Can one make money on YouTube with cooking videos? Yes, it is definitely possible to make money on YouTube with cooking videos! The cooking niche is highly popular, attracting a large audience interested in recipes, cooking tips, and culinary skills. 

Ways To Make Money on YouTube with Cooking Videos

Here are several ways you can monetize cooking videos on YouTube:

1. Ad Revenue through YouTube Partner Program (YPP)

• Eligibility: You need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months to join the YPP.
• Earnings: Once eligible, you can earn money through ads displayed on your videos, typically ranging from $1 to $5 per 1,000 views.

2. Affiliate Marketing

• What It Is: Promote cooking-related products (like utensils, appliances, or ingredients) and include affiliate links in your video descriptions.
• Earnings Potential: You can earn a commission on sales made through your links, potentially generating $10 to $300+ per month.

3. Sponsorships

• What It Is: Brands may pay you to promote their products or services in your videos.
• Earnings Potential: Small cooking channels can earn $100 to $1,000 per video, depending on audience size and engagement.

4. Selling Digital Products

• What It Is: Create and sell e-books, meal plans, or cooking courses.
• Earnings Potential: Depending on demand, you could earn $50 to $1,000+ per month.

5. Crowdfunding (Patreon, Ko-fi)

• What It Is: Use platforms like Patreon to allow fans to support you financially in exchange for exclusive content.
• Earnings Potential: Small channels can earn $20 to $300+ per month through crowdfunding.

6. Merchandise Sales

• What It Is: Sell branded cooking merchandise, such as aprons or kitchen tools.
• Earnings Potential: Even a small audience can generate $50 to $1,000+.

7. Online Cooking Classes

• What It Is: Offer virtual cooking lessons for a fee.
• Earnings Potential: Depending on pricing and demand, this can range from $100 to $1,000+ per month.

8. Live Streaming and Super Chats

• What It Is: During live cooking streams, viewers can send payments to have their messages highlighted.
• Earnings Potential: This can vary widely, with potential earnings of $50 to $300+ per stream.

Making money on YouTube with cooking videos is not only possible but can be quite profitable if you utilize various monetization strategies and engage with your audience effectively. With creativity, consistency, and quality content, you can build a successful cooking channel and generate income over time.

Popular Creators that make money on YouTube with Cooking Videos

Here are some popular YouTube creators who have successfully monetized their cooking channels:

1. Tasty

• Channel Description: Tasty is known for its quick and easy recipes, often presented in a visually appealing format. They produce a wide variety of content, including appetizers, desserts, and main courses.
• Subscribers: Over 20 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise.

2. Binging with Babish (Andrew Rea)

• Channel Description: Andrew Rea creates unique cooking videos that often recreate dishes from movies and TV shows. His engaging style and production quality have garnered a large following.
• Subscribers: Over 10 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise, and cookbooks.

3. Joshua Weissman

• Channel Description: Joshua Weissman combines cooking tutorials with humor, focusing on teaching viewers how to make dishes from scratch. He emphasizes the importance of technique and quality ingredients.
• Subscribers: Over 10 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise.

4. Laura in the Kitchen (Laura Vitale)

• Channel Description: Laura Vitale shares family-friendly recipes with a personal touch. Her approachable style makes cooking accessible to home cooks of all skill levels.
• Subscribers: Over 4 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, and cookbooks.

5. Nisha Vora (Rainbow Plant Life)

• Channel Description: Nisha focuses on plant-based cooking and shares healthy, vibrant recipes. Her videos often emphasize vegan and vegetarian dishes that are both nutritious and delicious.
• Subscribers: Over 2 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, and digital products like e-cookbooks.

6. Sam the Cooking Guy (Sam Zien)

• Channel Description: Sam Zien creates fun and engaging cooking videos that focus on simple yet delicious recipes. His laid-back style and humor resonate with a wide audience.
• Subscribers: Over 3 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise.

7. Cooking with Dog

• Channel Description: This unique channel features a dog narrating Japanese cooking tutorials while a chef demonstrates the recipes. The channel is known for its high-quality videos and authentic Japanese cuisine.
• Subscribers: Over 1.5 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue and potential sponsorships.

8. HellthyJunkFood (JP and Julia)

• Channel Description: This channel focuses on recreating fast food and junk food recipes in a healthier way, often with a comedic twist. Their fun approach makes cooking entertaining and approachable.
• Subscribers: Over 3 million
• Monetization: Ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise.

These creators have found success on YouTube by combining their culinary skills with engaging content, appealing to various audiences. Their monetization strategies include ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and even cookbooks, showcasing the diverse opportunities available within the cooking niche.