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!
Ritz Cookies
Holy cow — look out! 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 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 Reeses 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. It is so easy and makes the cookies look smooth and pretty.
Tips For Dipping Your Ritz Cookies:
1. Melt a small amount of chocolate in a small bowl at a time. For these I filled a small glass (8 oz.) bowl with chocolate and heated it in the microwave for 30 second increments until the chocolate was completely melted. Then I dipped about 10 cookies at a time (using most of the chocolate) before adding more and heating again.
2. If you are using chocolate chips for the chocolate coating on the cookies, add a little canola oil or coconut oil when melting the chocolate chips. Start out with a teaspoon and then gradually add more until the chocolate reaches a consistency that is thin enough to dip the cookies and have them coat evenly.
3. 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 tapped 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.
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, 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.
More Christmas Treats
I love all the yummy treats that our family makes around the Holidays. These Dipped Ritz Cookies are just one of our favorite Christmas treats. You can find the list of all our favorite treats for Christmas HERE. It has some amazing sweets that are perfect for neighbor gifts and Holiday parties, like homemade caramels, peanut clusters, cinnamon almonds, german chocolate fudge, and peppermint bark brownies!
How To Make Ritz Cookies
Ingredients
For The Caramel Cookies:
- 13.7 oz Ritz crackers
- 12 oz Rolo caramel candies
- chocolate chips or baking chocolate bars
- Sprinkles optional
For The Peanut Butter Cookies:
- 13.7 oz Ritz crackers
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- White chocolate chips or baking white chocolate bars
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
For The Caramel Cookies:
- Lay out half of the crackers (about 50-60) face down on a cookie sheet.
- Top each cracker with one rolo candy.
- Bake at 300 degrees for about 5 min.
- 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 these completely cool, then dip each in chocolate. If you add sprinkles, be sure to do so before the chocolate sets. Let chocolate become firm before eating.
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.
- Then dip each in chocolate. If you add sprinkles, be sure to do so before the chocolate sets. Then let chocolate become firm before eating.
Tips on dipping:
- I like to do a small amount of chocolate in a small bowl at a time. For these I filled a small glass (8 oz.) bowl with chocolate and heated it in the microwave for 30 second increments until the chocolate was completely melted. Then I dipped about 10 cookies at a time (using most of the chocolate) before adding more and heating again.
- I used a plastic fork with the middle prongs broken off to flip the cookies in the chocolate. I then set the cookie on the fork and gently tapped it against the side of the bowl to smooth out and drip off excess chocolate. I placed each chocolate cookie on to wax paper to cool and set.
Nutrition
becky says
How much chocolate chips do you need? a bag for the whole thing? A bag for each kind?
Emily says
Probably a bag for each recipe.
Laura says
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.
Echo says
I agree. When using chocolate chips I will add a little oil to thin the chocolate. It works much better!
Dani says
Baking chocolate and chocolate chips would need to be temperd to set up .the candy making chocolate don’t.
Roxanne says
How do you store these and for how long?
Echo says
I store them in a sealed container for a few days at room temperature, or up to a week in the refrigerator. The caramel in the Rolo’s becomes hard when stored in the fridge, so I take them out and let them sit at room temperature for a while before serving. Thanks for asking!
corinne says
I was wondering if these can be put in the freezer. Or would that ruin them. thanks
Echo says
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!
Natalie T says
I freeze mine all the time!
Nadine K. says
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?
Tracey H. says
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!
Anne Secrest says
I lik these cookie ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Echo says
Thank you, Anne!
Gloria says
What are the white ones made with?? White chocolate?
Echo says
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!
Deb says
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?
Echo says
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.
Dani says
Chocolate chips need to be tempered and candy melts like wiltons do not need tempered to get it to set.
Kelly says
What kind of chocolate chips? Semi sweet or…..?
Echo says
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!
Patrice Estes says
I use 6 squares of vanilla bark and a 12 ounce pkg. of semi sweet chocolate chips. These set up in about 2 hours.
Echo says
Thank you for sharing this Patrice!
Carol davenport says
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.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Just until the chocolate is set up!
Ruthann says
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?
Echo says
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.
Dani says
If trying,use the mini.reese peanut butter cups,about the same size a rolo
Echo says
Great idea! Thanks Dani!
Joy Perez says
Thank you I LOVE your receipes
Erica says
Thank YOU!!! Please keep coming back for more recipes. We will do our best to keep crankin’ them out 🙂
Sharon says
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