Until the 1800s, most cookbooks were written for chefs by other chefs. That's when upper-class women began writing cooking instructions for common families. The cookbook genre as we know it today, however, was developed in the late 19th century by Fannie Farmer.

Farmer, the Director of Miss Farmer's School of Cookery, taught practical cooking to housewives and self-published The Boston Cooking School Cook Book in 1896. Whereas recipes used to call for a "sprinkle" of this and a "pinch" of that, Farmer implemented uniform measurements and syntax that is still in practice today. Versions of her book are still being printed.

Until the late 1700s, cookbooks in America were published in England or featured English foods. The first all-American cookbook was American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, published ...in 1798. These distinct recipes used foods natively grown in the U.S., such as pumpkins.