A recipe lists a set of required ingredients that can make or produce an item depending on a required profession or class and a required level. This can be in the form of an item (like a note, parchment or scroll) or given by a trainer. When in the form of an item, they are sometimes found (in limited supply) on vendors throughout the world, or as drops from mobs. In the game manuals, they are sometimes called blueprints. Sometimes, a recipe improves the skill of a player's profession, such as increasing it from 300 to 375, rather than teaching the player to make another item. Basically, a recipe is a method for improving a profession. Below is a listing of different professions that uses item-recipes, what different recipes are called and what they looks / may look like.
Primary professions:
Mining (
Smelting, to be accurate) recipes are books. There are only two of them in the game, one referred to as a 
guide and the other a study.- Blacksmithing recipes are scrolls called Plans. There are also six paper sheets referred to as "volumes" which all combined will give armorsmith-blacksmiths 3 plans for enchanted thorium-armor.
- Tailoring recipes are scrolls called Patterns. There is also a book called "A Guide to Northern Cloth Scavenging" teaching a passive skill.
- Leatherworking recipes are also scrolls called Patterns.
- Engineering recipes are scrolls called Schematics. In rare cases they are called Plans.
- Enchanting recipes are paper sheets called Formulas.
- Alchemy recipes are scrolls simply called Recipes.
- Jewelcrafting recipes are scrolls called Designs.
- Inscription recipes are called Techniques. There are only four of them, one book and three scrolls. Many other glyphs are learned from books called [Book of Glyph Mastery] which works a little different than other recipes - each book may teach the scribe a random glyph chosen from 50 different kinds.
Secondary professions:
- Cooking recipes are also called Recipes. Usually they are scrolls, but some are paper sheets and one is a book. Before patch 3.1.0, players also required the two books [Expert Cookbook] and [Master Cookbook] in order to learn higher skill-levels in Cooking.
- First Aid recipes are books called Manuals. There is also a scroll called a Formula. Before patch 3.1.0, players also required the two books [Expert First Aid - Under Wraps] and [Master First Aid - Doctor in the House] in order to learn higher skill-levels in First Aid.
- Fishing recipes are also books. Patch 2.3.0 implemented the book
[Weather-Beaten Journal] that is only obtainable by fishing. It teaches players an ability to find fish. Before patch 3.1.0, players also required the two books [Expert Fishing - The Bass and You] and [Master Fishing - The Art of Angling] in order to learn higher skill-levels in Fishing.
Class-specified profession(s):
- Poisons was once a profession only known by Rogues, which allowed them to make their own poisons. Patch 3.0.2 removed this skill, having Rogues buy poison instead of making it. Only one recipe existed for this profession, [Handbook of Deadly Poison V]. Notice that the term "Handbook" and the item being a book in itself counts for several Rogue-abilities taught from items in general, and not as qualities for recipes especially in this profession. One item teaching a Rogue-ability is also called a manual.
Recipe names are, to an extent, interchangeable. For example, it is not uncommon to see people referring to ANY recipe, be it jewelcrafting, alchemy, etc, as a "pattern", "plans", or "design".
Rarity of different recipes
Recipes often come in different colors (both picture and name), depending on their rarity. Although the system differs between different professions, a common rule is that recipes in white are "common" recipes that usually are bought from vendors, while any other colors are more uncommon recipes dropped by monsters or obtained from quests. Generally, the color of a recipe reflects the quality of the crafted item, and if the item is either unusual or powerful for its level, the recipe is often hard to obtain.
There are however several exceptions; some white cooking-recipes may for example be considered extremely rare even though they are bought for less than a gold from easily accessable vendors, or are rewards from simple low-level quests. This is because many cooking-recipes are only obtainable by players playing as a Horde-character and vice versa, thus only allowing the opposite faction to learn the recipe by selling it in the neutral auction house. Another phenomenon is rare recipes often selling for quite the price between players even though the crafted item may be next to useless; this is because many players devoted to their profession seek to complete it as much as possible, even with useless items. Before selling a recipe, players therefore should always check the market to see what people are willing to pay.
See also
- Category:World of Warcraft recipe items
- Category:World of Warcraft ingredient items