Snack
989 recipes found
Paneer Pakoray (Paneer Fritters)
Paneer, a mild and firm cheese widely used throughout South Asia and beyond, makes the perfect base for this salty, spicy snack or starter. The addition of rice flour to the batter for these bite-size fritters makes for an extra crispy coating. Chaat masala, a funky, umami-rich spice blend readily available at Indian grocers, adds notes of sour mango and earthy cumin — perhaps the defining flavors of this ultimate fried cheese snack. Homemade or store-bought paneer works for this recipe, although the latter tends to vary in consistency. If the variety available is on the firmer side, soak the cubes in warm water for 10 minutes and drain before using. Serve with store-bought or homemade mint or mango chutney.
Cinnamon Toast Cookies
Buttery-sweet like cinnamon toast in the snackable size of a crouton, these lovable cookies are quick to make and quicker to eat. Start by coating cubes of white bread in a mixture of melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. For a slightly more grown-up flavor, use a pumpkin-spice blend instead of straight cinnamon. As the cubes bake, the bread toasts and the sugar caramelizes. Then sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar for sparkle and crunch. Enjoy by the handful, over ice cream or in a bowl of milk by the spoonful. Or give them to friends and watch them smile wide, then grab another.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Perfectly petite, these apple cinnamon muffins are sweet, spiced and ideal for breakfast or an on-the-go snack. Use whichever apple you like best — Granny Smith for tartness or Fuji if you like your apples on the sweeter side. Brushing with melted butter and cinnamon sugar gives them a soft doughnut-like vibe, but a crunchy, crumby topping would be nice too! To switch it up, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt with 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the batter before baking.
Orange Ricotta Crepes
Knowing how to make crepes is a great back-pocket trick, letting you whip together a lovely dessert (or breakfast, or even afternoon snack) in not very long at all. This orange-ricotta version is best prepared in advance, even the day before. (If you do, stack crepes, wrap and refrigerate.) Count on one or two crepes per person. Spread each with filling and fold into quarters well in advance of serving.
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Rocky Road
With chocolate, crunchy biscuits, chewy fruit, and fluffy marshmallows packed into every bite, this easy one-bowl treat is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
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Mala-Spiced Chex Mix
This salty-sweet, spicy, and crunchy Chex mix is perfect for holiday parties or just a session of zoning out in front of the TV. Plus, it requires just five minutes of active prep time and lasts for up to five days, so you can make it ahead for multi-day munching.
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Brown Butter Maple Pecan Popcorn
In this recipe, rich brown butter and maple syrup are cooked into a quick caramel, which is then used to both candy the pecans and coat freshly popped popcorn. A generous pinch of salt makes all those sweet-savory flavors pop.
Pumpkin Spice Honeycomb Cake
This take on bánh bò nướng, a classic Vietnamese dessert, is spiced with comforting fall flavors and doused in white chocolate — and integrates pumpkin purée. Also known as honeycomb cake, this dessert has a dense, chewy interior, with a crusty exterior that makes it so snackable. Besides the irresistible flavor and texture, the recipe offers a delicious gluten-free option for your dessert table. The batter requires a few rounds of straining through a large fine-mesh sieve, so make sure to set up your work station for success, with two large bowls that can accommodate the batter. Try to not overmix, and use gentle stirring motions to prevent too many bubbles forming in the batter. A reliable nonstick Bundt pan will make unmolding the cake a breeze.
Bhel Puri for a Party
Bhel puri — a type of chaat made with puffed rice, chutneys and various toppings — is the ultimate entertaining dish, whether you are hosting or bringing a dish to a potluck. Most of it can be prepared in advance, leaving mostly the assembly which allows you to really put on a show for your guests. You can make a good chaat with store-bought chutneys and bhel mix. But it’s the homemade chutneys and fried tortilla strips that make this exceptional, providing the sweet-salty-fresh-crunchy combination that is the hallmark of chaat. The ingredient list is long, but after you make the chutneys, you are 80 percent of the way there. When you have the components prepared, set them out in bowls, invite all your guests to gather around, and make your chaat live, tasting and tossing for everyone to see.
Fire Crackers
This spicy, savory snack, also known as Alabama fire crackers or comeback crackers, is of unclear origin but beloved in the South. Though fire crackers are traditionally prepared using saltines, oyster crackers are also common — and the choice here because they’re fun to devour by the handful. Classic fire crackers are marinated with store-bought ranch seasoning and red pepper flakes then baked until crisp and golden. This version calls for a quick, homemade ranch-inspired blend. These crackers will stay fresh for up to one week, making them ideal for impromptu holiday gatherings and gifting alike.
Herby Cottage Cheese Dip
Cottage cheese provides a rich and creamy base for this herb-packed dip that makes a perfect appetizer, snack or light lunch along with crudités and bread or crackers. A handful of browned onions give the dip a depth of flavor more impressive than the work it took to achieve it. Salt levels vary quite a bit from brand to brand of cottage cheese, so make sure to taste as you go and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Cheese Dreams
Perfectly poppable and cheesy inside and out, these two-bite snacks can shift from a dream to reality — and feed a crowd — in well under an hour. The early American grilled cheese sandwich was perhaps first called a cheese dream in Marion Harris Neil’s 1916 cookbook, “Salad, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes.” Here, this appetizer cousin borrows the original name, but instead of being toasted only in butter, these small snacks are slathered in a spreadable mixture of sharp Cheddar, softened butter, Worcestershire sauce and garlic and mustard powders. An egg binds everything together, and the end results are slightly crispy, golden-brown squares that are perfect as is, or they can be dipped in marinara or a comforting bowl of tomato soup.
Salted Cashew Brittle
Candy making can be intimidating, but this sweet and salty brittle is actually easy to make, no candy thermometer required. With a few basic ingredients and about 20 minutes, you’ll have a perfect, giftable treat. Sugar is cooked with butter and lots of salt until fragrant and the color turns a deep amber. Then, a little bit of baking soda is stirred in to create air in the candy, making it easier to bite through, while the addition of plenty of vanilla maximizes flavor. Buttery cashews make delicious brittle, as they are soft and yielding in contrast to the deep crunchy caramel. Use roasted and salted nuts for the best taste. This brittle recipe is quite salty as written, so scale back to 1 teaspoon of salt or use unsalted, roasted nuts for a less salty version. To avoid getting splashed by hot sugar, use oven mitts and a long-handled utensil to stir.
Jimmy Nardello Peppers
Prized for their flavor — savory but sweet, even faintly fruity — Jimmy Nardello peppers are easy to spot because of their spindly shape and fire-truck-red hue (though they can also be consumed when green and at their most peppery). Named for Jimmy Nardello, whose parents imported the seeds from southern Italy in the late 1800s, the peppers were once mostly limited to farmers’ markets and restaurant menus. But now, they are popping up in supermarkets as supply rises to meet demand. For cooking, they don’t need much more than heat and a sprinkle of salt. Here, they are grilled until charred and slumped, then tossed with vinegar, olive oil, garlic and herbs. Enjoy them as soon as they soak up the marinade, served over grilled bread and cheese, or squirreled away in the fridge for later, to be tossed into salads, tucked into sandwiches or stirred into a pot of pasta.
Alegrías (No-Bake Amaranth Bars)
Alegrías, which means "joys" in Spanish, are a delightful Mexican treat with a rich history rooted in Mesoamerica. These sweet, crunchy, no-bake snack bars get their name from the way amaranth seeds "jump for joy" as they pop in a hot pan, and also from the traditional harvesting method of jumping and dancing on plants to release seeds. Originating in the barrios of Xochimilco, a Mexico City borough famous for its ancient floating gardens, alegrías showcase the versatility of amaranth, a drought-resistant plant cultivated for thousands of years. In this recipe, honey, dried cherries and cinnamon combine with anise seeds to give a distinctive licorice flavor that adds depth to the sweetness. Pop your own amaranth if you don’t mind a few kernels jumping for joy out of your pan, or use store-bought puffed amaranth for a quick and easy lunchbox or deskside treat.
Peanut Butter-Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips
Peanut butter and bananas make a delightful sandwich. Why not put them together in a loaf? The peanut butter gives the banana bread a pleasant savory edge. Be sure to use sweetened, conventional peanut butter, but the texture — chunky or smooth — is up to you. The chocolate chunks already give this bread a dessert vibe, but if you’d like to go all out, finish the cooled loaf with this salted caramel glaze (stirring in a tablespoon of peanut butter along with the sugar).
Prasad
Popular during Diwali, prasad or parsad embodies the evolution of religious food in Indo-Caribbean communities. Sweetened clumps of farina with the texture of very moist pound cake are garnished with a combination of coconut, raisins, fruits and nuts. Served in small paper bags that turn translucent with ghee, prasad is punctuated with the crunch of almonds, cashews and roasted chickpeas. The addition of mixed essence, a flavoring in Caribbean desserts that is available at Caribbean markets or online, and evaporated milk makes this an Indo-Caribbean version of the confection.
Giant Jam Bun
A cross between a tender scone, an almond-flavored jam cake, and a swirly cinnamon bun, this plush confection makes a sweet breakfast or teatime treat. You can use any flavor of jam here, just be sure it’s thick and rich with pieces of fruit, and don’t use jelly, which will liquify and leak out from the pastry layers while in the oven. Though this is best eaten the day it’s baked, it’s nearly as good a day or two later; store it in a sealed container at room temperature. This recipe was adapted from Erin Gardner’s giant cinnamon roll scone.
Apple Bread
This towering loaf is packed with applesauce and chopped apples, plus lots of cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea in the afternoon or turn it into dessert with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Use tart, firm baking apples (such as Mutsu, Cortland, Braeburn, Northern Spy and Stayman Winesap) in this cake for best results. The bread is best enjoyed the day it is baked, but will stay soft and delicious for a few days when stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature.
Apple Cake
This cake is a bit of a choose your own adventure. Make it as is, without any topping at all, for a simple apple-packed treat, or pump up the flavor with a coating of cinnamon sugar (or pumpkin spice) that bakes up into a crunchy crust in some spots and gooey glaze in others. If you really want to take it to another level, add a drizzle of cream cheese icing that takes this cake into cinnamon roll territory. Use tart, firm baking apples: Mutsu, Cortland, Braeburn, Northern Spy and Stayman Winesap are all great options. We’ll leave it to you whether to peel or not to peel.
Jalapeño-Corn Dip
This much-loved and often devoured rich and spicy molten dip can be found at parties and potlucks across the Midwest and South. The heat from the jalapeños is present but tamed by sweet corn kernels, cream cheese, sour cream and melty Monterey Jack. While two jalapeños might seem like a lot, keep in mind that they’re seeded (feel free to leave the seeds in one or both if your palate favors spice — after all, the chiles are part of the dip’s draw). Frozen corn makes this a year-round dish, but of course, fresh kernels work just as well if the vegetable happens to be in season. Bacon can be omitted for a vegetarian version; in this case, skip to step 2, adding an extra tablespoon of oil and stirring in a teaspoon of smoked paprika for a hint of smoke.
Savory Feta Turnovers
Inspired by the Greek tradition of frying a whole block of feta, these versatile flaky pastries offer a delightful blend of salty, tangy and sweet flavors. The creamy feta and zesty preserved lemon create a harmonious filling that's both comforting and indulgent. With just a handful of ingredients (including handy store-bought puff pastry), these turnovers are a quick and easy starter perfect for dinner parties or a casual weeknight gathering. They may also be enjoyed as a snack or on-the-go meal at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. And for a bite-sized treat, consider turning them into finger food appetizers by using smaller pastry sheets and dividing the filling accordingly.
Cardamom Coffee Banana Bread
Adding cardamom to coffee is a well-loved practice throughout the Middle East and one that plays off each ingredient's traits. Sweet, floral cardamom mellows the acidity of coffee while coffee’s inherent bitterness keeps the peppery, menthol-like notes of the spice from overpowering. Here, the couple transforms a humble banana bread, perfuming it with extra warmth, while chopped dark chocolate adds richness. An optional coffee drizzle ensures this loaf is eye-catching but if you’d rather keep things simpler, sprinkle it with coarse turbinado sugar before baking to lend a touch of sparkle as well as pleasant crunch.
Pumpkin Cardamom Crumb Muffins
This take on the classic pumpkin muffin happily makes room for cardamom in the pumpkin spice mix, which adds an extra layer of warm, peppery flavor. A small amount of cardamom is added to the muffin batter, but it’s in the buttery crumb topping where the cardamom really shines: Melted butter and sugar are combined with cardamom and cinnamon to make a spicy, crunchy crumb topping that enhances every bite. These muffins make a perfect fall breakfast treat with a cup of coffee and a cardigan.