Buttery Homemade Ritz Crackers

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHAT YOU GET: A homemade version of Ritz Crackers that rivals what you can buy at the store — deliciously buttery, bubbly, crunchy, and salty!

Looking to make your charcuterie board a little more special? You need to try my copycat Ritz Crackers recipe! You can buy every artisanal cheese that exists, but I guarantee these homemade buttery crackers will still be the star of the show! 

You may be wondering how to make Ritz Crackers at home — or if it’s even worth the trouble! I promise I’d never lead you astray; these crackers are surprisingly very easy to make. And you just can’t compare the end product with store-bought. These crackers are everything I love about Ritz; they’re buttery, bubbly, crunchy, and the perfect amount of salty.

Try serving these with savory compound butter, like my Blue Cheese Compound Butter or my Chipotle Lime Compound Butter! Or try one of my favorite snacks, Homemade Cream Cheese, on top of these crackers.

Do Ritz Crackers Have Dairy?

You may not believe this, but the buttery Original Ritz Crackers do not contain dairy and are vegan! However, this recipe includes dairy (as do some other versions and brands, so be sure to check the listed ingredients if you are allergic.) 

Store-bought Ritz Crackers have artificial flavoring, but my homemade recipe uses real butter to get that iconic taste. 

Why Do Ritz Crackers Have Holes?

Store-bought Ritz Crackers and my homemade recipe both have holes — but why? The holes in a cracker are called “docking holes,” and their purpose is to help ventilate the crackers. As the crackers bake, the air expands, which causes bubbles that may over brown or burn. The holes allow the steam to escape instead of becoming bubbles. It’s the same reason why you would dock a pie crust! 

I don’t have a docking machine, and I highly doubt most of you do! Instead, I use a toothpick to poke holes in the crackers just before baking. Store-bought Ritz Crackers have seven holes on each cracker if you want to be precise! 

Tools You Need To Make Homemade Ritz Crackers

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Baking sheets
• 1½-inch (4-cm) round cutter

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Copycat Ritz Crackers

• This dough is very soft — the moisture in the dough is what creates the bubbles in the crackers while baking. However, if the dough is too wet to form a ball, knead in a touch more flour (1 or 2 tablespoons) until it just comes together.
• The soft dough can make it a bit challenging to cut neat circles. If you are having trouble, roll the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and either refrigerate it with the paper for 30 minutes or freeze it for 10 minutes. This should allow you to cut and lift the dough onto your baking sheet more easily.
• Brush the melted butter onto the crackers while they are still hot, so they absorb more of the buttery flavor.
• You can add a tablespoon of any dried herb that you would like into the flour mixture.
• Make a seeded cracker by sprinkling poppy seeds or sesame seeds onto the crackers before you bake them, just after you brush on the egg wash.

Try more copycat recipes!

• Homemade Cheez-Its With Real Cheddar
• Homemade Wheat Thins
• 4-Ingredient Homemade Goldfish Crackers
• Homemade Graham Crackers

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