It’s that time of the year again, when Google releases its ever-more-obscure list of Australia’s top 10 recipe searches of the year, guaranteed to leave us scratching our heads to find the connection (more often than not, TikTok’s to thank/blame). In recent years, ‘hand sanitiser’ and ‘Grimace shake’ topped the lists. Yes, these here are crazy times. So let’s try and make sense of the latest results.

1. Jamie Oliver air fryer recipes

In Australia we love our air fryers and we love Jamie Oliver. Combine them and it’s a match made in Google heaven. One of his gazillion cooking shows Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals screened on Ten earlier this year and we must’ve loved what he cooked up on it because we jumped straight onto Google for the SEO-friendly details. Of course, there’s a cookbook in the works, slated for release in early 2025. For now, we reckon these very popular Jamie recipes will tide you over.

2. Cucumber salad recipe

Sales of cucumber, mandoline slicers (and probably band aids) went through the roof this year thanks to TikToker Logan (@logagm) and his five million followers who finally made the oft overlooked vegetable as inexplicably popular as Taylor Swift. Armed with just a cucumber, some Tupperware, a cutting device and a variety of seasonings and sauces, Logan whips up quick, simple cucumber salads that look almost good enough to eat. We reckon Adam Liaw’s Korean-style version (above) should have just as much cut through, without the side of bloody fingers.

3. Pornstar martini recipe

I can’t help wondering if Google got a bit confused with this search term, I’ll let you work out in what way. Regardless, the classic cocktail seems to be enjoying a surge in popularity, the crowd-pleasing combo of vodka, passion fruit liqueur, passion fruit puree, lime juice and vanilla syrup hitting the sweet spot for many a sipper. At Good Food, we’re more into the Paloma, already declaring it early in December to be the drink of the summer. Give it a shake.

4. Olympics chocolate muffins recipe

Move over Raygun, the sleeper hit of this year’s Paris Olympics was actually the simple chocolate muffin that athletes demolished by the dozen in the Olympic Village. Like most recent viral trends, TikTok has something to answer for. The muffins took off after Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen posted about them on his account. They “were just so incredibly delicious” that Christiansen said he decided to see if a series of videos highlighting his love for the muffins would take off. The rest, like Raygun, is history. Craving muffins now? We can help with that.

5. Oatzempic recipe

Weight-loss drug Ozempic was a big talking point in 2024, but oatzempic, the non-injectable, barely edible alternative that took over TikTok (of course) for a time was one of the most popular recipe searches of the year. Designed to make you feel fuller for longer (like the drug) the recipe is simple: blend one cup oats, one cup water and half a lime. Yummo. Think we’ll stick to our Adam Liaw version of a viral recipe, this irresistible Marry-me chicken.

6. Bitter melon recipe

Another one to file under “what the heck?“. Bitter melon has had a surge in popularity, perhaps because according to the internet, in this case webmd.com, eating it may decrease cholesterol levels, help treat diabetes and help reduce blood sugar levels. Other websites claim it may trigger side effects like indigestion and diarrhea. Whatever the case, it’s big on (you guessed it) TikTok, where you’ll never run out of ideas on how to make the slimy green fruit more appetising.

7. Crumbl cookie recipe

The Crumbl cookie fiasco (aka #Crumblgate) had TikTok influencers crying into their milk in October over the stale, days-old cookies bought by entrepreneurial scammers in Hawaii and sold by a North Bondi pop-up for an eye-watering $17.50 a pop. The American chain – which has more than 800 stores in the US – has since reassured fans that “Crumbl is pleased to announce plans to open in Australia”. PR stunt? Hmm I’d never be that cynical. But I would shamelessly link out to our own, much better, chewy chocolate cookie recipe.

8. Plant-based recipes

Has the Impossible Burger become as big as widely predicted a couple of years ago? Perhaps not (yet), but the growing demand for plant-based food from an environmental and health perspective is undeniable. With more than 300 different plant-based proteins now available in supermarkets, it makes sense that people are looking for a dietitian’s guide to whether they are healthier than their meaty alternatives, and googling ways to cook them. Of course, we also have a recipe collection for that.

9. Colcannon recipe

Okay, I admit, this one makes my Irish potato-lovin’ heart sing. Never did I expect to see the intensely buttery mash with cabbage, spring onion, gravy and other assorted mix-ins make any kind of recipe trend list in Australia, but I’m here for it. Why? Probably TikTok. Look, I’ll take a win where I can get it, even from TikTok. Crank the aircon and give thisJill Dupleix version a go and get on board this bandwagon.

10. Salt tea recipe

Is it a health thing? According to the internet, salt is a natural electrolyte, and it to your tea can help replenish your supplies after sweating and other physical activities. Or is it a taste thing? Other theories abound that a pinch of salt in your tea can help block the receptors that make black tea bitter. Either way, it sounds like big old gimmick to me. I’ll stick with coffee - sans salt - for now, thanks!