500 dipping recipes

Rancheros are stuffed burger patties filled with American cheese and Ortega chiles, double-dipped in buttermilk and cornmeal, fried crispy, and topped with an easy-over egg.

Caramel apple cookies are buttery shortbread balls on toothpick sticks, dipped in melted caramel with apple juice concentrate, and pressed into chopped walnuts. Miniature caramel apple treats.

Honey orange biscotti with pecans, orange juice concentrate, and orange zest, twice-baked until crunchy. A low-fat Italian cookie perfect for dipping in coffee or tea.

Hot crabmeat dip baked with cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice until bubbly and gooey. Just 4 ingredients and 30 minutes for an easy party appetizer.

An authentic basic salsa using dried chiles for use as a sauce for egg, Chilaquiles or Enchiladas. It also makes a nice spicy dip for tortilla chips.

Caramel-dipped apples decorated as witches with marshmallow eyes, candy corn noses, and paper hats. A fun Halloween treat kids can help make in under 30 minutes.

Texas caviar made with black-eyed peas, colorful bell peppers, jalapeño, and red onion. A quick, crowd-pleasing Southern dip or side dish ready in 30 minutes.

Crispy potato latkes loaded with shredded carrots and zucchini, pan-fried golden on a hot griddle. Serve with applesauce or cranberry sauce for dipping. Makes 36 latkes.

Crisp Danish sugar cookies shaped into elegant cones while still warm, then dipped in melted bittersweet chocolate. A Scandinavian treat with just six ingredients and showstopping presentation.

Buttery shortbread-style raisin bars dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate. Made with potato flour and vanilla sugar for a tender, crumbly European-style biscuit. Makes 20.

Homemade chocolate fondant candies made from a sugar syrup cooked to firm-ball stage, kneaded with unsweetened chocolate, then finished with pecans or dipped in white chocolate.

Fried batilgian is egg-dipped eggplant fried in olive and vegetable oil until crisp outside and creamy inside. Just five ingredients for a classic Middle Eastern side.

Cucumber yogurt sauce with shredded cucumber, dill, scallions, and a splash of vinegar. A cool, tangy tzatziki-style dip that pairs with grilled meats, pita, or appetizers.

Vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (dolmades) with rice, pine nuts, raisins, tomato, and cinnamon. Slow-simmered in olive oil and lemon, served chilled with yogurt-mint dipping sauce.

No-bake bonbon cookies built from crushed vanilla wafers, cocoa, walnuts, and a splash of Southern Comfort, then dipped in chocolate. Chilled overnight, served cold, gone by morning.

Candied orange peels half-dipped in bittersweet chocolate, Israeli-style. Soaked, boiled, and slow-simmered in sugar syrup until translucent, then rolled in sugar and coated. Keeps for 3 months.