Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies

Super easy, super delicious Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are a Christmas time staple.  But with their creamy peanut butter cracker sandwich covered in rich delicious chocolate, we think they should be enjoyed all year round!  But no matter when you make them, one thing's for sure -- You'll want to make a double batch, because these tasty little beauties don't hang around for long.

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So how do you make those super tasty, always-popular chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz?  

It's easy! Simply spread some Ritz crackers with peanut butter to create peanut butter cracker sandwiches, and dunk them in chocolate to coat.  It truly is that simple.  And they truly are as delicious as they sound.

These super easy, super delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are a Christmas time staple for many, our family included.  But with their tasty creamy peanut butter cracker sandwich covered in rich delicious chocolate, we truly think they should be enjoyed all year round!  And at our house -- they are.

I was first introduced to these cookies and their chocolate-peanut butter deliciousness by my mother-in-law many many years back.  Always looking for new Christmas cookie tray ideas, she had come across this peanut butter Ritz cookies recipe and decided to give it a try for our annual post-present-opening Christmas day cookie tray.

You'll want to make a double batch, because these tasty little beauties don't hang around for long.

I probably don't have to tell you these chocolate-peanut butter beauties were a hit.  

Because truly, with their ever-classic flavor combination, how could they not be?  

And these chocolate covered Ritz crackers with peanut butter now make regular Christmas day cookie tray appearances in our family. -- As well as pop up pretty frequently at other times throughout the year, too.

Besides how easy they are to make, I especially love the crunch of the Ritz crackers combined with the cookies' peanut butter-chocolate flavor.  It's a wonderful pairing, for sure.

The crackers keep their crispness over time (not turning soggy from the peanut butter), so that wonderful crunch is enjoyed with every bite.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are a fabulous after-school snack, a fun and tasty lunchbox treat, or a perfect Christmas gift from the kitchen. Not to mention, they'd be a great cookie exchange idea, too. 

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookie Ingredients

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are delicious, easy to make, and only require 4 simple ingredients.  How great is that?

To whip up a batch, you'll need:

• Ritz crackers - These classic round, buttery crackers are perfect paired with peanut butter -- and even better when dunked in chocolate. Ritz crackers keep their crispness in these cookies, delivering wonderful crunch with every bite.

• Creamy peanut butter - Use regular, basic creamy peanut butter for the best result.  Natural-type peanut butters do not work as well.

Ritz crackers keep their crispness in these cookies, delivering wonderful crunch with every bite.

• Chocolate candy melts or almond bark coating - You'll need just about 16-ounces of chocolate to make 40 cookies.  I usually use Make 'n Mold chocolate flavored candy wafers, available at most craft stores. Or, Plymouth Pantry brand chocolate flavored almond bark coating, available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.

• Shortening (such as Crisco) - Adding just a small touch of shortening -- 2 teaspoons, -- to the chocolate thins it a bit and creates a nice, smooth chocolate coating on the finished cookies.

Now, I have seen some recipes that combine milk and white chocolate together for the coating, or use a mix of chocolates and butterscotch chips.  Truth be told, we absolutely like just plain chocolate as the coating the best.

How to Make Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies

Making a batch of Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz cookies truly is really, really easy.  No mixing involved.  No baking.  Just spreading peanut butter on crackers, sandwiching the crackers together, and dunking them in chocolate.  

If you've ever made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you're already half way there!

Start by spreading about 30 to 40 Ritz crackers with a pretty thick layer of creamy peanut butter.  Use about 3/4 of a teaspoon of peanut butter for each one.

Then top each peanut-buttered cracker with another Ritz, creating cracker sandwiches.

Next, melt chocolate candy melts or almond bark coating -- whichever one you're using -- together with a bit of shortening in the microwave per the candy melt package directions (typically in 30 second intervals, stirring in between).

Then use a fork to dip each cracker sandwich in the chocolate coating.

Make sure to cover the cracker sandwich in chocolate completely, and let any excess coating drip off back into the bowl. 

 Place the chocolate-dipped cookies on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper to let the chocolate set.

For quicker setting of the chocolate, chill the dipped cracker sandwiches until the chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

Once the chocolate is completely set and firm to the touch, place the Ritz peanut butter cookies in an airtight container.  

Store them at room temperature. -- Or, if you find the chocolate coating to be soft when stored at room temperature, store them in the refrigerator.  This kind of depends on the chocolate coating used, as some chocolates set more firmly than others.

Want to whip up a batch or two in advance to have on hand or before the busy Christmas season hits?  No problem!  Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies freeze well.  Just freeze them in a ziploc back or an airtight plastic container for up to about a month.

So if you love the classic chocolate and peanut butter combo, give these chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz a try.  Simply spread some Ritz crackers with peanut butter to create cracker sandwiches, and dunk them in chocolate to coat.  

It truly is that simple.  And they truly are as delicious as they sound.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are a fabulous after-school snack, a fun and tasty lunchbox treat, or a perfect Christmas gift from the kitchen.

Check out these other peanut butter sweet treat favorites:

• Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
• Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
• The BEST Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookies
• Cake Mix Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Peanut Butter Buckeyes
• Peanut Butter Buckeye Pretzels
• Fluffy No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
• Crunchy Buckeyes
• The BEST Monster Cookies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies Treats
• Peanut Butter Blossom Bars
• More cookie recipes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

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Cookies & Bars

American

Yield: About 40

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies

Super easy, super delicious Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies are a Christmas time staple. But with their creamy peanut butter cracker sandwich covered in rich delicious chocolate, we think they should be enjoyed all year round!

Prep time: 40 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

• 80 Ritz crackers
• Creamy peanut butter
• 1 (12 oz. or 16 oz.) package chocolate candy melts or Almond Bark coating*
• 2 tsp. shortening (such as Crisco)

Instructions

1. Spread a thick layer of peanut butter (about 3/4 of a teaspoon each) on half of the Ritz crackers. Top with remaining Ritz crackers to create peanut butter cracker sandwiches.
2. In a small deep bowl, melt candy melts (or almond bark coating) and shortening together in the microwave per candy melt package directions (typically in 30 second intervals, stirring in between).
3. Use a fork to dip each cracker sandwich in the chocolate coating, covering completely, and letting excess coating drip off back into the bowl. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.
4. Let dipped cracker sandwiches stand to allow coating to set. Or for quicker setting, chill the dipped cracker sandwiches until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.
5. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Or, if you find the chocolate coating to be soft, store in the refrigerator.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. *I usually use Make 'n Mold chocolate flavored candy wafers, available at most craft stores. Or, Plymouth Pantry brand chocolate flavored almond bark coating, available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
2. You should be able to dip 40 cookies in 16-ounces of chocolate. You may want to start with making just 30 peanut butter cracker sandwiches, just in case your chocolate coats thicker (and therefore, won't quite make it to 40 cookies).
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies can be made ahead and frozen. Freeze in a ziploc back or airtight plastic container for up to about 1 month.

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