I remember when I was young, I asked my grandmother where she learned to cook so incredibly well. Of course, she said her mother taught her. And who taught her mother? Her mother’s mother, of course! So one day, after a particularly delicious meal, I asked her if I could borrow one of her old vintage cookbooks, and she gave me a few. Her vintage cookbooks included lots and lots of old handwritten recipes hidden among the pages of her collection. I was fascinated, to say the least! And so my journey into the world of old vintage cookbooks began.
In this article, I’m sharing some of my favorite public-domain vintage cookbooks that contain stacks of old recipes that you can download in PDF format. The oldest one dates all the way back to 1909! Not only are these old recipe books really interesting to look through, but they contain healthy vintage recipes that you can use for every occasion. There’s just something about a well-preserved, 1920s edition vintage cookbook—everything you make just tastes better!
If you love these vintage cookbooks, please pin them 🙂
Things Mother Used To Make Vintage Cookbook
A Collection Of Old Time Recipes, Some Nearly One Hundred Years Old And Never Published Before
Author: Lydia Maria Gurney
Published: 1922
Pages: 136
Things Mother Used To Make PDF Download
PDF File Size: 1.8MB
Things Mother Used to Make was written by Lydia Maria Gurney and it was first published in 1922. The vintage recipes in this old cookbook have been handed down by word of mouth from generation to generation for almost 100 years. Lydia Gurney collected the recipes and tested them in her New England kitchen before they were published in her book. This old vintage cookbook includes over 200 recipes for breads, cakes, desserts, eggs, fish, meat dishes, pies, puddings, pickles, preserves, sauces, soups, and vegetables.
| BREADS | CAKES |
| Bannocks | Filled Cookies |
| Boston Brown Bread | Filling for Cookies |
| Brown Bread (Baked) iS | Sugar Cookies |
| Coffee Cakes | Cream Cake |
| Corn Meal Gems | Delicious Cake without Eggs |
| Cream of Tartar Biscuits | Feather Cake |
| Crullers | Old-Time Gingersnaps |
| Delicious Dip Toast | Gold Cake |
| Doughnuts | Hermits |
| Fried Bread | Jumbles |
| German Toast | Nut Cake |
| Soft Gingerbread | Oatmeal Cookies |
| Huckleberry Cake | One, Two, Three, Four Cake |
| Quick Graham Bread | Ribbon Cake |
| Graham Bread (Raised Over Night) | Roll Jelly Cake |
| Graham Muffins | Silver Cake |
| Sour Milk Griddle Cakes | Sponge Cake, No. 1 |
| Sweet Milk Griddle Cakes | Sponge Cake, No. 2 , Grandmother’s Rule |
| Jenny Lind Tea Cake | Some Old-Fashioned Candies |
| Real Johnny Cake | Chocolate Taffy |
| New England Bims | Molasses Candy |
| Nut Bread | Butter Scotch |
| Oatmeal Bread | Pop Com Balls (Very Old Recipe) |
| Parker House Rolls | |
| Popovers | EGGS |
| Rye Muffins | To Boil Eggs |
| Breakfast Sally Lunn | Eggs on Toast |
| Sour Milk Biscuits | Plain Omelette |
| Spider Calce | Ham Omelette |
| White Bread | New England Poached Eggs |
| DESSERTS | FISH |
| Apple Tarts | Clam Fritters |
| Baked Apples, No. 1 | Fish Balls |
| Baked Apples, No. 2 | To Boil a Lobster |
| Baked Sweet Apples | To Dress Lobsters Cold |
| Baked Apple Dumplings | Baked Mackerel |
| Fried Apples | Oysters on Toast |
| Bramberries | Baked Shad |
| Cream Puffs | |
| Floating Island | MISCELLANEOUS |
| Huckleberry Dumplings | Boston Baked Beans |
| Coffee Jelly | A Breakfast Dish |
| Lemon Jelly | Cracker Tea for Invalids |
| Strawberry Shortcake, No. 1 | Crust Coffee |
| Strawberry Shortcake, No. 2 | Grape Juice |
| Mince Meat | |
| MEAT DISHES | Home-Made Potato Yeast |
| A La Mode Beef | |
| Beefsteak Pie | PIES |
| Beef Stew with Dumplings | Rich Pie Crust |
| Dumplings | Pork Apple Pie |
| New England Boiled Dinner | Chocolate Custard Pie |
| Brunswick Stew | Cocoanut Pie |
| How to Com Beef | Cranberry Pie |
| Corned Beef Hash | Cream Pie |
| Breaded Pork Chops | Old-Time Custard Pie |
| Potted Beef | Frosted Lemon Pie |
| A Fine Way to Cook Veal | Mock Mince Pie |
| Veal Patties | Pumpkin Pie, No. 1 |
| Pumpkin Pie, No. 2 | |
| PICKLES | Rhubarb Pie |
| Pickled Cauliflower | Roley Polys |
| Green Chopped Pickle, No. 1 | Squash Pie |
| Green Chopped Pickle, No. 2 | Cream Washington Pies |
| Chili Sauce, No. 1 | Cream for Filling |
| Chili Sauce, No. 2 | |
| Chili Sauce, No. 3 | PUDDINGS |
| Chow Chow, No. 1 | Bread Pudding |
| Chow Chow, No. 2 | Steamed Chocolate Pudding |
| Cold Catsup | Graham Pudding |
| Com Relish | Hasty Pudding |
| Home-Made Cucumber Pickles | Baked Indian Pudding |
| Quickly Made Cucumber Pickle | Orange Pudding |
| Mixed Pickles | Plum Pudding |
| Piccalilli, No. 1 | Queen’s Pudding |
| Piccalilli, No. 2 | Poor Man’s Rice Pudding |
| Piccalilli, No. 3 | Suet Pudding |
| Tomato Catsup, No. 1 | Tapioca Cream |
| Tomato Catsup, No. 2 | |
| Pickled Watermelon Rind | SAUCES |
| Chocolate Sauce | |
| PRESERVES | Cold Sauce |
| Crab Apple Jelly | Cranberry Sauce |
| California Jam | Cream Mustard |
| Canned Cherries | Egg Sauce, for Chocolate Pudding |
| Cherry Conserve | Pudding Sauce |
| Preserved Citron | Salad Dressing |
| Currant Jelly | Sauce, for Graham Pudding |
| Spiced Currants | |
| Cranberry Jelly | SOUPS |
| Grape Conserve | Bean Porridge |
| Grape Marmalade | Connecticut Clam Chowder |
| Grape Preserve | Massachusetts Clam Chowder |
| Orange Marmalade | New England Pish Chowder |
| Peach Marmalade | Lamb Broth |
| To Can Peaches | A Good Oyster Stew |
| Pickled Peaches | Potato Soup .- |
| Ginger Pears | |
| Preserved Pears | VEGETABLES |
| Way to Pickle Pears | Green Corn Fritters |
| To Preserve Pineapple | Delicious Stuffed Baked Potatoes |
| Quince Jelly | Creamed Potatoes |
| Quince Marmalade | Scalloped Potatoes |
| Quince Sauce | Baked Tomatoes |
| Raspberry Jam, No. | Fried Tomatoes |
| Raspberry Jam, No. | |
| To Keep Rhubarb Through the Winter | |
| Rhubarb Marmalade | |
| Rhubarb Jam | |
| Spiced Fruit |
The Pilgrim Cook Book
Containing Nearly 700 Carefully Tested Recipes
Author: The Ladies’ Aid Society – Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church
Published: 1921
Pages: 168
The Pilgrim Cook Book PDF Download
PDF File Size: 9MB
The Pilgrim Cook Book was created by The Ladies Aid Society of the Chicago-based Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church. This old cookbook includes over 600 tried and tested recipes for everything from fish to pies to ice cream!
| Soups |
| Fish |
| Meats |
| “One Piece” Luncheons |
| Vegetables |
| Salads |
| Puddings And Deserts |
| Gelatine Desserts |
| Pies |
| Cheese And Eggs |
| Dumplings And Noodles |
| Fritters, Doughnuts, Pancakes |
| Baking Powder Breads And Coffee-Cakes |
| Yeast Breads |
| Cookies |
| Nut Cookies |
| Small Cakes |
| Icings And Fillings |
| Cakes |
| Chocolate Cakes |
| Torten |
| Ice Cream And Beverages |
| Jams |
| Canned Fruits And Vegetables |
| Catsups, Pickles, Etc |
| Candies |
| Miscellaneous |
The White House CookBook
A Comprehensive Cyclopedia Of Information For The Home
Author: Hugo Ziemann And Mrs. F. L. Gilletti
Published: 1913
Pages: 619
The White House Cook Book PDF Download
PDF File Size: 43.8MB
The White House Cook Book was published in 1913 and was dedicated to the wives of the Presidents. Each recipe was tried and carefully tested by the authors who were both renowned in their fields. This vintage cookbook also gives interesting information about The White House including State Dinner Menus and other special occasions along with hand-drawn illustrations and very interesting toiletry-type recipes under the Toilet Recipes section. It even includes an “Antidotes For Poisons” section… I suppose you can’t be too careful if you are the president!
| Articles Required For The Kitchen |
| Biscuits, Rolls, Muffins, Etc. |
| Bread |
| Butter And Cheese |
| Cakes |
| Canned Fruits |
| Carving |
| Catsups |
| Coffee, Tea And Beverages |
| Coloring For Fruit, Etc. |
| Confectionery |
| Custards, Creams And Desserts |
| Dinner Giving |
| Dumplings And Puddings |
| Dyeing Or Coloring |
| Eggs And Omelets |
| Facts Worth Knowing |
| Fillings For Layer Cakes |
| Fish |
| For The Sick |
| French Words In Cooking |
| Frosting Or Icing |
| Health Suggestions |
| Housekeepers’ Time-Table |
| Ice-Cream And Ices |
| Macaroni |
| Management Of State Dinner At White House |
| Measures And Weights In Ordinary Use |
| Meats |
| Menus |
| Miscellaneous |
| Miscellaneous Recipes |
| Modes Of Frying |
| Mutton And Lamb |
| Pastry, Pies And Tarts |
| Pickles |
| Pork |
| Poultry And Game |
| Preserves, Jellies, Etc. |
| Salads |
| Sandwiches |
| Sauces And Dressing |
| Sauces For, Pudding |
| Shell Fish |
| Small Points On Table Etiquette |
| Soups |
| Soups Without Meats |
| Special Menus |
| Toast |
| Toilet Recipes And Items |
| Varieties Of Seasonable Food |
| Vegetables |
Good Housekeeping’s Casseroles & Curries Vintage Cookbook
Delicious Savoury Dishes For Chilly Days
Author: Good Housekeeping
Published: 1957
Pages: 32
Good Housekeeping Casseroles & Curries PDF Download
PDF File Size: 3.7MB
Good Housekeeping has been around for decades with what feels like hundreds of cookbooks and recipes available. This amazing vintage cookbook from 1957 contains a collection of casserole and curry recipes that are perfect for families on a budget or those who simply love warm and delicious comfort foods! This old cookbook includes recipes for meat, fish, and vegetable casseroles, pot roasts, and hot pots as well as all the instructions you need to make the very best curries for your family and friends!
| Meat Casseroles |
| Pot Roasts and Hot-Pots |
| Sweetbreads, Kidneys, Ox-tails, etc. |
| Fish Casseroles |
| Poultry and Game |
| Beef Olives |
| Vegetable Dishes |
| Puddings From A Casserole |
| Curries |
| Dry Curries and Oriental Curries |
| Accompaniments For Curries |
| “Toppings” For Casseroles |
Good Housekeeping’s Book Of Recipes and Household Discoveries
Every Recipe Actually Tested And Approved
Author: Good Housekeeping
Published: 1920
Pages: 238
Good Housekeeping’s Book Of Recipes and Household Discoveries PDF Download
PDF File Size: 10.3MB
Good Housekeeping’s Book of Recipes and Household Discoveries is another old vintage cookbook that was first published in the 1920s. It is a comprehensive old cookbook that includes not only amazing recipes but also helpful info such as various household “discoveries” which include everyday household hacks. For example, here is a hack that stops your iron from sticking:
If, when making starch, you use soapy water as the foundation, you will have no further trouble with the iron sticking to the article you are laundering. Allow one tablespoonful of soap jelly to each quart of water, adding the desired amount of starch, depending upon the garments to be starched.
Don’t know about you but I don’t starch a darn thing 🙂
| Our Service to You |
| How to Use the Recipes |
| Measuring and Mixing |
| Equivalents of Capacity |
| Approximate Weights of Some Common Dry Commodities |
| Menus |
| Beverages |
| Breads |
| Cakes |
| Cheese Dishes |
| Cookies |
| Desserts, Cold |
| Desserts, Hot |
| Egg Dishes |
| Fish |
| Fruit Combinations |
| Frozen Dishes |
| Hors D ’Oeuvres |
| Jams, Jellies, and Marmalades |
| Meat |
| Pickles and Relishes |
| Pies |
| Salad Dressings |
| Sauces, Pish and Meat |
| Sauces, Pudding |
| Soups |
| Vegetables |
| About-the-House Discoveries |
| About-the-Laundry Discoveries |
| Bath-Room Discoveries |
| Bed-Room Discoveries |
| Cookery Discoveries |
| Discoveries Concerning Children |
| Kitchen Discoveries |
| Sewing-Room Discoveries |
| What Is Good Housekeeping Institute? |
Betty Crocker’s Bisquick Cook Book
157 Recipes And Ideas
Author: Betty Crocker / General Mills
Published: 1956
Pages: 98
Betty Crocker’s Bisquick Cook Book PDF Download
PDF File Size: 1.9MB
Betty Crocker is a fictional character that was originally created by the Washburn-Crosby Company in 1921. In 1954 General Mills created the logo of the red spoon with her signature that most of us know well. The Betty Crocker brand is incredibly well known and has become a bit of a cultural icon in America. This Betty Crocker vintage cookbook includes lots of different recipes including some great ones for outdoor cooking.
Basic Backings
Dinner
Company’s Coming
Lunch or Supper
Breakfast
Cooking for a Crowd
Outdoor Cooking
Includes:
Breads
Cakes
Cookies
Desserts
Main Dishes
Sauces and Gravies
Menus
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our collection of wonderful vintage cookbook PDFs. I’m sure you will find more than a couple of recipes here that will become family favorites! And the best part is that they are all free to download. We would love to hear from you! Have you found a particular recipe that you enjoy?
