I Can’t Stop Eating Ree Drummond’s 4-Ingredient Crackers

'Tis the season to screenshot a single Cheez-It cracker holiday ornament, text it to your sister, and unlock an online algorithm that finally aligns with your innermost desires. My phone: "I think this girl loves crackers, y'all." Online retailers from every corner of the internet: "Send it!"

I thought I would cruise through the rest of the year, living my best life—until I realized what I was missing. Holy butter snacks! If you thought you couldn't stop at one Cheez-It, just wait until you taste Ree Drummond's Seasoned Buttery Crackers. This is where saltines go to get glammed up like they're about to meet the Wizard of Oz. Toto, we're not in Keebler anymore.

I know what you're thinking, because I was thinking the same thing: Why not just buy seasoned crackers at the store? As I reached for "lightly salted crackers" on the bottom shelf where the snoozy are stocked, visions of Pepperidge Farm Golden Butter Crackers, Sunkissed Ritz, and Club Crackers that almost ooze actual butter from their salty little dimples, did "The Macarena" in my head.

Let those wannabes float right out of your mind because you were meant for greater things drenched in your favorite seasoning. With melted butter, seasoned salt, and a dash of Italian spice, Ree takes wallflower-y soup crackers and transforms them into the star of the meal. (Who needs soup?!)

At first, I was worried this might be one of those recipes that's more work than it's worth. Like, do I really have to dip crackers into molten butter with my fingers, arrange them on a tray, re-bake something that's already baked, and then clean everything up? YES! A thousand times, yes. If I could reach off this page and hold you by the shoulders for emphasis, I would. Make. These. Crackers.

How To Make Ree Drummond’s Major Cracker Upgrade

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Melt two sticks of salted butter in a pan over low heat, and stir in the seasoned salt and Italian seasoning. Turn off the heat and dunk two crackers in the butter at a time (don't forget both sides), and arrange them on a rack over a baking sheet. Repeat with a sleeve of saltines. Bake for about 20 minutes, and dig in!

After biting into my first buttery cracker (Okay, third … Fine, fifth!), I was looking for reasons to pair my homemade creation with everything. Offering a socially acceptable way to enjoy straight butter, seasoned salt only powers up the herbs that bloomed to life as they simmered in the pan. 

I definitely strolled through the comments section, and saw people trying this brilliantly customizable technique with oyster crackers, too, so of course I had to try it. I think saltines hold onto the seasoning a little better, but all crackers are welcome in my home.

Get creative with the seasonings. Just be sure one of them includes salt so the ingredients pop. Ree likes Lawry’s seasoned salt and Italian seasoning (I used adjacent "pizza seasoning"), but I could also see everything bagel seasoning, dry chili crisp, or furikake winning lots of friends.

My niece and nephews might describe these crackers as "6-7"—I don't even know how to use that in a sentence, but I think it means it's cool. Whatever, just pass the crackers.