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The 22 Most Popular Holiday Appetizers.
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Everything Ranch Crackers and Pretzels (the addicting snack mix). This is the ultimate holiday snack! Made with saltines, pretzels, plus a mix of homemade everything bagel spice and a spicy homemade ranch seasoning. This mix is oh-so GOOD, some may even say addicting! Each bite is perfectly seasoned, salty buttery, crunchy, and cheesy. It’s seriously good and the easiest holiday appetizer to prepare!
With so many people staying with my parents, quick dinners, appetizers/snacks, and drinks are especially important. Many times I’ll make a big cheese board for everyone to enjoy before dinner. But cheese boards can take a little more time and work to prepare. And sometimes you just want something different.
That’s when I switch things up. I have a lot of go-to appetizers, but I’m enjoying making fun snack mixes. They’re not something I think to make throughout the year, just around the holidays.
They’re always fun and easy to make and can even be made ahead of time. Plus I love that this is not Chex mix, which I always try to save for Christmas Eve since my mom’s recipe is so special, plus it’s a tradition for us! I only make it on Christmas Eve, so just one day every year!
Details
This is pretty easy. You just need saltine crackers, large pretzel twists, and then a big mix of dried herbs and spices!
Oh and butter. You definitely need butter for the mix.
I melt the butter in a big bowl. Use the biggest mixing bowl you have. Then literally everything gets added to that bowl. I start with the crackers and pretzels. Then, the herbs and spices, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, parsley, chives, dill, smoked paprika (this is key), garlic, and onion powder.
To keep the mix spicy, I add chili flakes. If you don’t love spice, just use less or omit it altogether. And of course, if you enjoy things spicy, add more!
For me, the real star of this recipe however is the smoked paprika. I don’t think we use this wonderful spice enough! It adds the flavor of paprika, but with a very subtle smokiness that I find truly delicious in most recipes.
You can’t use too much!
Now add the parmesan and rosemary.
Spread the mix out over a couple of baking sheets to allow the air to circulate, then bake. Don’t try to cook this at a higher temperature, let it cook low and slow. I’ve tested using higher temps and it never works out well.
Yes, low and slow is key. But once the mix is baked, you can enjoy it for a couple of days, so it’s great to make ahead if needed. Though, I do think it’s best straight out of the oven. YUM.
My biggest tip? Make a double batch, this mix will get eaten fast.
Great for the holidays, but so good for any upcoming family/friend nights. I know my brothers are going to LOVE these. They’re the easiest to throw together. Plus, I usually have all the ingredients stashed away in my pantry.
Perfect for last-minute snacking. Have fun with this recipe guys, hope you all enjoy!!
Looking for other fun holiday appetizers? Here are a few ideas:
Pull Apart Garlic Butter Spinach and Artichoke Dip Sliders
Whipped Goat Cheese with Warm Candied Bacon and Dates
Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey
Pastry Wrapped Baked Brie with Maple Butter Roasted Apples
Baked Sweet Potato Parmesan Tater Tots
Soft Pretzels with Chipotle Queso
Lastly, if you make these Everything Ranch Crackers and Pretzels (the addicting snack mix), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Everything Ranch Crackers and Pretzels (the addicting snack mix)
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 73 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sleeves Saltine crackers
- 18-20 pretzel twists
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2-1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 300° F. 2. Melt the butter in a large bowl. Add the saltines, pretzels, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, parsley, chives, dill, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, salt, pepper, parmesan, and rosemary. Then add the Worcestershire sauce. Gently toss for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is evenly coated. Spread the mix evenly over 2 rimmed baking sheets.3. Bake 35-45 minutes, flip halfway through cooking. Serve, or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. But we loved these best fresh!
I loved this recipe. Followed the recipe except for I used whole wheat saltines, vegan butter, gluten free pretzels, and added a little chile powder. Everything was incredible!! Thank you!!
Hey Angela,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
It seemed like the saltines were too big for an easy grab and go bite, the seasoning didn’t stick well to either the crackers or the pretzels, and (as I did not read the comments first), I ended up with a lot of burnt pieces 🙁 Has potential but just wasn’t quite there!
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xT
Love the flavor and the crunch! However, the seasoning mix did not stick very well? Did I add the Parmesan cheese too early? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks.
Hey Sara,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try, glad to hear they were enjoyed! Was your butter fully melted? You could toss in butter first then add the seasonings to see if that helps! xT
I am not sure what I did right after reading all the reviews. These are fantastic. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I used large pretzels. I did watch closely while baking in case it started to burn. It did not. I’ll make them again and again.
Hey Becky,
I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! 🎊🎈
Tastes good to me. Read reviews and realized most are baking at too high heat, this is comparable to baking Chex mix which is typically baked at 250° and stirring every 15 min.
Also, mixed all seasoning together then added the butter… did more butter and Worcestershire than it called for- mainly because I always do when I do Chex mix. Great one Tieghan!
Hey Malorie,
Happy New Year!!🎆 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review! xT
I was nervous to try this after reading the reviews, but I’d recommend it- this recipe is super flavorful and good! Flipping the mix halfway is crucial to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Hey Elle,
Happy New Year!!🎆 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review! xT
I rarely write reviews, but this was the worst recipe! I doubled this recipe for a New Year’s Eve party. Spent a lot of money buying the items and a lot of time trying to find RAW sesame seeds and chili FLAKES (so I substituted crushed red pepper). The baking time listed was way too long, and it was done in only 15 minutes (as noted by other reviewers.) Since the pretzels were thinner/smaller than the saltines, they were done and burned before the saltines were ready. Also, with all of the spices, you would think it would have flavor! I ended up throwing out a double batch!!!
Hi Holly,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear this was not enjoyed, please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xT
I love all your recipes, could everything bagel spice be substituted? I have a jar and looking to use it.
Hey Pamela,
Totally, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Didn’t read the comments beforehand and regret it. At 20 minutes the mixture looked like it was cooking perfectly. I flipped everything at out back in for just 10 minutes since the recipe called for upwards of 35 and I always cut a few minutes off to be safe – checked 5 minutes later and one pan was burned to heck. Never had that happen before! The other pan was perfectly cooked but I don’t know, I didn’t love the flavor. It all seemed dry and a bit bland, not something I often say about HBH recipes! Perhaps I’ll try again though.
Hi Meredith,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear you didn’t love the recipe and that your one pan burned. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
Mine turned out burnt and no one ended up eating them. Not sure what went wrong. These were a lot of ingredients and work.
Hi Angela,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed! I would say to reduce the bake time next time and keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. xx
Made this last night! Another fun one. Smelled so good in the oven!
I only needed to bake about 20 minutes… burned a few crackers (but I had to use club crackers, all I had on hand)… so maybe keep an eye on it if you make it!
Hey Amy,
Happy Monday!❄️ I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Thanks for sharing your tip! xx
Really good right from the oven with a cold beer!
Hey Lori,
Happy Monday!❄️ I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xx
I am a huge fan of HBH-but unfortunately this recipe didn’t work. For some reason there wasn’t much flavor that stuck to the crackers and pretzels, and it was very salty. The house smelled amazing though!
Hi Mary,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed, please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xT
I made this two ways. The first half batch I followed the recipe (but used half of what was called for). It was good.
The second time I made it a little different:
1) I used half the crackers/pretzels. I used half Ritz/Saltines; half seasoned small pretzel twists & half reg.
2) I halved the recipe again but used a whole stick of butter
3) I didn’t add the sesame or poppy seeds to the butter and only added half of the parm (1/8c. bc I made a half batch).
4) I laid out the mixture and the. Sprinkled the sesame and poppy seeds, rest of the parm (1/8c. The rest of the 1/4c.)
5) I baked it for about 10 mins, flipped, then another 10 mins.
I liked this version slightly better — probably due to the extra butter 🙂
Hey Jessica,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄
Needs something, and I’m not sure what…maybe a sugar dusting? But disappointing after spending a lot of money on all the spices.
I made these this afternoon and they turned out perfect! I mixed the butter and spice mixture in a separate bowl and then mixed it all together w the crackers and pretzels. I used a combo mini pretzels, oyster crackers and cheese it’s. So good, thank you!
Hey Betsy,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄
Hi Amy,
So sorry to hear that this recipe was not enjoyed. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
These are still hot on the baking sheet and I can’t stop “taste testing”. So good! Based on comments I used less crackers (about a pack and a half), mixed the spices with the butter then tossed with two forks. Had no issue with coating. I flipped them every 10 min and they are perfect!
Hey Alissa,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄
Made this on Christmas Eve day huge hit!! I added the seasonings/spices and parm to the melted butter and poured over pretzels and oyster crackers (couldn’t find mini saltines) tossed and baked as directed. It only needed 30 minutes and was a definite crowd pleaser!! Thanks for another winner
Hey Rennae,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄