A hard, crisp biscuit that breaks easily and makes a crackling sound when eaten.
From Middle English via Old French 'cracquelin,' which came from a root meaning 'to crack' (onomatopoeia). The word describes the crackling sound the brittle cookie makes when bitten.
Cracknels were actually a status symbol in medieval and Renaissance Europe—only wealthy households had the sugar and spices needed to make them!
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