Traditional churros are strips of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar, which means hot oil, thermometers, and a bit of a mess. Ritz Churro Bites sidestep all of that by using mini peanut butter Ritz sandwich crackers as the “dough,” then building all the churro flavor on top. The crackers are spread on a baking sheet and coated in a quick stovetop mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and sometimes a bit of cinnamon, then baked until the sugary coating bubbles and clings to every nook and cranny.
As soon as they come out of the oven, they’re tossed or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar so it sticks to the warm, sticky coating, creating a crisp, caramel‑like shell that tastes surprisingly close to churro coating but with that fun Ritz + peanut butter richness underneath. Once cooled and broken apart, you’ve got bite‑size churro snacks that stay crisp for days in a container, ready for munching or packing into little bags.
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet (9×13 or larger), lined with parchment paper or foil.
- Small saucepan for melting butter and brown sugar together.
- Mixing bowl for whisking cinnamon and sugar.
- Heat‑safe spatula or tongs for tossing and coating the crackers.
- Measuring cups and spoons for precise amounts of butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Ingredients
- 1 (8.8 oz) box peanut butter Ritz Bits sandwich crackers (or about 4 cups mini Ritz peanut butter crackers).
- ½ cup butter (1 stick), salted or unsalted depending on preference.
- ⅓–½ cup light brown sugar, packed.
- ¾–1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- ½–1 cup granulated sugar for the cinnamon‑sugar coating.
- 1–2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, to taste.
Some recipes also add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter or slightly tweak the cinnamon and sugar amounts, but the basic structure—peanut butter Ritz Bits + butter‑brown sugar sauce + cinnamon sugar—is consistent.
Instructions and steps
Start by prepping the pan and crackers so you’re ready as soon as the butter mixture is done. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175–180°C), then line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or a combination of foil plus parchment for easy cleanup.
Pour the peanut butter Ritz Bits onto the prepared pan and spread them into an even, single layer, making sure as many crackers as possible are lying flat. This helps the coating reach all sides and ensures even baking.
Next, make the buttery brown sugar sauce that mimics the caramel stickiness of churro coating. In a small saucepan over medium to medium‑high heat, combine the butter and brown sugar, and sometimes part of the cinnamon if your recipe calls for it in the sauce as well as in the topping.
Stir frequently as the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, and once everything is melted and looks uniform, bring the mixture to a gentle boil for about 1–2 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. The mixture will thicken slightly and turn glossy. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, which will bubble up briefly and then settle into the sauce.
Coat the crackers with the hot butter mixture. Carefully drizzle or spoon the warm sauce over the layer of Ritz Bits on the baking sheet, trying to distribute it as evenly as possible. Use a silicone spatula or tongs to gently toss and turn the crackers so that each one gets at least some of the buttery, sugary coating.
This can look a bit uneven at first, but the sauce will spread more as the crackers bake. A few recipes instead pour the crackers and sauce into a large bowl to toss thoroughly, then return them to the baking sheet in an even layer.
Bake the coated crackers until they’re fragrant and lightly caramelized. Slide the tray into the preheated 350°F oven and bake for about 8–10 minutes. Many sources suggest pausing halfway through to toss or flip the crackers again so they bake and caramelize more evenly. You’re looking for the butter‑sugar coating to bubble and cling to the crackers, but not to darken too much; over‑baking can make the sugar burn and taste bitter.
While the crackers bake, mix the cinnamon sugar that gives them their churro personality. In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until there are no streaks and the mixture is uniform. Adjust the cinnamon to your taste—more for a stronger spice note, less if you want the butter and brown sugar to stand out more.
As soon as the crackers come out of the oven, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar generously over the hot, sticky Ritz Bits. This timing is key: dusting them while the coating is still soft helps the sugar adhere to the surface instead of falling off.
Use a spatula or tongs to toss the crackers gently, turning them so that cinnamon sugar gets onto both sides and any bare patches of coating are covered. If you like them extra sweet or extra cinnamon‑forward, you can sprinkle on a bit more cinnamon sugar after tossing and give another quick stir.
Let the Ritz Churro Bites cool completely on the baking sheet. As they cool, the butter‑brown sugar mixture will harden into a crisp, candy‑like shell around the crackers, and the cinnamon sugar will set on top just like it does on fried churros. Once fully cooled and no longer tacky, break apart any pieces that have clumped together into more manageable bites.
Transfer the finished churro bites to a bowl for serving right away, or store them in an airtight container at room temperature; most recipes mention they stay crisp and delicious for up to several days, making them ideal for prepping ahead.
Tips and tricks
The choice of cracker matters: most Ritz Churro Bites recipes specifically use peanut butter Ritz Bits sandwiches rather than plain crackers, because the peanut butter filling adds richness and a subtle salty‑nutty flavor that plays beautifully with the cinnamon sugar.
However, some sources note you can substitute mini plain Ritz or similar bite‑size crackers if you prefer a less peanut‑forward snack.
When making the butter‑brown sugar sauce, keep the heat moderate and don’t walk away; sugar burns quickly, and even a minute too long at a full boil can take it from caramelized to bitter.
You’re not aiming for a hard candy stage here, just a cohesive syrup that coats the crackers and stays sticky enough to grab the cinnamon sugar. Stirring frequently and pulling it off the heat as soon as it’s fully melted and bubbling softly helps keep it in the safe zone.
It’s also important not to skimp on tossing the crackers both before and after baking. Getting as many crackers as possible coated in the butter mixture before they go into the oven and then tossing them again with cinnamon sugar when they come out minimizes dry spots and gives more of that “every bite tastes like a churro” effect.
If you see any puddles of sauce on the pan as they cool, breaking those areas apart and tossing them through the loose cinnamon sugar helps soak that syrup back onto the crackers instead of leaving it on the parchment.
For storage and serving, let the churro bites cool completely before transferring to containers; trapping steam will soften the coating and make them less crisp. Once cooled, they travel well in bags or jars and are frequently suggested as party favors, lunchbox snacks, tailgate treats, and holiday gifts because they keep their crunch and flavor for several days at room temperature.
Variations
Ritz Churro Bites are already a riff on churros, and many recipes build on the idea further with mix‑ins, different crackers, or extra components in the mix. One simple twist is to change the cinnamon‑sugar ratio or add a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice to the coating for a more autumnal flavor that leans into holiday churro territory.
Using dark brown sugar in the butter mixture instead of light brown sugar deepens the caramel note and adds a hint of molasses, making the bites taste even more like a churro crossed with caramel corn.
Some snack mixes combine Ritz Bits with other elements like mini Oreos or other cookies, tossing them all in butter and cinnamon sugar and then baking to create a “churro snack mix.” This approach yields a more varied texture in each handful and can be scaled up easily for large parties or movie nights.
Other recipes add chocolate chips or drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled churro bites for a chocolate‑churro effect that feels closer to churros dipped in chocolate sauce.
If you want a bit more salt and crunch, you can blend in a few mini pretzels or use salted butter and then finish with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt along with the cinnamon sugar. This sweet‑salty balance makes the bites even more snackable and offsets the sweetness of the brown sugar and cinnamon coatings.
For a slightly lighter version, a few sources opt for simply tossing Ritz Bits in melted butter and cinnamon sugar without the brown sugar boil step—a bit less sticky and candy‑like, but still crunchy and churro‑ish with fewer steps.
However they’re tweaked, Ritz Churro Bites keep the same core strengths: fast prep, basic pantry ingredients, no frying, and the dangerously addictive combo of buttery crackers, peanut butter, caramelized sugar, and cinnamon that makes everyone reach back into the bowl for “just one more.”
