Friend posts her cookie recipe online after discovering that her friend is selling it, saying that it was her grandma’s and that it was passed down through generations: ‘Someone commented on her post asking which generation of her family I was’

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Sep 25, 2026 1:15 PM EDT

Sometimes you just had it coming…

When you purposely do something you KNOW is wrong, you had it coming when you finally got called out. You knew how wrong what you were doing was from the moment it crossed your mind to do it. In this case, this friend knew that the cookie recipe that she was using to make the cookies she sells was her friend's. She also knew that saying that it was an old recipe passed down through generations from her grandma would make the product more appealing, but that it was a lie. She never doubted that what she was doing was a scheme. And she did it anyway. Some could argue that the degree of the scheme is minimal and it didn't hurt anybody, as the friend had no problem with her using the recipe, but she did have a problem with her lying about it being her grandma's cooking and that she had passed away. The grandma is alive and doesn't cook. So the problem with this deal is not the recipe or the degree of the scheme. It is the lie in itself that bothered the real creator of the recipe. 

Here is where the debate starts for me. Was it incorrect for the friend who invented the cookie recipe to demand the truth over a post exposing the recipe? I see that act as two things: on one side, it could have gone without anybody noticing, is just a post, people may not see it, and nothing comes of it. Or, on the other hand, it was publicly exposing the friend instead of talking directly to them to explain that the issue bothered them. I would much rather talk than expose my friend. Yes, scheming is wrong, and taking advantage of people by selling them a sad story so they buy your product is really bad. I know that. You know that. The friend knows that. But the issue for me is not talking. Why don't you just say something about it? Exposing is going the extra mile in the wrong direction. You can simply talk. After all, this was a friend. Couldn't you have told them that what they were doing was wrong and that you didn't agree with it? 

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  • 01

    Am I wrong for posting my cookie recipe after my friend started selling it as her grandma’s?

    I bake a lot and a few years ago I came up with this brown butter espresso cookie recipe that all my friends love. Around that time I made a good amount of money messing around on pump fun and finally bought myself a proper stand mixer and some other kitchen stuff, so I was baking basically every weekend. One of my friends asked for the cookie recipe so I sent it to her, no big deal.
    via GrabOk1738
  • 02
    A close-up of four different cookies.
    via Girl with red hat

    A close-up of four different cookies. 

  • 03
    She recently started selling baked stuff at a farmers market and I found out she was selling the cookies for $5 each. Honestly didn't care until I saw the sign next to them saying "Grandma Rose's secret recipe, passed down 3 generations." Her grandma is alive. I've met her. She doesn't bake lol. I asked my friend about it and she basically said the story helps sell
    via GrabOk1738
  • 04
    them and asked me not to say anything. Then some local food page posted her booth and mentioned the family recipe and she reposted it saying her grandma would be proud. That annoyed me way more than it probably should have, so I posted the recipe on my Instagram with an old picture from 2022 and said since people keep asking, here it is. I never mentioned my friend. We have a lot of mutual friends
    via GrabOk1738
  • 05
    though and people figured it out pretty fast. Someone commented on her post asking which generation of her family I was and now she's ped. She says I embarrassed her and hurt her business when I could've just asked her to stop using the grandma story. Which I guess is true, and I definitely knew some people would connect the dots.
    via GrabOk1738
  • 06
    A person cooking cookies.
    via Kari Shea

    A person cooking cookies. 

  • 07
    PathlessMaster NTA. Liars shouldn't prosper
    via PathlessMaster
  • 08
    eliinGA I have a similar story. My mother's spinach salad dressing is really good. Shortly after I gave a friend the recipe, she started working in another friend's bistro. I went there for lunch one day and my mother's salad dressing was listed as their "house salad dressing." At least give my mother some credit!
    via eliinGA
  • 09
    EvinrudeRanger NTA. You were gracious enough to share it with her. She took advantage of that. Also..please post the recipe!
    via EvinrudeRanger
  • 10
    Maureen 1053 Really her off and post the recipe here...hint hint
    via Maureen1053
  • 11
    JHawk444 NTA She gave credit to her grandma instead of you. That is not okay. Don't give her anymore cookie recipes.
    via JHawk444
  • 12
    withcatlikegrace She should be embarrassed that she lied And using your recipe for commercial purposes without your permission is tantamount to stealing. Shame on her - she's not your friend.
    via withcatlikegrace
  • 13
    chilton25 NTA (And may I admit that I was sad to not see the recipe shared here as well? fingers are crossed its shared, because it sounds amazing)
    via chilton25
  • 14
    Spookendocker1 She got caught in a lie, and YOU embarrassed HER? Classic DARVO - Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim & Offender. Dishonest people often pitch a fit when they get caught. Personally I love the way you handled this.
    via Spookendocker1
  • 15
    Annual_Government_80 She was profiting off of something that you created. And she was lying to her customers. She's not a very nice person. I hope you take it as a blessing that she may be out of your life.
    via Annual_Government_80
  • 16
    Mother-Teaching472 NTA She deserved it! Can I please have the recipe?
    via Mother-Teaching472
  • 17
    SnarkyUnicorn23 Your 'friend' is a user, and never would have come clean if you didn't post your recipe. I think she owes you a cut of her sales since she would have NOTHING without YOUR. recipe.
    via SnarkyUnicorn23

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cooking recipe friendship issues business cookies
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