page Hardcover 8.5×11, matte, side-sewn
a family cookbook, a single gift copy
$21.60 a copy, $16.80 on Pro. One copy: $21.60, plus $1.50 handling.
60-page Hardcover 9×9, matte
a smaller hardcover for a restaurant or a class
$13.20 a copy, $10.80 on Pro. 20 copies: $264.00 for the books, plus $1.50 handling.
Setting up your files
- Softcover 8.5×11, matte, side-sewn: export each page at 8.75 in × 11.25 in, the 8.5 in × 11 in trim plus 0.125 in of bleed on every edge.
- Keep text and faces 0.25 in inside the trim, and 0.75 in from the bound edge, the gutter.
- 20–160 pages, in steps of 2.
- The cover is one page: back, spine and front side by side. Its width depends on the spine, and the spine on your page count; the product page has a calculator for it.
- Send one PDF with every page in reading order, as single pages. Put the contents and any index where you want them in that order: we don't add pages.
- Keep recipe text away from the inner edge. On a bound book the words closest to the middle are the hardest to read, and a recipe has to be read at arm's length.
- Photos print at their best at 300 dpi at the size they print. Embed your fonts, and use a type size you can read from a counter, not a desk.
- Plan whole pairs of pages: a recipe that runs over a page turn is harder to follow than one that sits on a single page.
Every product has its own page with exact sizes, templates and a file checker. See all products.
Which size suits a kitchen
The 8.5 × 11 cookbooks are side-sewn, stitched through the side of the pages, which holds the pages firmly through years of use. The full-size page fits a recipe and its photo side by side. The 9 × 9 is a smaller, squarer book that takes up less room on a shelf or a counter.
We don't make spiral-bound cookbooks: every book here is a hardcover or softcover book.
Working out your page count
Count your recipes, then decide how many sit on a page. If each recipe has its own page with a photo, the number of recipes is close to your page count; if two share a page, halve it. Add a page for the title, one for the contents, and any stories or thank-yous. We print 20 to 160 pages in steps of 2.
Selling a cookbook without a big run
A fundraiser does not have to guess how many will sell. There is no minimum, and the price per copy is the same at any quantity, so you can order as the orders come in. The worked prices above show one copy next to a run.
- Printed in New JerseyOne plant in Princeton Junction, so every copy comes off the same presses.
- Ships in 5 business daysTracked across the US and Canada, under your name.
- We reprint it freeIf a copy is misprinted or misbound, tell us within 30 days.
- Part of ECSThe yearbook printer behind Entourage, Picaboo and RememberMe Yearbooks.
Questions
Softcover or hardcover for a cookbook?
A softcover is lighter and costs less, which suits a fundraiser. A hardcover makes a gift that lasts and stands up to a busy kitchen.
Will the book lie flat on the counter?
We don't promise it. Our books are bound as hardcover or softcover books, not spiral-bound, so a thicker book will need a hand or a stand. If a flat-opening spiral book matters most, a spiral binder is the better fit.
How many recipes fit in the book?
That depends on how you set the page. With one recipe and a photo to a page, the number of recipes is close to your page count; with two to a page, you can fit about twice as many. We print up to 160 pages.
Does color cost extra?
No. Every page prints in full color at the same price, so a photo of every dish costs nothing more than a page of plain text.
Can I sell cookbooks without ordering a big run?
Yes. There is no minimum, and the price per copy stays the same at any quantity, so you can order as copies sell.
Can I get an ISBN, or sell the cookbook in shops?
No. We print and ship the books you order, and we don't supply ISBNs or place books with retailers. Selling at events, online from your own site, or to your own customers works without either.
How long does it take to arrive?
Orders ship within 5 business days from Princeton Junction, New Jersey, to the US and Canada, by standard or express (or overnight within the US), and every parcel is tracked.
Your first books are on us.
Start on Starter with a 30-day trial and $50 of print credit. Print a few copies, hold them, then decide.