Hello & Welcome!
Hi, I’m Becky Hardin, founder of The Cookie Rookie. Back in 2012, I had a secret: I was terrified of my own kitchen. I’ve always loved a good home cooked meal, but actually creating one felt too intimidating. After I got engaged, I realized I wanted to create those warm, delicious memories for my new family around our dinner table, the same way my Mom did for me. The problem? I didn’t even know how to boil water without getting nervous.
A Mother, a Camera, and a Mission
The Cookie Rookie started as a simple weekend project. My mom traveled to St. Louis to teach me the basics, and I had the best time learning to cook my favorite recipes from my childhood. She encouraged me to keep learning, and to document the process. This site was born.
I wasn’t a chef. I was a Rookie. And it turned out, my idea resonated with millions of people always wanting to learn. So many people live with the fear of cooking, but also the hope that creating delicious meals can be approachable, fun, and easy.
“I started this blog because I was tired of being intimidated by recipes with 50 ingredients and 20 steps. I wanted to prove that anyone—even a total rookie—could put a delicious meal on the table.”
What started as my personal diary quickly turned into a community. In 2016, my Baked Chicken Tacos went viral, reaching over 7 million people. That was the moment I realized this was about more than just my own kitchen; it was about helping families everywhere reclaim dinner time.As my audience grew, I knew my responsibility did, too. For a “Rookie” to succeed, the recipe has to be fool-proof. To make sure I was giving you the very best, I evolved from a one-woman blog into a professional culinary team. Now, I’m confident in the kitchen. I’m no longer a rookie, but I still strive to bring easy and amazing meals for every occasion to families all over the world.
The Mission
Today, I’m honored to welcome over 3 million readers every month. While I still lead the vision and heart of everything we do, I’ve brought on a team of professional recipe developers and technical editors to ensure every post is perfect.
My promise to you:
- Triple-Tested Recipes: We test every dish in real home kitchens. We never use AI and every recipe is tested in our homes until it’s perfect. The photos are all our own, of real food. That will never change.
- Simplified Science: I’ll break down the “why” behind the cooking so we can learn together. I want you to feel empowered with the knowledge that you can cook anything, and it can be great.
- Accessible Ingredients: If it isn’t at a standard grocery store, you won’t find it here. We try to keep things simple from the ingredients to the instructions. You won’t find the super complicated recipes here, but you will find everything you need!
I’ve traded my fear of the kitchen for a passion for sharing. Whether you’re a fellow rookie or a seasoned pro looking for a quick weeknight win, there is always a seat for you at my table.
Top 10 Recipes
Meet The Team
Our team is comprised of seasoned recipe developers and writers who have dedicated years to the food industry. They are deeply committed to excellence, ensuring that only the highest quality, easy-to-follow recipes make it to your family’s table.
Becky Hardin
Founder & COO
Becky is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.
Krista Teigan
Recipe Developer
In 2014, after a decade of work in the HR and Technical Communication fields, Krista decided to follow her passion for healthy cooking by starting a food blog, Destination Delish. Along the way, she honed her recipe development and food photography skills, and today, she is thrilled to be helping others in the food blogging space to develop and photograph mouth-watering recipes. Krista lives in Shoreview, Minnesota with her husband and two children. Outside of the kitchen, she enjoys exploring the Twin Cities food scene, cheering for her fave Minnesota sports teams, sweating on her Peloton, and jamming out to 90s and 2000s hits.
Laurel Perry
Recipe Developer
Laurel has been a professional food videographer and recipe developer since 2014. She has a cooking blog, Darn Good Veggies. Her work can be seen across the internet and on The Cookie Rookie. When not cooking, she spends her time with her husband and sons, wanders as many farmers markets as she can, and sneaks in a fitness class as often as possible.
Sabine Venier
Recipe Developer
Originally from Austria and now based in the UK, Sabine Venier is a cookbook author and recipe developer who brings her culinary expertise to The Cookie Rookie. Previously the founder of Also the Crumbs Please, Sabine’s work has been featured in Forbes, Parade, and Rachael Ray Everyday. Inspired by family recipes and a commitment to fresh ingredients, she combines her skills in food photography and baking to share practical, easy-to-follow recipes with a unique international perspective.
Notable Brand Mentions
Along the way I’ve been featured in magazines, online, and even cooked on national TV. What a fun ride. Please join in and become part of the family! Here are some of the awesome places we’ve been honored to be featured over the past 7 years.
- The Kitchn: Becky Hardin; The Kitchn Collective
- The Kitchn: Becky Hardin’s Easy Recipes for Toddlers
- The Kitchn: Becky Hardin’s Baked Chicken Tacos
- The Kitchn: Busy Mom’s Grocery List
- Feast Magazine: Becky Hardin, Cocktail Contributor (in print and online)
- Upscale Living Magazine: Cooking with Becky Hardin – Owner of The Cookie Rookie
- Home and Family: Becky Hardin cooks on The Hallmark Channel
- Huffington Post: Top 10 Most Popular Instagram Recipes
- Buzzfeed: Favorite Party Dips
- Buzzfeed: Recipes to Help You Become a Better Cook
- Today Show: Popular Thanksgiving Recipes
- Cosmopolitan: New Margarita Recipes
- Allrecipes: The Best Baking Dishes
Community Impact
Since 2012, our site has grown into a trusted resource for millions of families looking to simplify their time in the kitchen. By providing quick and delicious meals that anyone can master, we’ve helped a global community reclaim the dinner hour and create lasting memories around the table.
“I’ve been following you for a long. I’ve have also made many of the recipes you’ve shown and they are all fantastic I have not tried anything I have not liked and I would highly recommend people to follow you and try out your recipes”
– Sandie
“I have subscribed to The Cookie Rookie for awhile now and have found so many recipes to inspire me to try.. and I have tried many! I look forward to opening my email and see what is there. Becky provides a wide variety, and for all abilities. Will continue to follow and cook! Thanks”
– Leslie
“Just want to say that Becky, “The Cookie Rookie”, consistently has tons of awesome recipes and foodie information! There have been so many sites that I have clicked the “unsubscribe” button on, but not this one! Love, love!!”
– Jen
“Just had to tell you that among all the thousands of online chefs, you are absolutely my go-to chef. I’ve used tons of your recipes, entrees, vegs, now make homemade salad dressings. You’re a genius. – Debbie”
– Debbie
Looking to Collaborate?
The Cookie Rookie is a trusted and quickly growing American food blog, reaching over 2 million readers each month. Over 200,000 subscribers and 1.6 million+ combined social followers know that they will find delicious and easy recipes at every click. Becky loves to combine family friendly food with gorgeous professional photography to make sure brands get the ultimate exposure. You can see my past sponsored work on our media page.
Get in Touch!
We would love to hear from you. We love reader emails! Feel free to email questions about cooking, setting up a blog, making money with a food blog, or collaborating. Email Becky at becky@thecookierookie.com or through the button below.
You can also visit our Facebook page, YouTube or Instagram!
