Ritz crackers
Also known as: buttery crackers
A round, buttery, slightly sweet cracker, eaten as a snack on its own, crushed as a crisp topping, or used as the base for a quick pie or crumb crust. Their butter content and delicate structure mean they crush easily into fine crumbs without much effort -- a sealed bag and a rolling pin work as well as a food processor.
Buying guidance
Check that the inner sleeve inside the box is sealed and unbroken -- a torn inner sleeve lets crackers go stale or soggy well before the printed date. When crushing them for a crust or topping, buy the regular size rather than the mini version, since minis cost more per ounce for the same crumb result.
Substitutions
- Saltine crackers plus a little extra melted butter -- close in crumb texture, less inherent sweetness and butter flavor, so add both back.
- Panko breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter -- crisper topping, less sweet, more neutral flavor.
- Crushed cornflakes -- similar crisp topping role, notably less buttery and more neutral in flavor.
Tips & common mistakes
Because they're high in butter and sugar, a layer of crushed crackers on top of a dish browns and can scorch faster than a plain breadcrumb topping -- add it during the last stretch of baking rather than the start, or loosely tent it with foil if it's browning ahead of the rest of the dish.
Storage
Once the inner sleeve is open, reseal it tightly or move the crackers to an airtight container at room temperature -- refrigeration doesn't extend their life and can actually make them go soft faster, since the fridge is a relatively humid environment compared with a sealed pantry container.