Equipment Needed
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Small bowl (for microwaving caramels, optional)
- Spoon or small spatula
- Oven
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I line my baking sheets with parchment paper. This is my golden rule—I learned the hard way that caramel baked directly onto a pan creates a cement-like bond that requires serious scrubbing. I then lay out my Ritz crackers in neat rows on the parchment, giving them a little space. Each cracker is its own little platform, ready to be transformed. I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C). The quick, high heat is perfect for melting the caramel without over-toasting the crackers.
Now, for the fun part: the topping. I place one soft caramel candy in the center of each Ritz cracker. It’s okay if it hangs over the edges a bit. Then, I take a small handful of salted peanuts and gently press them on top of the caramel, creating a little mound. You want enough peanuts so they’ll stick, but not so many that they all fall off. I press them in just enough to make contact with the caramel. At this stage, they look like adorable little edible hats, and I always sneak a plain cracker with a peanut or two—you know, for quality control.
Once all my crackers are dressed with their caramel and peanut hats, I carefully slide the baking sheets into the oven. I bake them for 5-7 minutes. The goal is to melt the caramel until it’s soft, bubbly, and has spread slightly, gluing the peanuts to the cracker. I watch them like a hawk through the oven window. I learned that even an extra minute can turn the caramel from perfectly gooey to unpleasantly hard and chewy once it cools. The crackers should remain pale; we’re not toasting them.(See the next page below to continue…)