174 crackling recipes

Chinese grilled short ribs butterflied into a single accordion strip and marinated in peanut butter, curry, sesame oil, soy, and rice wine. Smoky, tender, unusual.

At a recent party everyone gobbled up this satisfying pasta salad loaded with marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pepper and tortellini. Literally packed with flavor.

Classic apricot sweet simmers dried apricots with cardamom, ginger, and almonds into a fragrant, spiced compote, much like Hyderabad's qubani ka meetha. Naturally fruit-sweet, served chilled. A make-ahead Indian dessert.

Fresh nectarine smoothie blended with orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and ice. A five-ingredient fruit drink ready in 10 minutes with no dairy and no added fat.

Krakelingen are crisp Dutch figure-8 cookies made from a simple pie-pastry dough of butter, flour, and water, rolled into ropes and dipped in sugar. Buttery, crackly, and built for coffee dunking.

Turkey sautéed with pears and pecans pan-cooks sliced turkey breast in a quick apple juice and cream sauce, finished with sliced pears and toasted nuts. Elegant 20-minute fall dinner.

Set-it-and-forget-it crockpot split pea soup enriched with a silky egg yolk finish for velvety texture. Perfect for busy weeknights with minimal hands-on time.

Roasted langoustines on mesquite-charred bell peppers with wilted arugula, blanched French green beans and aged balsamic. Quick-seared shellfish that hits the plate in 60 seconds total.

Old-fashioned sugar cookies with a dual-sugar dough of granulated and powdered sugar, flattened with a sugar-dipped glass. Tender, crackly-topped, and buttery.

Chocolate yogurt cheesecake on a chocolate wafer crust with semi-sweet chocolate in the filling and a glossy chocolate glaze on top. Baked in a water bath for a crack-free, silky texture.

Breton brittle, also known as Christmas crack: layered stone-ground wheat crackers under a brown sugar butter toffee, topped with melted chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Five ingredients, irresistibly snappable.

Shchi is a traditional Russian cabbage and sauerkraut soup with beef brisket, marrow bones, porcini mushrooms, and root vegetables. A deeply layered pot that tastes even better the next day.

Sata andagi, Okinawan deep-fried doughnuts with a crispy cracked exterior and tender cake-like center. A simple drop doughnut made with eggs, flour, sugar, and milk.

Peanut butter crunchies are soft peanut butter cookies rolled in crushed wheat flakes before baking for a crackly, toasty-crunchy exterior. A retro lunchbox classic with a textural twist.

Roast pork loin marinates overnight in sage, garlic, olive oil, and cracked pepper, then roasts to a juicy 160°F (71°C). Served with a flamed Calvados apple pan sauce built on the drippings.

Pumpkin cheesecake with a buttery shortcrust pastry, spiced cream cheese filling with allspice, ginger, and cinnamon. Slow-baked and cooled in the oven to prevent cracking.