Hey, y’all. The other day someone asked me what I was next putting on the blog and I answered, “Fire Crackers”. Difficult to believe but they had never heard of this southern favorite. Fire Crackers are store bought crackers jacked up on spices and major heat. They are a staple at southern tailgates and football parties. The original recipe, I have no idea when or where it came from, called for Saltine Crackers and I prepared them with Saltines forever. But then I began to branch out and I tried using oyster crackers in place of Saltines and it was great! Except you can’t really serve them with a dip… like pimento cheese or homemade onion dip and I’m not talking about that dried soup mix stuff. That said, if you’re planning on serving a dip with these crackers you might want to consider Saltines orrrrrr… Cheez Its. I love Cheez Its because each cracker is one bite. Saltines are good but they crumble when bitten. And you can always use a little more cheese in your snacks. I don’t mean to sound snotty but Saltines aren’t even pleasant to look at… I mean, they’re meant to go with soup… when you’re sick. But Cheez Its. They’re all about the party! Anyway, these little treats are just the ticket, with or without an accompanying dip or spread. Super spicy and salty, firecrackers go with everything especially game day food. Why? Because they’re fabulously addictive on their own but also seem to highlight the flavors of what they’re served with. Chili, jalapeno poppers, pimenuh cheese, made from scratch onion dip, heck, even/especially champagne, all these foods shine alongside a big basket firecrackers. The beauty of this recipe is that the crackers may be put to “marinate” in the sauce one or two days before serving. They don’t get the least bit soggy nor do they break down or disintegrate even though they’ve been sitting in liquid. I always bake them for 25-30 minutes prior to serving in order to bake off any raw taste from the seasonings. The crackers don’t need to be spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Certainly you don’t want five or six crackers on top of each other but a few on top of each other is just fine. And guess what? They stay fresh for days… if they last that long! Enjoy!
Cheesy Fire Crackers
- 1 11.5-ounce box Cheez It crackers, I sometimes use reduced fat and they’re okay. Not quite as good as regular Cheez Its but sometimes a girl’s gotta do…
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 1-ounce package original Ranch dressing
- 1-2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- In a small bowl mix black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, Ranch dressing and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Pour oil into a gallon sized zip lock bag, followed by the spices. Squish the oil and spices until there are no lumps.
- Transfer crackers to the zip lock bag and close tightly. Toss and move the crackers in the bag until they are all evenly coated with the seasoned oil.
- Lay the bag flat for a few hours, turning it over occasionally to distribute the seasoned oil. Overnight is best.
- Preheat oven to 250°. Spread crackers on a rimmed baking sheet and warm for 25 minutes.
- Serve when cool enough to handle.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
I’ve been cooking and eating in the South all my life and never heard of these types of cracker treats until a few years ago. I didn’t know they were called Firecrackers – that’s cute! I’ve never made them but can tell from looking at your recipe that THIS IS THE ONE. The other recipe I saw only had Ranch dressing in it, which is wimpy. I love your snappy repartee and look forward to seeing more posts from you.
Come on over and check out Glover Gardens if you get a chance. https://glovergardens.com/
Thank you, Kim! The name is a play on words, FIRE crackers on account of the heat. They ARE yummy and addictive. Enjoy!