These homemade Ritz crackers are even better than the store-bought version! With no preservatives or additives, you can't go wrong with this recipe. This recipe is a new favorite for our family, and I know you will love them too. You'll never go back to the store-bought version again!
This homemade Ritz cracker recipe is so simple you won't have to guess at any of the ingredients. While testing this recipe, I learned you can make anything you see in a prepackaged box or bag at the grocery store (hello, Starbucks Cake Pops)! The shapes and sizes might not be as perfect, but I can guarantee that what you make will taste better than store-bought Ritz crackers!
Why you'll love this recipe
- These buttery Ritz crackers are perfect for a charcuterie board this holiday season. Pair them with some cheese, meat, and olives, and your guests will be impressed.
- These homemade crackers are the real deal, with all-natural ingredients and no additives.
- These crackers are such a cinch that you can have them ready in less than an hour! And you'll be left with the most completely addicting snack—try to stop at just one!
Simple recipe ingredients
The next time you are at the store, look at the ingredient list for these crackers. Unfortunately, these store-bought crackers are laden with additives and less-than-ideal ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and palm oils.
I set out to make a simpler and cleaner version of these cookies last weekend. You'll only need seven ingredients for these cookies.
Butter: Make sure you use cold butter in this recipe for the dough. This is similar to making pastry dough. For the topping, you can also use melted butter once they come out of the oven (if you don't want to use oil). Make sure to add extra salt if you are using unsalted butter.
Flour: I have tested this recipe with all-purpose and whole wheat flour. I recommend all-purpose flour to get the closest to the real Ritz cracker taste.
Sugar: I use granulated sugar in this recipe, but you can use brown sugar as a desired replacement.
Vegetable Oil: I originally posted this recipe using olive oil (and I think it's a great alternative). Some readers felt the taste was too strong, so I substituted canola oil instead. You can use any neutral oil, such as vegetable oil.
Baking Powder: This recipe uses a fair amount of baking soda, and you'll definitely want to make sure that it hasn't gone bad in your cupboard.
Heather's helpful hints
- Keep a close eye on your crackers to ensure they don't bake too long. Depending on your dough's thinness, you may need to take a couple of minutes off the baking time.
- Brush the cookies with olive oil or butter while they are warm.
- If you find that the dough is too warm to handle, you can place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before rolling it out.
- The amount of water you need to add depends mainly on the humidity of your kitchen. Start with the amount of water indicated in the recipe. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together. Remember, this is a wet dough.
- Once you add the butter, pulse the food processor for a little bit. If you overmix the dough, the gluten will overdevelop, and your cookies will not be flakey.
Equipment
You'll need a food processor, a rolling pin, a brush, and a cookie cutter for this recipe. I like to use a cookie cutter with a scalloped edge to make the crackers look like the real thing. This is totally optional and not required.
I also like to use a piece of parchment paper to cover my baking sheet. This makes cleanup much more manageable. Alternatively, you can also use a silicone mat-lined cookie sheet.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow the simple steps below for this recipe. The detailed description is listed in the recipe card, which you can print.
Step 1) Pulse dry ingredients and butter in the food processor. Add oil and pulse to combine.
Step 2) Add water a little bit at a time. Pulse to combine after each addition. The dough should start to form a ball.
Step 3) Roll the dough out as thin as you can. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough out.
Step 4) Bake the crackers on a parchment-lined baking sheet for ten minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Ritz crackers get their flavor from a combination of ingredients, including enriched wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and yeast. There are also added flavorings such as onion, garlic, and paprika.
You can use a pastry cutter or your hands to make this dough. Make sure you use a large bowl and mix the dough only until it comes together.
Storage and make ahead
Storage: Keep these cookies at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to five days. I like to place them in a single layer, divided by waxed paper.
Make Ahead: You can make these crackers in advance and freeze them. I like to place the crackers back-to-back and wrap them in plastic wrap. Then I place them in a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to serve, allow them to come to room temperature overnight.
Variations
If you're in the mood for a sweet treat, turn these crackers into Ritz Cracker Toffee. This mixture of sweet and salty is sure to be a treat!
Add ¼ cup of your favorite shredded cheese to turn this into a delicious cheese cracker recipe! I've done this with Parmesan cheese, and they turned out delicious!
Try more copycat recipes
I'm a big fan of making my favorite foods at home with fewer additives and preservatives. Check out some recipes you can try out!
- Jiffy Blueberry Muffin Copycat Recipe
- Jamba Juice Mango-A-Go-Go Smoothie Recipe
- Popeyes Sweet Heat Sauce Recipe
Recipe
Homemade Ritz Crackers
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- food processor
- cookie cutters
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups flour all-purpose
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted, cold
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ½ cup water more as needed
Garnish Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt in the food processor. Pulse to combine. Add cold butter a few small pats at a time, and pulse to combine. Add oil. Pulse to combine. Add water a little bit at a time. Pulse to combine after each addition. The dough should start to form a ball.
- Roll dough out as thin as you can. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough out. You can make them Ritz-shaped or any shape that you like. Poke holes in the dough in the Ritz pattern or any pattern you want.
- Bake the crackers on a parchment-lined baking sheet for ten minutes or until the crackers just begin to turn golden brown. As soon as you remove the crackers from the oven, brush them with the remaining oil and sprinkle them with salt.
Notes and Tips
- Working with the Dough: You can sprinkle your work surface with flour if you find the dough is too sticky. Make sure to use just a little at a time. You can also refrigerate the dough for 10-15 minutes before rolling it out.
- Humidity and Dough: The amount of water you need to add depends largely on the humidity of your kitchen. Start out with the amount of water indicated in the recipe. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together. Remember, this is a wet dough.
- Reader Feedback: Some readers skipped the rolling pin and simply used their hands to pat down the dough. If you don't have a rolling pin on hand, this is a great suggestion! Make sure you pat the dough into an even layer.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in February 2014. I updated the post in May 2022 with additional instructions and new photos.
Did you make this recipe?! First, let me say THANK YOU for giving it a try!
Please leave us a rating and feedback in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what went well — and didn't — with a recipe!
Happy Baking!
Heather
sarah
how come these are so many calories???
Heather
These crackers are somewhat thick and depending on the size of your cookie cutter, they might be on the larger size. I will say, if you use a smaller cookie cutter, this batch will make about 48 cookies (I updated my notes to reflect this). They still are definitely not a low-calorie cracker!
Malorie Shannon
Hi just tried these. They were easy to make and the dough handled beautifully.
However, when I tasted them, there was a bitterness that made them not very tasty, so much so I threw out the batch. I believe the bitterness is because the ratio of baking powder to flour is off. Instead of a tablespoon maybe just a teaspoon (at most teaspoon and a half). I also think upping the butter a bit might result in a more buttery cracker or even instead of oil, brush melted butter on top.
I will try to make them again because I believe with the tweeks they might be perfect.
Heather
Hi Malorie, thanks for your feedback! I've definitely used butter on top, and it's delicious. I'm going to make a note of this in the recipe post for others. I'm sorry to hear that the taste wasn't quite right for you. With less baking powder you might not have the same rise to the crackers, but that's the only thing I can think of. I'd love to hear back how the next batch goes!