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The saltiness of the Ritz Crackers and the sweetness of the chocolate is a winning combination in these dipped Ritz Cookies with caramel or peanut butter filling.
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Making Cookies with Ritz Crackers
When it comes to cookies, this is about the easiest recipe out there. These make yummy snacks any time of year, but also fantastic Holiday treats. The only baking involved is melting Rolo candies on the Ritz crackers for the caramel filling. For the peanut butter filling, no baking is required. And as we all know, everything tastes better dipped in rich chocolate!
If you have never dipped a Ritz Cracker in chocolate, you don’t know what you’re missing. Then, if you’ve never paired that with a decadent caramel or creamy peanut butter filling, well, I don’t know what you are waiting for. Try it!
My experimentation with this festive treat led to two variations of filling flavors. Both flavors turned out so good! I think the caramel ones taste like a caramel Twix bar, and the peanut butter ones taste like a white chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cup. I can’t decide which I like better. You will have to try them and let me know which is your favorite!
Be sure to read my tips on dipping for a smooth, pretty coating on the cookies.
Ingredients in Dipped Ritz Cookies
- Ritz crackers
For The Caramel Ritz Cookies:
- Rolo caramel candies
- Milk chocolate wafers or candy melts (almost any type of chocolate can be used for dipping. Milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or chocolate almond bark can also be used with 2 tablespoons shortening or canola oil)
- Sprinkles optional
Lay out one sleeve of Ritz Crackers (about 25) face down on a cookie sheet, sheet pan, or lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Top each cracker with one Rolo candy. Bake at 300 degrees for five minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly top each softened Rolo candy with another cracker. You want to smoosh it down a little, but not so much that the caramel comes out the sides. Let them cool or chill completely to room temperature before dipping.
For The Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies:
- Peanut butter (or almond butter)
- Powdered sugar
- White chocolate wafers or candy melts (white chocolate chips can also be used with 2 tablespoons shortening or canola oil)
- Sprinkles optional
In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter and powdered sugar. This will give you a thicker, sweeter filling to work with. Take a cracker and top it with a little heap of peanut butter mixture, then sandwich another cracker on top. You want to smoosh it down a little, but not so much that the peanut butter comes out the sides.
Tips For Dipping
1. Melt chocolate in the microwave at 50% power. Place chocolate wafers or candy melts in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for one minute. Stir. Continue microwaving in 30 second increments, stirring between each heating, until the chocolate is smooth for dipping. You can also use a saucepan with a double boiler.
2. If you are using chocolate chips for the chocolate coating on the cookies, add shortening, canola oil, or coconut oil when melting the chocolate chips. Use one tablespoon of oil for every cup of chocolate chips.
3. Use a plastic fork with the middle prongs broken off to flip the cookies in the kind of chocolate you want, then set the cookie on the fork and gently tap it against the side of the bowl to smooth out and drip off excess chocolate. Don’t use a spoon, you won’t be able to get off the excess chocolate. Place each chocolate cookie on to wax paper to cool and set.
More Cookie Recipes
We have so many cookie recipes that we love in our family, it’s always hard to decide which one to make! Here are a few of our favorites.
- Coconut Pecan Cookie Bars – Simply layer ingredients in a pan, and magically these bars bake into a chewy, chocolatey treat.
- No Bake Cookies – No Bake Cookies are perfect to whip up quick when you are craving chocolate. The oats, cocoa, and peanut butter give the cookie a rich, delicious flavor.
- Raisin Stuffed Shortbread Cookies – These cookies are slightly crispy on the outside, and chewy and gooey on the inside. A must if you are a raisin fan!
- Turtle Cookies – The chocolate chips, pecans, and caramel bits are a winning combination in these Turtle Cookies. Eat warm out of the oven with a big glass of cold milk.
- Peanut Butter Bars – Only 30 minutes to make these homemade bars with chocolate frosting. They remind me of the peanut butter bars that used to be served with school lunch in my hometown.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ritz Cracker Cookies
They are about as healthy as any treat, but you can make modifications to these cookies to make them lower in sugar.
The vents, or holes in the crackers are also known as “dockers” that allow steam to escape during the baking process. This helps maintain their perfect shape. Seven ended up being the perfect amount for the spacing required in the center of the cracker.
You may have noticed that the flavor became less buttery a few years back. This is a byproduct of the company lowering the moisture count in the crackers to make shelf life longer. It is a still buttery cracker, just a little less than it used to be.
They are a brand of buttery, salty crackers. One of my favorite things!
Nope, no need to keep them in the fridge, just store in an air tight container.
Read Next: Christmas Cookie Recipes
More Holiday Treats
I love all the yummy treats that our family makes around the holidays. These Dipped Ritz Cookies are just one of our favorite Holiday treats. These amazing sweets that are perfect for neighbor gifts and Holiday parties!
- Christmas Dessert Ideas
- Easy Fudge Recipes
- Chocolate Cherry Mice
- Muddy Buddies
- Mom’s Traditional Christmas Caramels
- Peanut Clusters
- Hot Cocoa Mix
How To Make Dipped Ritz Cookies
Dipped Ritz Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 13.7 ounces Ritz crackers
For The Caramel Cookies:
- 12 ounces Rolo caramel candies
- 16 ounces milk chocolate wafers or candy melts (milk chocolate chips can also be used with 2 tablespoons shortening or canola oil)
- sprinkles optional
For The Peanut Butter Cookies:
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 16 ounces white chocolate wafers or candy melts (white chocolate chips can also be used with 2 tablespoons shortening or canola oil)
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
For The Caramel Cookies:
- Lay out one sleeve of Ritz Crackers (about 25) face down on a cookie sheet.
- Top each cracker with one Rolo candy. Bake at 300 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and quickly top each softened Rolo candy with another cracker. You want to smoosh it down a little, but not so much that the caramel comes out the sides. Let them cool completely before dipping.
- Place chocolate wafers or candy melts in a microwave safe bowl (if using chocolate chips, add 2 tablespoons of shortening or canola oil to the chips for smooth dipping). Microwave on 50% power setting for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well between each heating, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Use a plastic fork with the middle prongs broken off to flip the cookies in the chocolate. Set the cookie on the fork and gently tap it against the side of the bowl to smooth out and drip off excess chocolate. Place each chocolate cookie onto wax paper to cool and set.
- If you add sprinkles, be sure to do so before the chocolate sets.
For The Peanut Butter Cookies:
- In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter and powdered sugar. This will give you a thicker, sweeter filling to work with.
- Take a cracker and top it with a little heap of peanut butter. You want to smoosh it down a little, but not so much that the peanut butter comes out the sides.
- Place chocolate wafers or candy melts in a microwave safe bowl (if using chocolate chips, add 2 tablespoons of shortening or canola oil to the chips for smooth dipping). Microwave on 50% power setting for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well between each heating, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Use a plastic fork with the middle prongs broken off to flip the cookies in the chocolate. Set the cookie on the fork and gently tap it against the side of the bowl to smooth out and drip off excess chocolate. Place each chocolate cookie onto wax paper to cool and set.
- If you add sprinkles, be sure to do so before the chocolate hardens.
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- This recipe is written to make half of a batch caramel filled cookies and the other half of the batch peanut butter filled cookies. All of the Ritz Crackers will be used, and it will yield about 30 of each cookie.
- Cookies will store for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave at 50% power. Place chocolate wafers or candy melts in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Continue microwaving in 30 second increments, stirring between each heating, until the chocolate is smooth for dipping.
- If you are using chocolate chips for the chocolate coating on the cookies, add shortening, canola oil, or coconut oil when melting the chocolate chips. Use 1 tablespoon of oil for every cup of chocolate chips.
- Use a plastic fork with the middle prongs broken off to flip the cookies in the chocolate, then set the cookie on the fork and gently tap it against the side of the bowl to smooth out and drip off excess chocolate. Place each chocolate cookie on to wax paper to cool and set.
Nutrition Information
So simple and soooo good thank you for such an amazing idea!
Love the salty and sweet taste. My family ate all within a few days. Will have to make more and hide to get them to family get together. Easy to make.
Love the peanut butter filling on these! Sweet and salty! Delicious!
I have had these before at Christmas get-togethers, but I have never made them myself until today. Made with this recipe, they were soooo amazingly good! I made them with my 6 and 8 year old kids, and they were able to help me with every step, unlike many other Christmas goodies we have tried to make. We only did the peanut butter filling this year, and we only candy coated one half of each cracker set, which made them look really nice. I think if I would have had the kids try to dip the whole things they would have turned out a little sloppy. We used several different colors of candy melts and lots of sprinkles. We even had mini marshmallows (like the ones in hot cocoa packets) to look like pom poms on red Santa hats. This will definitely be added to our must list from now on. Thanks for sharing the great recipe with detailed instructions. Merry Christmas!
This was the most popular cookie at our socially-distanced cookie party yesterday! Thank you for the recipe – we will be making it every year now!
Using the Rolos makes this SO easy! Simple but looks fancy with the sprinkles.
So simple and delicious!
I don’t put powdered sugar in the peanut butterspread. I put peant butter almost edge place cracker on top dip in almond bark melted. I find if you set your dipping pan over very hot water your dip will not harden as fast
Thank you I LOVE your receipes
Thank YOU!!! Please keep coming back for more recipes. We will do our best to keep crankin’ them out 🙂
Have you ever tried to make these with peanut butter cups instead of the peanut butter/sugar mixture? It seems like it would be tasty, but I wonder if the peanut butter cups will melt enough — like the Rolos do. Any thoughts?
I’ve never tried it, but I think it would work. Peanut butter cups are bigger than Rolo’s so you would need to be careful when adding the second Ritz cracker to the top and only press it down until the filling reaches the edges. The filling will be thicker.
If trying,use the mini.reese peanut butter cups,about the same size a rolo
Great idea! Thanks Dani!
I use 6 squares of vanilla bark and a 12 ounce pkg. of semi sweet chocolate chips. These set up in about 2 hours.
Thank you for sharing this Patrice!
I’m still confused as to how long I should store the cookies in the fridge?
I have 24 hours until I serve them. Crackers, peanut butter and chocolate.
It’s best to let them cool and set at room temperature. Putting them in the fridge can often ruin the chocolate because of the humidity.
What kind of chocolate chips? Semi sweet or…..?
It’s up to you. I usually use semi-sweet, but I prefer the taste of milk chocolate better. If you use milk chocolate chips, be careful if you add any oil when melting them. Add just a little at a time. If the chocolate becomes too runny, it won’t set. If you can get good dipping chocolate or chocolate candy melts, they work the best and you don’t have to worry about adding oil. Thanks for asking!
I made these using milk chocolate chips and the chocolate isn’t setting, I put them in the refrigerator hoping they will harden. But will they melt again at room temperature when I take them out?
The only way to know is to take one out of the fridge and give it a try. You may need to serve them cold. Did you add oil to the chocolate chips? If too much oil is added, they won’t set up. Milk chocolate has more fat in it than semi-sweet, and depending on the brand it may be too oily.
Chocolate chips need to be tempered and candy melts like wiltons do not need tempered to get it to set.
What are the white ones made with?? White chocolate?
Yes, we used the peanut butter filling with a white chocolate coating. You can use melted white chocolate chips with a little oil, or white chocolate candy melts. I like to use the Wilton brand candy melts. Thanks for asking!
I love these cookie ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Anne!
These are good with marshmallow cream in the center also. One of my favs that my mother in law makes. I make all three versions. Yum!
I was wondering if these can be put in the freezer. Or would that ruin them. thanks
I’ve never tried freezing them. I do know the chocolate can get a white film on it from the condensation and they won’t look as nice. I’m also not sure how the Ritz crackers would do in the freezer. I think they will taste best if you make them closer to the time you plan on serving them. I hope that helps. Thank you for asking!
I freeze mine all the time!
Natalie T. how long have you had yours in the freezer for?, I’d like to make these but they would need to be forzen for about 3 weeks?
How do you store these and for how long?
I store them in a sealed container for up to a week.
I’ve only had good luck with candy-making chocolate. Either the Ghiradelli discs, or Candy-quick. Baking chocolate or chocolate chips do not come out nearly as well.
I agree. When using chocolate chips I will add a little oil to thin the chocolate. It works much better!
Baking chocolate and chocolate chips would need to be temperd to set up .the candy making chocolate don’t.
How much chocolate chips do you need? a bag for the whole thing? A bag for each kind?
Probably a bag for each recipe.