A list of recipe ingredients is not protected under copyright law. However, you can copyright if the recipe is accompanied by a substantial amount of literary expression including explanations or directions. You also can copyright a collection of recipes as in a cookbook.
If you are entering recipe contests, you're probably wondering whether it is possible to use recipes found in cookbooks or online without violating copyright laws. Some important ideas to keep in mind:
According to American copyright law, lists of ingredients or general methods of cooking are not ...