Chicken and dumplings, apple dumplings, pierogi, pot stickers, gnocchi, gnudi, and spaetzle: Just about every culture has at least one form of dumpling central to its culinary traditions. Sink your teeth into our collection of dumplings that can be savored as snacks, appetizers, dinner, or desserts.

Egg, sour cream, and milk give this pierogi dough a tender texture. Mashed Yukon Gold potatoes blended with cream cheese fill the dumplings, and a drizzle of brown butter adds a delightfully rich finishing touch.

Here's the quintessential Chinese pot sticker, stuffed with ground pork well seasoned by chives, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger. The uncooked dumplings keep very well in the freezer, so go ahead and make a double batch.

This crowd-pleasing main dish using boneless, skinless chicken thighs is quick to put together. The biscuitlike dumplings are flavored with fresh dill.

Purchased wonton wrappers make these pot stickers a cinch to create. The ground pork filling is seasoned with a mouthwatering combination of ginger, scallions, and sesame oil.

Similar to a cobbler, a grunt (also known as a slump) is a dumpling-topped fruit mixture cooked on the stovetop. This grunt combines raspberries and blackberries beneath cinnamon-spiced dumplings.

This old-fashioned recipe from Southern chef Scott Peacock features the flat, slippery style of dumplings, which resemble large, square noodles. Cook the dumplings in the creamy chicken stew, then add sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white vinegar season the ground turkey, mushroom, and iceberg lettuce filling of these dumplings. This recipe is from Jennifer 8. Lee's book, "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles."

Core apples and stuff with Armagnac-soaked cherries and ground almonds spiced with nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon. Bake in buttery pastry and glaze with a ginger-spiked maple-apple syrup.

These rich pierogi are filled with a mixture of tender cabbage, cream cheese, and butter. Just before serving, the dumplings are sauced with clarified butter.

These open-topped Chinese dumplings are filled with shrimp, water chestnuts, and scallions seasoned with toasted sesame oil and sherry wine. Cook the shau mai in a bamboo steamer and serve with a light dipping sauce of ginger-infused rice-wine vinegar.

Thyme-infused milk and fresh thyme leaves and parsley give a bright herb flavor to these bite-size dumplings. If you don't have a spaetzle maker, push the dough through a colander or a potato ricer.

Biscuitlike dumplings cook on top of a simmering mixture of cherries, sugar, and cinnamon. This delightful fruit dessert is quickly prepared and is made with frozen cherries.

Dress up basic potato gnocchi with tomatoes, garlic, and crisp bacon. A garnish of fresh parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese give this dish a company-worthy finish.

Bright-green edamame (young soybeans) are pureed with carrot, ginger, sesame oil, scallion, and Sriracha sauce to make the filling for these vegetarian dumplings. The steamed dumplings are served with a flavorful dipping sauce made of soy sauce, rice-wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and julienned ginger.

This sophisticated fruit dessert begins with peeled pears poached in white wine, cinnamon, and vanilla. The pears are cored and stuffed with cinnamon, sugar, and butter, and then baked in a decorative pie-dough shell.

Quick-cooking polenta gives these bite-size dumplings a hearty texture, and fromage blanc (or ricotta cheese) adds richness. After poaching the spaetzle, saute in butter until deliciously browned, and toss with fresh dill.

These individual servings of potato gnocchi are topped with marinara sauce and ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, and make a satisfying meatless meal or side dish. A quick trip under the broiler gives these casseroles a beautifully caramelized finish.

A mixture of pureed and chopped shrimp, cilantro, chile oil, sesame oil, carrot, napa cabbage, scallions, and shallot make for a mouthwatering combination of tastes and textures in these dumplings. To achieve a perfectly crisped and browned exterior, use a well-seasoned cast-iron pan to cook the pot stickers.

Give leftover mashed potatoes a new lease on life by transforming them into these lemon-scented gnocchi. Brown butter, sage, and grated Parmesan provide an elegant finish.

Use your favorite frozen pot stickers or wontons to create this flavorful Asian soup made with shiitake mushrooms, baby corn, watercress, and chicken broth seasoned with scallions, garlic, and ginger.

Pierogi show their sweet side with a filling of sugar-stuffed Italian plums. Serve with sweetened sour cream mixed with vanilla extract and freshly grated nutmeg.

Use mashed potatoes to make these little Italian dumplings. You can use this recipe as the base for spinach or herb gnocchi, too.

Because you saute the chicken before adding to the vegetables and creamy gravy, this recipe is extra flavorful. The addition of cornmeal gives the dumplings a hearty texture.

Tender dough made with egg and sour cream is stuffed with a mixture of buttery mashed potatoes, cheddar, and cream cheese. This pierogi recipe is courtesy of Martha's mother, Mrs. Kostyra.

Gnudi, which means "nude" in Italian, are like ravioli without the pasta wrapper. Boil these pillowy ricotta-spinach dumplings until tender and drizzle with sage butter just before serving.

Normally a time-consuming endeavor, these easy pierogi are a snap to make, thanks to purchased egg-roll wrappers. The garlicky potato filling is enriched with cheddar cheese and cream.

A mixture of ground chicken, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and sliced scallions fills delicate dumpling wrappers. Serve the steamed dumplings with a spicy dipping sauce made from dry mustard and Tabasco.

This rustic dessert lets you enjoy the taste of summer all year round, thanks to the use of frozen mixed berries. Spoon the buttermilk dumpling dough over the filling, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and cook on the stovetop.

These Italian-inspired dumplings are stuffed with ricotta, Parmesan, prosciutto, and parsley. Serve the dumplings as appetizers with warmed homemade tomato sauce and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

This version of dessert pierogi are filled with fresh blueberries. Topped with sweet vanilla-nutmeg sour cream, these dumplings make a memorable brunch course or finish to a meal.

Use a light touch to ensure that these potato gnocchi turn out light and fluffy. The mushroom-gorgonzola cream sauce makes this meatless dish rich and satisfying.

This quick, kid-friendly soup is filled with sliced carrots and chunks of cooked turkey. The addition of dumplings studded with corn and cheddar cheese make the soup a complete meal.

Choose your favorite mushrooms -- white, cremini, shiitake, wild mushrooms, or a combination -- to create the luscious pierogi filling. Fresh thyme, parsley, and a bit of cream complement the mushrooms. Serve the pierogi with soft, browned onions or sour cream.