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Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers. The holiday appetizer/snack that everyone asks for…year after year. They’re quick, easy, and everyone loves these spicy, salty, sweet crackers. Buttery Ritz Crackers tossed in a mix of herbs and spices. Bake these crackers in the oven until they’re perfectly crisp, but oh so buttery, and very well seasoned. There never seems to be enough…addictive, festive, and perfect for holiday entertaining.

overhead photo of Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers

Happy Christmas Eve to everyone who is celebrating today! And if you don’t celebrate, well I hope you’re actually still celebrating by taking the day off and hopefully cooking and baking up some delicious food!

Today is one of the first real days off I’ve had in, well, I can’t even really remember. I’m spending the day with Asher in the kitchen cooking away and wrapping gifts. My family is thankfully all together here in Colorado and I can’t wait to celebrate Christmas with them.

I wanted to share one more last-minute recipe with you guys, simply because I LOVE these crackers so much. Trying to keep this short today, so I’ll jump right into the details.

prep photo of seasoning mix

The Inspiration.

First up, these are addicting. If you love a salty, smoky, savory cracker, you’re going to love these.

They’re inspired by this year’s sweet and savory bacon twists. But also by the seasoned saltine crackers, or “fire crackers” I’ve seen on Pinterest. I enjoy their saltiness, but I’ve always wondered why you’d choose a Saltine when you could have a Ritz instead. Personally, Ritz are my crackers of choice, so I did a quick Instagram poll to see if you all would agree.

And the verdict?

Ritz won as the favorite cracker…and by a landslide.

overhead photo of cracker on baking sheet

With that info, I was sold on my idea. I’d make seasoned, buttery Ritz crackers…

And you guys?! I really can’t express enough just how good these are. As I said above, they really are addicting. Salty, a touch smoky, herby, and spicy, but with a hint of sweetness. All the good stuff, and all SO delish.

side angle photo of Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers

The Process.

One of the great things about these crackers? They are so EASY.

Simply toss the seasoning mix, brown sugar, garlic, onion, fresh sage (or try thyme/rosemary), oregano, lots of smoky paprika, cayenne, and chili flakes, together with melted butter. Add the crackers and toss very well to fully coat, then bake until golden crisp.

All. The. VERY. GOOD. Things. And so simple too.

The key spice here is the smoky paprika. You guys know it’s my favorite spice to use. I love pairing it in a sweet and savory way with just a touch of brown sugar. It makes the spice even more delicious. If you don’t like any kind of smoky, simply use regular paprika.

overhead close up photo of Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers

You can assemble these crackers ahead of time. They’re delicious warm out of the oven, but equally delicious once cooled.

So you see? These are pretty close to being the perfect holiday appetizer. And the herbs keep them flavorful and festive too.

Excited to bake these up today, but I’m making a double batch. My brothers have already requested them, along with a good cheese board and mom’s Christmas Eve Chex mix!

And with that, I think I’ll leave you all with this recipe so you can recreate it to share with whomever you’re celebrating with.

Just a reminder, there will be no blog post on Christmas Day, but we’ll be back on Saturday for a special cocktail post. And if you follow along on Instagram, I’ll be cooking my holiday recipes and sharing some family fun as well.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas…filled with (many) HBH recipes! MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!

side angled photo of Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers

Looking for other last minute and easy appetizers? Here are my favorites: 

Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists

Mom’s Secret Christmas Eve Chex Mix

Mini Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie Bites

How to Make an Easy Holiday Cheese Board

Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread

Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey

Lastly, if you make these Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers, 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!

Sweet and Spicy Seasoned Crackers.

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 93 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Place wire racks on top of two baking sheets.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, oregano, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and a generous pinch of pepper. Add the Ritz crackers and toss to combine, making sure all crackers are coated in butter.
    3. Spread the Ritz out in an even layer on top of the racks. Bake for 15-25 minutes turning them halfway through cooking. You want the Ritz to be golden brown. Allow the Ritz to sit on the baking sheet until cooled and dry, about 20 minutes. Store the Ritz in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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Comments

  1. I have tried the recipe twice. Great flavor but is there a trick to mixing the crackers so they are coated evenly and don’t break apart? Zip lock bag? Pouring the mixture over in a bowl? It seemed I needed more of the mixture. Love your recipes!

    Reply

    1. Hey Tamie,
      Thanks for trying the recipe, I like to mix everything in a large mixing bowl. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    We tried these for our winter paddle tennis party hors d’oeuvre and everyone devoured and loved them. I did not even need the wire rack, I just baked them on parchment. They are so sweet and so spicy for the perfect taste. And very easy to make!!!

    Reply

    1. Hey Sarah,
      Thanks so much for trying the recipe. That is so great the recipe was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

  3. I received your newest cookbook for Christmas and it has quickly become my favorite! I liked it so much that I purchased the Kindle version as well so that I could have it with me wherever I go, LOL! I also purchased your first cookbook and I am now perusing the pages! If you’re looking for a new cookbook with simple and delicious recipes, you have found your source right here! Great job Tieghan! When’s cookbook number three coming out? LOL!

    Reply

    1. Hey Robyn,
      Thank you so much for your kind message and purchasing the cookbooks! I am thrilled that you have been enjoying them and truly appreciate you following along!! Happy New Year! xTiehghan

      Reply

  4. We tried this recipe with beck and bulow buffalo meat. the taste was yummy delicious output came and my kids are really liked the recipe. thanks for the detailed info,

    Reply

    1. Hey Chris,
      Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

  5. I can boil water and make a decent grilled cheese sandwich or a fried egg sandwich. I mention this so you know my skill level straight-away. I decided that 2021 would be the year I elevated my cooking skills but the real start date would be Christmas Dinner 2020. I got a little crazy and decided to continue a tradition of my dad’s and make prime rib. My first.

    For Christmas Dinner, I relied partly on Tieghan’s Coffee Rubbed Prime Rib Roast with Roasted Garlic Gorgonzola Butter, Cranberry Brie Pull-Apart bread, Frosted Mistletoe Margarita, and Sweet and her Spicy Seasoned Crackers, the subject of this review. I’ll write up reviews on the other recipes this weekend.

    I followed the recipe fairly closely substituting fresh Thyme since I had no fresh Sage on hand, used Sweet Smoky Paprika, and cut back the cayenne pepper to an 1/8 tsp as an accommodation to my spouse who likes her food with a little less kick.

    My major departure with the recipe was using Nabisco Sociables and Milton’s Original Multi-grain crackers in addition to the Ritz crackers. Both the Sociables and Milton’s already start with a little bit of seasoning so this would be interesting to see if there was any contrast to the buttery sweet Ritz. Baked at 300 for 22 minutes.

    These turned out fabulous all-around. If I had to choose, I don’t think I really could except to say that the Milton’s, owing to their being a slightly thicker cracker, were a bit crunchier so I would increase the baking time another minute or two for the thinner Ritz and Sociables which were ever so slightly soggy at 22 minutes. Your mileage may vary.

    I served with Peppercorn Ranch, Southwestern Ranch, Habanero Pepper Jelly, and smoked cheese. These are really killer with smoked cheese and pepper jelly! Delicious.

    I will make these again. Next time, I will increase the cayenne pepper to ¼ tsp only if I don’t have any pepper jelly. Use Sage instead of Thyme. I will use more smoky paprika. Really need to get more of that good smokiness.

    Most importantly, get thinner wire racks to go over the baking sheets. The racks I had were too wide. While the Milton’s, being a larger cracker sat just fine on my racks, I had to keep chasing the Ritz and Sociables. The little rascals kept falling between the wires. There is definitely a distinct difference in the crackers which baked directly on the pan. This question was asked earlier by someone who only had the baking sheets. Don’t do it. Use wire racks.

    Thanks, Tieghan, for a terrific web site, an entertaining blog, and exquisite photography. I don’t Facebook but I did take a photo and will ask my wife to post with your #. Happy New Year!

    Reply

    1. Hey Mike,
      Thank you so much for your kind and detailed message! I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes and I truly appreciate you following along and giving them a try. I hope you have a wonderful New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I just made these for New Year’s Eve and they are AMAZEBALLS. So good- delicious, crispy, and great just on their own. I love the sweet/savory combo 🙂
    For anyone reading this in the future who may have this question, I halved the recipe and used 3 of the “fresh stacks” Ritz sleeves (since those are about half the size of the normal sleeves) and it was the perfect amount.

    Reply

  7. 4 stars
    Very delicious!!! I could only get two sleeves out of the sauce though, just FYI! 21 minutes was perfect for me.

    Reply

    1. Hey Cana,
      I served mine with ranch. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    OMG OMG OMG!!!! These crackers are absolutely GREAT!! The taste is nothing I’ve ever had before. So very addicting. The only problem I had is that I could only get two sleeves out of the recipe. Next time I’m doubling the recipe and will use more sleeves. Very easy to make. Another problem I foresee…i sure won’t have leftovers!! Lol

    Reply

    1. Hey Angie,
      I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Angel,
      Totally fine to skip the sage:) I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Tammy,
      I served ranch with the crackers. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan

      Reply

  13. Excited to try these! Firecrackers made with Saltines are a favorite but looking forward to trying these. Just got a new box of Ritz so the timing is perfect. I love your recipes and style, too BTW. Thank you for sharing

    Reply

  15. In the picture of the sweet and spicy ritz crackers it looks like you have a dipping sauce. What is that?
    Thank you and Merry Christmas!!?

    Reply

    1. Hey Julie,
      I used ranch as my dipping sauce. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply