These no-bake chocolate peanut butter Ritz cookies with flaky salt on top have been part of my family’s Christmas cookie trays for as long as I can remember. A generous spoonful of creamy peanut butter is sandwiched between two buttery, flaky Ritz crackers, then dipped into a rich mixture of melted semisweet chocolate AND chocolate almond bark.
This Recipe Is One Of My All-Time Favorite Christmas Food Memories. Thanks, Mom!❤️
My mom is famous for making these awesome (and easy!) Ritz sandwich cookies every single Christmas; right alongside her homemade peanut butter cups and layered mint chocolate brownies. She never skipped a beat. Now I’m the same, as these PB & chocolate treats are always a top request from my family.
Over the years I’ve tweaked the method and ingredients proportions for these no-bake treats, and now these cookies are just the way our family likes them. The first thing is that I add considerably more peanut butter than any other comparable recipe out there. There’s a whole tablespoon in-between those crunchy, flaky crackers; nice and generous. This was a special request from my husband and two daughters — and it absolutely works!
Next thing is that I use a 50/50 combination of melted chocolate almond bark and good quality semisweet chocolate chips. The almond bark allows for a solid set, so the chocolate doesn’t get melty when sitting out on a treats platter for hours. And good quality chocolate chips give a richer chocolate flavor.
And finally, I add a little sprinkle of sea salt flakes over the top of each cookie. This totally elevates the flavors in this simple treat.
My family won’t let me make these any other way. And Mom agrees; these changes are an upgrade!
You can eat these cookies as soon as the chocolate hardens. Or store them in the freezer for later enjoyment (I LOVE to eat these frozen), as they freeze especially well. This is a great recipe for making several weeks ahead of your holiday celebrations…because there are sooooo many cookies to make!
“Absolutely one of the best “cookies” I have ever made or had, for that matter. Made one batch and had to make another. Everyone thought they were delicious. A much requested cookie for the holidays.”
JANE
Here’s Exactly How I Make These
Before you start, a few tips from my kitchen
Whenever I’d share these cookies on a Christmas platter, I would get requests for my recipe. And that’s when I realized that I really didn’t have a very good recipe! It had vague ingredients amounts and instructions. So I measured and tested and wrote down all my best tips — to ensure that others would get my same results.
This is a great recipe to include young kids in the kitchen. When our girls were too small to dip the cookies into the hot melted chocolate, their job was to count out the crackers, set them on the pan, and then add the peanut butter. Maybe your kids or grandkids can help you with this part, too!
My recipe makes 24 cookies, and a 15″ x 10″ rimmed pan is works great because it slides into our fridge’s vertical (skinny) freezer if we want the chocolate to set faster.
Take special care to melt the chocolates gently, so they don’t scorch, because scorched chocolate is ruined chocolate. I like to use a double boiler method because it greatly reduces the chance of scorching. A microwave also works, just be sure to heat slowly and gently in shorter intervals, and stir the chocolates often.
Make sure to add the flaky salt when the chocolate is cooled and still mostly glossy, before it hardens. If you add the salt while the chocolate is hot, it will disappear into the chocolate. If you add it after the chocolate is set and hard, it will not stick at all.
Sweet-n-Salty Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies
Ingredients
- 48 Ritz crackers
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (I use Skippy)
- 8 ounces chocolate almond bark
- 8 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate chips
- sea salt flakes (I use Maldon sea salt flakes)
Instructions
- Set up a double boiler on your stovetop. Add chocolate almond bark and chocolate chips, and melt them together, stirring often. Take care to not let the chocolate scorch. (Or use a medium heat-proof bowl to melt the chocolates in the microwave on a low setting, in shorter intervals, stirring regularly.)
- Meanwhile, line a 15" x 10" rimmed pan with wax paper. Place 24 Ritz crackers on the wax paper, leaving an inch of space in between each one.
- Place a generous tablespoon (some people think this is too much, use less if you like!) of peanut butter onto the center of each cracker. Do not spread the peanut butter.
- Place another cracker on top of the peanut butter and gently press down at the center of the cracker. This will spread out the peanut butter between the two crackers. Repeat until you have all sandwich cookies assembled.
- Once chocolates have melted, remove the double boiler from the stovetop. Drop an assembled sandwich cookie into the chocolate. Use two forks to maneuver the cookie, quickly turn it to completely cover with chocolate. Lift the cookie out with one of the forks, and tap the fork handle lightly on the side of the bowl to force excess chocolate down through the fork’s tines and back into the bowl. Slide the fork outward from the bowl, dragging the bottom of the tines along the rim of the bowl, letting more excess chocolate drip down the inside of the bowl. Transfer chocolate-dipped cookie onto the wax paper, using a toothpick to help slide the cookie off the fork's tines. Repeat until all cookies are dipped. If the chocolate becomes thickened and difficult to work with, simply warm it up a bit more.
- When the chocolate has cooled and is still a bit glossy, sprinkle the cookies with sea salt flakes. Be sure to do this before the chocolate sets up.
- Enjoy as soon as the chocolate is set and hardened. If you want to quicken this step, place the pan in the refrigerator or freezer for a bit.
I always melt Nestle’s chocolate chips in a double boiler. However, the last two times I have made these cookies, the chocolate hasn’t melted to a smooth consistency – more granular almost and not only can I not dip the crackers, but the chocolate doesn’t even adhere to the cracker when I try to spread it on like butter.
I used white chocolate chips only, but it was too thick…not “dipping” melts…any suggestions?
Add a spoonful of shortening.
I’m making these and covered Oreos using molds. How long do they keep without being refrigerated? I read that the Oreos keep about 2 weeks so I’ve started on those. (Today is 12/20. They will be eaten in the 25th.)
How long do the ritz & peanut butter keep? I read they keep well in the freezer but I don’t have the freezer space. Should I wait closer to the date they’ll be eaten?
Do you have space in the refrigerator? That would also help. Otherwise keep them in a cool spot.
Does the cracker get soft or stale after put together
Hi Lori – the cracker keeps very well. Especially if you freeze them if you’ll have them around for awhile.
I’ve been making these for years but they’re even better with the white chocolate that you find on the pretzels during Christmas time. Also for those people that don’t want to use peanut butter you can use almond butter and they still are really good.
It’s funny to have found this recipe. I’ve never seen the recipe, but have been making these for over 25 years! I had a taste of one at a Christmas party once and loved them. I don’t use sea salt though. Just Ritz crackers, peanut butter, and chocolate bark. Sometimes I drizzle white chocolate bark over them. They’re the all time favorite dessert amongst my friends and family.
Yay! So glad you found this! :)
My mom made these every year with white chocolate and Christmas sprinkles and gave the to all her friends, they all had expectations of receiving her cookies every year. She passed away this past July so a friend and I got together and made them in her honor. Thanks to everyone who shared their special variations!! Yum
What a beautiful tribute to your mom!
Just made these for the first time. I hope my legacy lives on through my cooking as well. What a wonderful memory to pass on.
Shoot! I bought the pre made Ritz peanut butter crackers they sell now – 5 boxes! I hope they taste as good! Have you ever tried this?
I’m sure they’d still be good. But I would still recommend trying the recipe as written – that soft peanut butter center is so good!! :)
I use a small glass bowl with flat bottom on a warmer to melt chocolate in just right temperature to melt chocolate and dip in.
These look so good! Do you know of any Ritz cracker types that are gluten free?
Hi Suzanne – I am not well versed with a gluten-free diet. I hope you find a cracker that works for this!
Hey Suzanne!
Lance makes gluten free crackers similar to Ritz! They are really good!
They also make the mini peanut butter and cheese filled sandwiches gluten free that are great!
I can’t have gluten either.
Hope this helps!
My mom and I have made these for 30 plus years. So many variations but we use crunchy peanut butter it holds up better under the warm chocolate and we use 2 oz of unsweetened chocolate makes them a little richer
Crunchy would be good, too! When I dunk into the warm chocolate, I am sure to be quick! And I like your unsweetened chocolate version – those would be MINE. :)
every year i make these for xmas. everey year someone asks me what the pastry layer is. i laugh but i always tell them. so freaking fast and easy. always a big hit
That is awesome funny!! They are so good, people unfamiliar with these are always surprised.
Can not thank you enough for this recipe!! Ritz crackers should be giving you a kick back from all the crackers I bought over the holiday. My family loved these. I wrapped mine in festive green foil and my kids/grandkids/sisters/brothers/mother/husband all thought I bought them. I decided to kick it up tad Christmas Eve ( nothing like cooking right up to the time you are walking out the door). I used Club crackers, made them triple layered and dipped them in white candy coating and added Christmas sprinkles on top. WONDERFUL!!! Thank you again!!
Ahhhhh…triple decker sandwich cookies…love it!!!! :)
These are ridiculously good! Did you know that peanut butter and chocolate are my favorite??? Can you say Merry Christmas?
Why, yes, I do remember that. I think of you every time we make these. I’ll bring some home for Christmas. ;) xo
My family makes a couple hundred of these for our annual cookie bake every Christmas. These are by far the most popular cookie though my sister-in-law always says, “But these aren’t a cookie!” Ours are a little different in that we spread one cracker with the pb and the other cracker with marshmallow fluff before sandwiching them together.
Wow, that’s alotta sandwich cookies! I LOVE the idea of marshmallow fluff…will def be giving that a try, thank you!!
love these! we make them every year at christmas time. my great grandfather found the recipe on a box of ritz years ago and he’s been making them ever since. until this past year…in which he passed down the coveted “cookie dipping fork” to me and my sister. now (97 years old) he just enjoys eating the ones we make for him and our great grandmother!
Thanks, Chelsea. I’ve never heard of this originating from the Ritz box – awesome to know! And I love that you have a coveted cookie dipping fork – AND a great grandpa who is 97 & is still enjoying them. WOW!!
I made these cookies when I was little too but we use the vanilla bark but I love the chocolate ones too!
I haven’t made them that way, but I’m sure my family would love those, too – they love anything dipped in vanilla bark!
ouch…it’s not human to show that
Thank you is all I can say! This blog post saved me from throwing everything away. I don’t do desserts well, and I figured this would be easy..until…the chocolate. I hate dipping and melting chocolate, hate hate hate, and I was using spoons. Then I was getting all crazy and came to foodgawer and saw your post and your detailed instructions on using the fork and tapping it on the bowl is what saved me. Simple things like this is what makes or breaks someone like me LOL. THank you again!!
So glad I could help, Dan. Enjoy!!
For something so simple I have to admit that these look pretty fancy! I bet they’d make a great holiday gift!
That’s exactly what’s so spectacular about them, Erika – their simplicity! And I remember them being gifted as a kid, and they always made people happy. :)
Wow these look good!! I love that they are no bake too! Perfect!
Hello! They really couldn’t be much easier! Or addictive! ;)