Ritz Cracker Party Sandwiches

Bite sized Ritz cracker party sandwiches with melty cheddar and Havarti cheese, ham, and turkey over a buttery, seasoned cracker, all made in about 20 minutes!

Why this recipe works

These little salty, buttery, Riz cracker party sandwiches are really simple to make, and I think the simplicity will surprise you with how good they are. We’ll bake them to recrisp the crackers after basting with garlic butter, and to melt the cheese, of course.

I’ll be honest, I worried that when bitten into, the crackers would crumble, but they didn’t! The addition of melted butter on top softens the crackers just enough, and the cheese melted inside holds everything together. They are the perfect little finger sandwiches for all occasions!

RELATED – Don’t want to heat up the oven? Pinwheel sandwiches are my go-to cold party appetizer.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CRACKERS – Though I’m sure off brands will do the trick, I can vouch for Ritz working well here. You can easily use flavored Ritz if preferred, I personally think the garlic butter or everything seasoned Ritz would be amazing!

CHEESE – A combo of cheddar and Havarti pairs well with the deli turkey and ham. You can absolutely substitute with your favorite sliced cheese!

MEAT – Any deli meat or cheese combination works just fine, choose based off your preferences! Thin sliced deli meat is ideal, as the crackers don’t have a ton of structure to hold thicker cuts.

SEASONING – We top our party sandwiches with everything bagel seasoning for even more flavor. If Everything Bagel isn’t your thing, try poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or even onion flakes.

How to Make Ritz Cracker Party Sandwiches

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Place 24 crackers (4 rows of 6) face down in a 13×9 baking dish.
3. Cut each slice of ham and turkey into fourths. Stack the fourths onto each cracker (for a total of one whole slice of meat per cracker).
4. Cut each slice of cheese into fourths. Top the meat with the small cheese slices.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
6. While the cheese is melting, combine melted butter, onion powder, and garlic powder and mix well.
7. Remove from oven and place remaining crackers, right side up, on top of the melted cheese slices.
8. Use a basting brush to liberally top each cracker sandwich with melted butter mixture. You might not use all of it. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning.
9. Turn the oven heat up to broil. Place back in the oven for another 1-2 minutes, just enough to lightly brown the tops.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Ritz cracker party sandwiches are best served right away, as they tend to soften quite a bit when stored. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 days if needed.

You can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time so assembling the sandwiches is quick and easy. If you’d really like to assemble the sandwiches in advance, I would suggest patting dry your deli meat so that the crackers do not absorb too much of their juices. Or, you can start and end your layers with cheese to create a barrier between the meat and crackers. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and keep in the refrigerator up to a day in advance. Bake when ready to serve.

Ideally, you’ll bake them right away so that the crackers don’t have enough time to absorb too much of the butter mixture. Baking helps crisp them back up, but a little softening is ideal so they don’t crumble when bitten into.

Ritz Cracker Party Sandwiches Variations

Try not to go too heavy on the toppings, as the base is a fairly fragile cracker afterall. That doesn’t mean you can’t be creative with what you add, though!

• Deli roast beef and provolone cheese.
• Pizza style with pepperoni and mozzarella, brushed with garlic butter and served with marinara.
• As a vegetarian option, try spinach and feta or opt for tomato, mozzarella, and basil.
• Keep it simple with ham and Swiss cheese, like my most popular slider recipe.
• Turkey and cheddar is another classic combination and great for picky eaters.
• Italian-style with salami and pepperoni layered with provolone and roasted red peppers or sliced pepperoncinis, similar to our Italian sliders.
• You can even make a cold version of these sandwiches by using tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiched between the crackers. I probably wouldn’t bake these, though. You can crisp the crackers up beforehand if desired!

Serving Suggestions

Ritz cracker party sandwiches don’t have to be limited to only parties. I already know these would have been popular in my kids’ lunchboxes when they were young! I also think they’d made a superior late-night snack.

Serve your sandwiches warm from the oven, though they’re just as good served close to room temp as well. I hope they’re a hit!

More Party Appetizer Recipes

• Taco Chex Mix
• Jalapeno Poppers
• Dill Pickle Pinwheels
• Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
• Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders

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