This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Chocolate peanut butter Ritz Cookies are the ultimate sweet-and-salty treat! With creamy peanut butter sandwiched between buttery crackers then dipped in melted chocolate, what’s not to love?
My Ritz cookies recipe with peanut butter and melted chocolate is always a crowd-pleaser on my holiday cookie tray! This no-bake dessert is so easy to make with a handful of pantry staples. Just sandwich peanut butter between two Ritz crackers and dip in melted chocolate! It’s as simple as that.
Ritz cracker cookies also keep well for a long time and are freezer-friendly, which makes them a perfect make-ahead treat. I love making this easy cookie recipe to take to cookie exchanges– they might be simple, but they are always such a hit! They’re a snap to customize, too, so feel free to get creative with different types of chocolate, fillings, and decorations. I have lots of ideas for you below. For more no-bake desserts, try my no-bake cookies, Rice Krispie treats, and Oreo balls recipes.
Ingredients
Ritz crackers — you need 60 buttery Ritz crackers (about 2 sleeves) to make 30 Ritz cookies.
Peanut butter — use your favorite no-stir peanut butter for this easy recipe. I prefer Jif brand, but recommend any kind that is firm and spreadable, not runny.
Chocolate — semi-sweet chocolate bars (chopped) are my preferred chocolate for the best coating, but chocolate chips are a good option if that’s what you have on hand.
Coconut oil — while optional, I think coconut oil creates melted chocolate with the perfect consistency for easily coating the cookies. Be sure to use a coconut oil that is solid at room temperature.
How To Make Ritz Cookies
1. Place the crackers on a cutting board so the flat side faces up. Spread about ½ teaspoon of peanut butter onto a cracker.
2. Place the flat side of another cracker on top and press gently so the peanut butter spreads and just reaches the edges of the crackers (but does not come out the sides). Repeat with the rest of the crackers to make 30 Ritz sandwiches. Place on a small sheet tray and freeze for 15 minutes while you melt the chocolate.
3. Fill the base of a double-boiler or medium pot with 1 inch of water, place over medium-high heat, and bring the water to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and place a large bowl over the top. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not come in contact with the water. Add the chocolate and coconut oil, if using, to the bowl. Stir occasionally while the chocolate melts until it’s smooth, glossy, and fully combined. Remove the bowl from the heat.
4. One by one, dip each sandwich cookie into the melted chocolate. Ensure the entire thing is covered with chocolate on all sides.
5. Remove the chocolate-covered cracker sandwich from the chocolate with a fork, allowing the excess chocolate to drizzle off. Place the Ritz cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the chocolate set for about 15 minutes. It should still be glossy but slightly hard.
6. Decorate the no-bake cookies with chopped peanuts, sprinkles, or flaky sea salt. Let the chocolate harden completely before serving. To speed up the process, refrigerate the Ritz cookies for 5 to 10 minutes.
Use Coconut Oil For The Best Chocolate Coating
Coconut oil helps to loosen the chocolate while it melts, making it easier for dipping and creating a thinner coating on the Ritz cookies. Coconut oil also hardens as it cools, so the chocolate coating turns out crisp instead of soft.
If you use chocolate bars, the oil is not completely necessary, but I typically add it anyway to ensure my coating is thin and firm without tempering the chocolate. If you use chocolate chips, I definitely recommend adding the oil. Chocolate chips are typically thicker when melted than bars and sometimes have stabilizers added, so the oil helps the chocolate chips become more fluid as they melt.
Recipe Variations
- Use different types of chocolate: Instead of semi-sweet chocolate, feel free to use milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, or even bittersweet chocolate to dip the cookies. You can also melt a couple of different kinds to have a variety.
- Drizzle with different chocolate: After dipping the cracker sandwich and allowing the chocolate coating to harden, drizzle them with another kind of melted chocolate for a beautiful presentation. For example, if you dipped in dark chocolate, drizzle with white chocolate for contrast.
- Topping ideas: Chopped nuts, flaky sea salt, shredded coconut, and jimmies or nonpareil sprinkles are lovely options. Sprinkle them on while the coating is still wet.
- Make them seasonal: Sprinkles are a great way to make these Ritz cookies seasonal: holiday sprinkles for Christmas, pink or red for Valentine’s Day, etc.
- Use a different filling: Swap the peanut butter for Nutella, dulce de leche, marshmallow fluff, or cookie butter. Or, simply use a different nut butter, like cashew butter, for this simple Ritz cookie recipe.
How to Store
Short-term storage: This no-bake treat will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also refrigerate the cookies, and they will last for 2 weeks. If you have a lot of cookies to store, arrange them in single layers and separate the layers of cookies with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
Freezing: Freeze Ritz cookies in a freezer-safe container, using parchment paper to separate layers of cookies so they don’t stick, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use no-stir peanut butter. Natural peanut butter tends to separate and is very runny, so use a no-stir peanut butter instead.
- Don’t have Ritz? You can use any tender, buttery cracker for these cookies! Just make sure they don’t have any added savory flavorings that might not pair well with the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave. A double boiler is the safest method for melting chocolate, but if you need to save time, you can microwave the chocolate on high for 30 seconds and then stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and if you decide to use chocolate melting wafers, you can leave out the coconut oil. I don’t recommend using candy melts, which aren’t made from chocolate and will compromise the flavor of these cookies!
When stored correctly, Ritz cookies last quite a long time—a week at room temperature or two weeks in the fridge—so you can make them several days in advance.
To make gluten-free Ritz cookies, use your favorite gluten-free butter crackers. The other ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but please always double-check ingredient labels to be sure.
If you’ve tried this Ritz cookies recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Ritz Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Double boiler
- Parchment paper
- Sheet tray
- Fork
Ingredients
- 60 Ritz crackers (from 2 sleeves) (180g)
- ¾ cup peanut butter (175g)
- 1 pound semi-sweet chocolate bars (chopped) or chips (450g)
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil optional
Instructions
- Place the crackers round-side down on a cutting board. On one flat side, spread about ½ teaspoon of peanut butter. Top with the flat side of another cracker and gently press until the peanut butter just reaches the edges of crackers, without coming out of the sides. Repeat with all of the crackers to make 30 sandwiches. Place on a small sheet tray and freeze for 15 minutes while you melt the chocolate.
- Fill the base of a double-boiler or medium pot with 1 inch of water Place over medium-high heat and bring the water to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and place a large bowl over the top, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Add the chocolate and coconut oil, if using, to the bowl. (If you use bars, the coconut oil is not necessary. It can help to make chocolate chips more fluid!) Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat.
- Dip the cracker sandwiches one at a time into the melted chocolate. turning to coat and ensuring that all of the sides are well covered. Remove them from the chocolate with a fork, allowing the excess to drizzle off. Place the cookes on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Let the chocolate set for about 15 minutes, until it’s still glossy by has hardened slightly. Decorate with sprinkles, flaky sea salt or chopped peanuts.
- Let the chocolate harden completely. To firm up more quickly, pop the sandwiches in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes.
Notes
- Use no-stir peanut butter. Natural peanut butter tends to separate and is very runny, so use a no-stir peanut butter instead.
- Don’t have Ritz? You can use any tender, buttery cracker for these cookies! Just make sure they don’t have any added savory flavorings that might not pair well with the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave. A double boiler is the safest method for melting chocolate, but if you need to save time, you can microwave the chocolate on high for 30 seconds and then stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe? Tag me today!
Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
