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.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Place 24 crackers (4 rows of 6) face down in a 13×9 baking dish.
- 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).
- Cut each slice of cheese into fourths. Top the meat with the small cheese slices.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
- While the cheese is melting, combine melted butter, onion powder, and garlic powder and mix well.
- Remove from oven and place remaining crackers, right side up, on top of the melted cheese slices.
- 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.
- 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
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Ritz Cracker Party Sandwiches
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 48 Ritz crackers
- 12 slices deli ham
- 12 slices deli turkey
- 3 slices cheddar cheese
- 3 slices Havarti cheese
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Everything Bagel Seasoning to taste
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- 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.
- 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.
- Don’t go too crazy with the toppings. Ritz is a delicate cracker that can’t hold too many different toppings. Plus, they’re quite small sandwiches, so a little goes a long way!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Place 24 crackers (4 rows of 6) face down in 13×9 baking dish.
- 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).12 slices deli ham, 12 slices deli turkey
- Cut each slice of cheese into fourths. Top the meat with the small cheese slices.3 slices cheddar cheese, 3 slices Havarti cheese
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
- While the cheese is melting, combine melted butter, onion powder, and garlic powder and mix well.4 Tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Remove from oven and place remaining crackers, right side up, on top of the melted cheese slices.
- 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.Everything Bagel Seasoning
- Turn oven heat up to broil. Place back in the oven for another 1-2 minutes, just enough to lightly brown the tops.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- 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.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
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