Ranch Crackers

Buttery and flavored with ranch dressing, these baked ranch crackers are a quick and easy party favorite.

You know me: I love a good holiday snack. I’ll spend an entire party eating mouthfuls of spicy sausage dip, marinated cheese, and mango black bean salsa.

If you see me visit the buffet table a dozen times, no, you haven’t.

The only thing better than a good holiday snack is an EASY, good snack. And that’s exactly what these ranch crackers are.

You only need a few simple ingredients and about 30 minutes to make these fun and flavorful crackers, and they are always a big hit!

They would also make a super fun gift for the host for a party or tailgate on game day. Pop them in a cute jar and you’ll have a delicious homemade gift that your friends will love you for.

What are ranch crackers?

Here in the Midwest we love ranch. From classic ranch dressing to fiesta ranch dressing, bacon ranch pasta salad, chicken and bacon ranch pizza and so much more – we can’t get enough.

So ranch on crackers? This is an obvious yes.

Ranch crackers are most commonly made with oyster or saltine crackers. They are tossed with butter or oil and ranch seasoning and baked until perfect. They are the ideal poppable snack to place on the table during the big game.

Although oyster crackers and pretzels are the most common cracker option, they are not only option. When Stephie told me that her mother-in-law makes them with Ritz Bitz Cheese Crackers, I knew I had to try them immediately.

I am obsessed. Buttery, cheesy, herbal, these little crackers have it all. And it only takes a few minutes to put them together!

Be warned, you might eat the entire batch before your guests even arrive.

How to make these easy ranch crackers

Ready to see how quick and easy it is to throw together these baked ranch crackers?

Ingredients you will need

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 box (8.8 ounces) Ritz Bitz cheese crackers
• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried dill

I love making this recipe with Ritz Bitz cheese crackers (or your favorite brand of mini cheese sandwich crackers).

If you don’t want to use cheese sandwich crackers, you’ll need about 9 ounces of your favorite cracker, such as oyster crackers or mini saltines.

I like to use my homemade ranch seasoning mix because I always have some on hand. If you want to use store-bought, 2 tablespoons equals a 1-ounce packet of ranch dressing.

Between the crackers and ranch dressing, I think this recipe has a lot of salt, so I like to use unsalted butter. But using salted butter won’t add too much extra salt, so don’t worry if that’s all you have on hand.

I’m making these crackers

I bet you can mix these crackers together before the oven has even finished preheating.

Add the crackers to a large bowl, then pour the melted butter over them. Stir gently to combine.

Sprinkle the seasonings and gently toss again to coat the crackers. Some crackers will end up with a little more seasoning than others, but that’s okay!

Spread the crackers on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake at 250°F for 20 minutes, stirring gently once halfway through cooking.

Yes, 250°F is correct! Similar to when you do homemade cheese mixyou’re not so much cooking the crackers as drying them out a bit. So a low oven is what you want to use here.

Allow the finished crackers to cool before storing in airtight containers for up to a week.

Recipe variations

This ranch cracker recipe is super simple, but there are lots of ways to change it up if you want.

Instead of using Ritz Bitz, use about 9 ounces of your favorite crackers. You don’t have to limit yourself to just oyster crackers or mini saltines, either, although they’re a popular choice.

Try using goldfish crackers or cheese crackers, like Cheez It’s. You could also use Club crackers, Ritz classics or Town House crackers. There are so many options!

As for the seasoning, feel free to spice up the ranch by adding a few crushed red pepper flakes to your seasoning mix and/or adding several dashes of your favorite hot sauce to the melted butter.

If you use a package of ranch dressing, you may want to use a flavored ranch. Hidden Valley makes a variety of flavors, such as spicy ranch, buffalo ranch, taco ranch and more. Try one of these variations for a fun twist!

And finally, if you don’t have butter on hand, feel free to substitute your favorite neutral-flavored oil, such as canola oil or vegetable oil.

No matter how you make them, these ranch crackers are sure to become your favorite!