I first had these crackers at my friend Joan’s house and she mistakenly called them Cajun Crackers. They are not. They are direct relatives of an insidious, addicting drug. Think I’m kidding? Ha! You will read this recipe and realize how bad these crackers are for you. Then you will make them. And then you will eat one. And then you will hide them. And you will slowly, over a couple of days, eat them all. By yourself. And then you will want more…they are that good.

This is one of the oddest recipes I’ve ever made. There’s no cooking involved, only mixing together and waiting. You’ll either need a 2 gallon zipper bag or split the recipe in half and use 2 1-gallon bags.

In the bag, mix 2 packages Ranch dressing mix, 1 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 3/4 crushed red pepper, and 2 cups canola oil. Yes, you read that correctly. Mix well then add 4 sleeves of saltine crackers. Turn the bag several times to mix and then turn every 15 minutes for about an hour. The crackers will absorb all the oil and the seasonings and they will be crispy and so darn good that you will wish you hadn’t made them.

I tried to find an original version of this recipe and while there are several variations along with this one on the Internet, I didn’t find anything that I could source as the original. Some recipes call for 1 1/3 cups of oil and some only use 1 package of Ranch dressing. I think you could certainly experiment, but I can attest that the recipe is perfect as is written here. Well, perfect if you want to go to cracker rehab.

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5 from 1 vote

Cajun Crackers

A savory, easy, Cajun cracker that’s a super appetizer for any gathering or just a snack to have around.
Prep: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 20 servings

Ingredients 

  • 4 sleeves saltine crackers
  • 2 packages original Ranch dressing mix
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 2 cups canola oil

Instructions 

  • Add dressing mix, peppers and oil to a 2 gallon zipper lock bag and mix well.
  • Add saltine crackers, turning several times to coat the crackers.
  • Turn bag every 15 minutes for 1 hour or until oil is absorbed by the crackers.

Nutrition

Serving: 20servings, Calories: 129kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Sodium: 457mg
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Calories: 129
Keyword: cajun crackers, crack crackers, ranch crackers
Love this recipe?Mention @southernfoodandfun or tag #southernfoodandfun!
Lucy standing behind a counter with a cheese board and glass of wine.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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1 Comment

  1. These truly are addicting and yummy! Try whole wheat saltines and add your favorite cheese to go with them! Great picture, Rebecca!
    🙂