Cooklang Syntax

Cooklang is a markup language for writing recipes as plain text. A few special characters turn ordinary text into structured data.

Ingredients @

Use @ to mark an ingredient. Add {quantity%unit} for amounts. Only % separates quantity from unit.

Add @salt and @pepper.                    // no amount
Add @eggs{3}.                             // quantity only
Add @flour{250%g}.                        // quantity + unit
Add @olive oil{2%tbsp}.                   // multi-word name (no braces needed)
Add @sea salt{} to taste.                 // multi-word with empty braces

Parsed Output

Input	Name	Quantity	Unit
@salt	salt	"some"	""
@eggs{3}	eggs	3	""
@flour{250%g}	flour	250	g
@olive oil{2%tbsp}	olive oil	2	tbsp

Fixed Quantities

Use = inside the braces to mark a quantity that should not scale with servings:

Add @salt{=1%tsp} to taste.

Note Suffix

Add notes in parentheses after the ingredient:

Add @flour{100%g}(sifted) to the bowl.
Add @butter(softened) to the mix.

Aliases

Use | to define a display alias (the part before | is the canonical name):

Add @white wine|wine{100%ml} to deglaze.

Modifiers

Modifiers are single characters placed immediately after the @ symbol to change the ingredient's behavior. They are fully supported.

Modifier	Meaning	Example
@	Recipe reference	@@tomato sauce{200%ml}
&	Reference to previous definition	@&flour{300%g}
?	Optional component	@?garnish
+	Force new definition	@+extra cheese{}
-	Hidden component	@-onion

Cookware #

Use # to mark cookware. Multi-word names need {} at the end.

Mix in a #bowl.
Heat in a #non-stick pan{}.
Use a #large mixing bowl{}.

Cookware can also have notes in parentheses:

Heat in #pan(large).

Cookware Modifiers

Cookware supports the same modifiers as ingredients, placed immediately after the # symbol:

Use a #?blender to mix. 
Heat another #+pan on the side.

Timers ~

Use ~ to mark timers. The amount goes in {quantity%unit}.

Cook for ~{20%minutes}.
Let ~rest{5%minutes}.
Simmer for ~{1%hour}.

A timer can also be a bare word without braces:

Let it ~rest after plating.

Metadata

YAML Front Matter

Wrap YAML in --- fences at the start of the recipe:

---
title: Chocolate Cake
servings: 8
tags: [dessert, chocolate]
prep_time: 20 min
cook_time: 35 min
---

Mix @flour{300%g} with @cocoa powder{50%g}.

Directives

Use >> key: value anywhere in the recipe (when no frontmatter is present):

>> title: Chocolate Cake
>> servings: 8

Mix @flour{300%g} with @cocoa powder{50%g}.

WARNING

When YAML frontmatter (---) is present, non-special >> key: value lines are treated as regular step text. In { extensions: "all" }, special directives like [mode] and [define] still apply as configuration.

Sections

Divide recipes into sections with == or =:

== Prep ==
Dice @onion{1} and mince @garlic{3%cloves}.

== Cooking ==
Heat #pan over medium heat.

= Serving
Plate and garnish.

Comments

-- This is a line comment (note the space after --)

Mix @flour{250%g}. -- This is an inline comment

[- This is a block comment
   that spans multiple lines -]

WARNING

Comments require a space after --. The text text--more is not a comment - it's regular text. This avoids conflicts with YAML --- front matter fences.

Notes

Lines starting with > are recipe notes:

> This recipe works best with room-temperature eggs.
> You can substitute almond milk for regular milk.

Mix @flour{250%g} with @milk{300%ml}.

Unicode Support

Ingredient and cookware names support accented characters, Cyrillic, and emoji:

Add @creme fraiche{2%tbsp}.
Add @muka{500%g}.
Stir in @butter{50%g}.