You know those days when the idea of making a whole pizza sounds good, but the reality is: your kitchen’s already clean, you’re in your comfy pants, and the last thing you want is to flour up the counter? Yeah, I’ve had more than a few of those.
That’s how these Pepperoni Pizza Crackers were born. One part laziness, one part genius, and a whole lotta cheese.
I first whipped these up during a Sunday football game—we had unexpected guests (the kind who show up “just to say hi” and somehow stay for kickoff and dinner). I rummaged around the pantry, saw a sleeve of Ritz, some pepperoni in the fridge, and half a bag of mozzarella. Fifteen minutes later? Touchdown.
And now? These little bites are a regular thing. They’re the kind of snack that makes you feel like a rockstar, even when you’re running on fumes.
What’s So Special About ‘Em?
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All the flavor of pizza, none of the work
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Crispy pepperoni — like, the good kind, curled and sizzling at the edges
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Buttery, cheesy, garlicky magic on a cracker
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No dough, no stress — just 5 ingredients and a little oven time
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Great for parties, playdates, or “just because it’s Wednesday”
Ingredients (and Little Tricks I’ve Learned)
This recipe is flexible—use what you have, skip what you don’t. It’s not fussy, and that’s the point.
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6 oz. sliced pepperoni
Go for the good stuff if you can. I’ve also used mini pepperoni—those are adorable and save you the slicing. -
48 Ritz crackers
The buttery kind is perfect. Saltines? Eh, a bit too plain. Club crackers? They’ll work in a pinch. -
1 lb. grated mozzarella cheese
Pre-shredded is fine, but if you grate it yourself, it melts like a dream. -
1 cup of marinara sauce, plus more for dipping
I like Rao’s when I’m feeling bougie, but the Target brand works great too. Just something thick and not too watery.
For the ranch butter:
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½ cup melted unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
If you’ve got homemade ranch mix, even better. But the powdered packets? Perfectly fine.
How to Pull These Off (With Zero Fuss)
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Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Go ahead and line two sheet pans with parchment. One for the crackers, one for the pepperoni. Trust me—it makes cleanup painless. -
Whisk your ranch butter.
Just mix the melted butter and ranch seasoning together in a bowl. It’ll smell like snack food heaven. -
Lay out your Ritz crackers on one of the trays.
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Drizzle them with that ranch butter — don’t drown them, just a little love on each.
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Top with mozzarella.
A heaping tablespoon works, but eyeball it. More cheese = more joy. -
Place the pepperoni slices on the other tray. Let them bake on their own for max crispiness.
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Pop both trays in the oven (top rack if you can swing it) for 15 minutes.
The cheese should be bubbly and golden, and the pepperoni? Oh, it should be curling up like little bowls of savory goodness. -
Add a spoonful of marinara to each cracker, then top with a crispy pepperoni.
Don’t burn your fingers snitching one off the tray like I always do. -
Serve with extra marinara for dipping—or ranch if you’re feeling wild.
Mix It Up: Fun Twists to Try
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Make it Hawaiian: Add a tiny piece of pineapple under the cheese. Yes, pineapple on pizza crackers.
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Meatless Monday: Use roasted red pepper strips or sautéed mushrooms instead of pepperoni.
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Make ‘em spicy: Add a dash of hot sauce to the marinara, or use jalapeño jack cheese.
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Cheesy overkill? Nah, but you could add a little Parmesan on top post-bake for extra punch.
Leftovers? You Probably Won’t Have Any… But Just In Case:
Storage:
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay decent for 2–3 days.
Reheat:
Pop ‘em in the toaster oven or back in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes. Avoid the microwave unless you’re okay with a slightly soggy cracker.
Make-ahead tip:
You can totally prep the crackers with butter and cheese, and bake the pepperoni ahead of time. Then just assemble and warm when ready.
