How to Use the Recipe Calculator
Overview
The Recipe Calculator helps you calculate ingredient costs for your recipes. You can add ingredients with their market prices, then use them in recipes with different units while the tool automatically handles conversions using density data.
Getting Started
Adding Ingredients
Click the "+ Add Item" button in the Ingredients section
Fill in the fields:
- Ingredient: Type or select from the dropdown (includes common baking ingredients)
- Unit: Choose kg, g, L, or ml
- Quantity: Enter the amount you purchased
- Market Price: Enter the price you paid
The ingredient will be saved and available for use in recipes
Creating Recipes
In the Recipe Calculator section, click "+ Add Ingredient to Calculator"
For each ingredient:
- Ingredient: Select from your saved ingredients
- Unit: Choose kg, g, L, ml, tbsp, or tsp
- Quantity Used: Enter how much you're using in the recipe
The cost will automatically calculate based on:
- The market price you entered
- Unit conversions (including density-based conversions)
Add as many ingredients as needed
Key Features
Automatic Unit Conversion
The calculator handles conversions between:
- Mass units: kg ↔ g
- Volume units: L ↔ ml ↔ tbsp ↔ tsp
- Mass ↔ Volume: Uses ingredient densities for accurate conversions
Supported Ingredients
The tool includes density data for hundreds of common ingredients including:
- Flours, sugars, and baking essentials
- Dairy products and oils
- Sweeteners and syrups
- Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
- And many more!
Smart Ingredient Matching
Type ingredient names freely - the tool will match them to canonical names
Examples:
- "AP flour", "all purpose flour", and "plain flour" all map to "all-purpose flour"
- "EVOO" maps to "extra virgin olive oil"
- "PB" maps to "peanut butter"
PDF Export
Click "Download Recipe PDF" to get:
- Professional ingredient list with quantities and costs
- Properly aligned columns
- Total recipe cost
- Recipe name derived from your filename
Tips for Best Results
- Be specific with ingredients - different types have different densities
- Use "bread flour" instead of just "flour"
- Specify "light brown sugar" vs "dark brown sugar"
- Use consistent units when entering market prices:
- If you bought 1kg of flour for 50, enter: Quantity: 1, Unit: kg, Price: 50
- Take advantage of the dropdown - it shows both common ingredients and ones you've added
- The calculator updates in real-time - change any value and see costs update immediately
Troubleshooting
Ingredient not found?
- Check that you've added it to the Ingredients list first
- Try the canonical name (e.g., "all-purpose flour" instead of "flour")
Cost showing as zero?
- Verify you've entered the market price for that ingredient
- Check that units are compatible (the tool can't convert without density data)
Unexpected cost calculations?
- Make sure you've entered the purchase quantity and price correctly
- Remember the cost is proportional to how much you use vs. how much you bought
The Recipe Calculator takes the guesswork out of recipe costing - happy baking!
