Food and Recipes Appetizers Ranch-Cheese Crackers 5.0 (1) Add your rating & review These super savory crackers will be gobbled up by party guests. By Elizabeth Heiskell Elizabeth Heiskell Elizabeth Heiskell lives in Oxford, Mississippi where she and her husband are raising three beautiful girls. There she also maintains her catering company, Elizabeth Heiskell Catering, that is in its 22nd year. Elizabeth was head chef at Viking Range Corporation for eight years where she added fun and vitality to all of her cooking classes. Now she is a food contributor for The Today Show and has appeared as a judge on Food Network's The Kitchen and on Chopped. Elizabeth is a Southern Living contributing editor and author of three best selling cook books: "What Can I Bring," "The Southern Living Party Cook Book," and "Come On Over". Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and at https://www.elizabethheiskell.com. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 26, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Servings: 32 These crispy, crunchy, herby, ranch-cheese crackers are so easy to make—and very, very hard to stop eating. The recipe, which comes from entertaining expert and Today Show food contributor Elizabeth Heiskell's cookbook What Can I Bring? Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up, is simply store-bought Cheddar cheese crackers (such as Cheez-Its) dressed up with ranch seasoning mix and a few other spice rack staples. Dried dill and garlic powder make sure these aren't your average seasoned crackers. The crackers are baked in the oven until lightly toasted and crisp. The recipe, which serves 24 people, comes together in five minutes in a single bowl. After toasting, put the batch out, and watch the crowd go wild. These ranch-cheese crackers make a terrific game day snack (they are perfect with a cold beer), an unexpected nibble for cocktail hour, or a fun substitute for the usual bowl of salted mixed nuts at a holiday party. However you serve these crackers, be sure to make an extra batch or two because they disappear faster than you'd think. When in doubt, some savory cheese straws will save any party; and if you're feeling feisty, our Fire Crackers complement these ranchy crackers perfectly if you have a big crowd. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Ingredients 1/3 cup olive oil 1 (1-oz.) packet ranch dressing mix 1 Tbsp. dried dill 1 Tbsp. garlic powder 2 (12.4-oz.) boxes bite-size Cheddar cheese crackers (such as Cheez-Its) Directions Prepare oven and ingredients: Preheat oven to 300°F. Gather your ingredients. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Make seasoning mixture, and add to crackers: Whisk together olive oil, ranch dressing mix, dried dill, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Drizzle over Cheddar cheese crackers in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Bake crackers: Divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets, and spread in an even layer. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Bake 30 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool on pans for 30 minutes. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Store leftovers: Store in large ziplock plastic bags or in airtight containers. Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Rate It Print