8 Ritz Crackers, Ranked Worst To Best

There's nothing better than a good snack plate when you're feeling a bit peckish, but you're not hungry enough for an entire meal. And if you ask me, crackers are an essential part of a snack plate. With so many different cracker brands out there to try, it can be hard to decide which varieties you want gracing your plate. Ritz is arguably one of the most popular options out there, though, which is why I decided to taste eight different flavors of this iconic cracker. I've then ranked them, starting with the worst and working my way to the best, to give you a better idea of how the different flavors stack up against one another. The main criterion I used for this ranking is flavor — and how closely the actual flavor matches the description — since these crackers are essentially identical apart from those minor flavor differences.

Of course, everyone has a different palate, so we might not have the same favorites. Hopefully, though, these descriptions can better help you pick out varieties you want to try the next time you're feeling snacky. Let's take a closer look at Ritz crackers and how we've ranked each of the flavors.

We get it: You're trying to choose a healthier option, and whole wheat Ritz sounds like a better option than the original. But ultimately, you're still buying a snack food, and I'd argue that the difference between whole wheat and standard Ritz is likely negligible. And when you consider that whole wheat Ritz tastes a lot worse than its original counterpart, it doesn't really make sense to select it above any of the other flavors on this list.

Despite these crackers having that signature buttery flavor that Ritz crackers are known for, they have a slightly more bitter, earthier flavor. It's not necessarily an unpleasant flavor, but it can overpower other ingredients you might want to combine with the crackers, like cheese, spreads, and dips. If you tend to like the flavor of whole wheat products, then whole wheat might be an option worth exploring. But if you just like the idea of opting for a slightly healthier choice, I think you shouldn't bother — there are many more delicious Ritz cracker options to choose from on this list.

In theory, roasted vegetable Ritz crackers should taste good. After all, if you could infuse the flavor of sweet and umami roasted vegetables into carb form, the combination would be glorious. Unfortunately, though, that's not really what you're getting from this product. Although Ritz apparently tried to capture that delicious roasted vegetable flavor in these crackers, it kind of fell short. They have a savoriness to them, sure, but it just tastes herby — there's nothing particularly similar about the crackers to roasted vegetables when it comes to flavor.

Although I don't think the flavor of these crackers is particularly bad, it's quite an intense flavor, which means it's definitely going to compete with anything else you choose to put on them. Therefore, I'd really only use this flavor if I were opting for some kind of especially neutral-tasting topping. Otherwise, I think it's better to skip this variety and opt for most other flavors of Ritz crackers instead.

Something you should know about Ritz crackers is that, generally speaking, they're pretty salty. That's perfect if you want your crackers to actually have a pronounced flavor of their own rather than just functioning as a structural support for whatever else you want to put on top. However, it's not always ideal if you want the flavor of your cracker toppings to shine (or you just don't like your food being very salty). This is probably why Hint of Salt Ritz crackers were invented. They're basically like the plain, original Ritz crackers you already know and love, just with less salt.

Personally speaking, I tend to like food that is quite salty, so these aren't my favorite crackers all on their own. That being said, I think they can come in handy for some applications, which is why they're not at the very bottom of this ranking. However, if you're looking for a cracker you can enjoy solo, this probably isn't the best selection in the Ritz lineup.

If you like everything bagels, then there's an excellent chance that you're also going to enjoy Everything Ritz crackers. The idea is the same: These crackers are loaded up with a variety of different spices and seasonings, but those flavors are mild enough that they can easily pair well with a ton of other toppings. These particular crackers are baked with onion, garlic, salt, and poppy seeds for a dynamic flavor that makes every bite a bit more interesting.

These crackers are delicious, and I love that they walk such a fine line between tasting good on their own and working well as a base for other, more flavorful ingredients. That means you really can snack on them all by themselves, but they'd taste even better when loaded up with traditional gourmet bagel toppings. Try these crackers with some cream cheese, smoked salmon, dill, and a little bit of red onion, and you'll have a top-notch snack that's pretty enough to serve at any party.

Why mess with a good thing? Classic Ritz crackers have always been (and always will be) elite, so they don't really need any additional flavor to shine. The original version of this snack isn't the best of the bunch, but it's solid enough that it ends up in the top half of this ranking. The crackers offer a crisp base for tons of different toppings, but what really makes them taste amazing is the rich, buttery flavor you get in every bite. Some crackers can taste dry and bland, but with these, you're getting that mild buttery note that instantly elevates whatever snack you're building.

This Ritz flavor gets bonus points because of its incredible versatility and because it's the product that inspired all the others on this list. But when you have other, more interesting flavors from the brand to check out, it can be easy to skip over this classic.

In my mind, Zesty Herb Ritz crackers are what the roasted vegetable flavor is trying to be. There's definitely a herby, vegetal note in these crackers, which likely comes from the inclusion of dried onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, marjoram, and oregano in the recipe. These flavors are prominent — you can definitely smell them as soon as you open the box, and their flavor is pronounced once you actually take a bite — but they're not overpowering. Of course, you'll want to choose milder-flavored cracker toppings that work well with savory, herbal flavors if you choose this Ritz variety, but that's just because the crackers themselves are packing so much flavor.

I think that these flavors are a bit clearer and more cohesive than those of the roasted vegetable crackers ranked lower on this list. Although they're not the very best of this bunch, these Ritz crackers should definitely be on your must-try snacking list.

Swicy foods are still all the rage right now, so it should come as no surprise that Ritz rolled out a hot honey flavor. I'm a pretty big fan of hot honey, so I was fully expecting to enjoy these crackers, and that I did. They're actually a lot more mildly flavored than I imagined. When I first took a bite, these things tasted just like the original flavor, and I was disappointed for a brief moment. However, I slowly started noticing a mild sweetness creeping in. I appreciate that this sweetness is so understated — you're not dealing with an actively sweet cracker here, but rather, there's just a hint of sweetness offering these crackers more complexity.

The spiciness was arguably even more sneaky. It really registers on the back end of the bite. Therefore, I think even the most heat-averse snackers probably wouldn't be offended by these. They pair exceptionally well with young, creamy cheeses, but you can really pile on the other spicy condiments if you want that heat to be a bit bolder and more pronounced.

The best Ritz flavor of them all? Garlic butter. To be fair, though, I'm not really sure why the "butter" distinction in the name is particularly important, since basically all Ritz crackers have a buttery flavor to them. Perhaps it's a bit more pronounced in this flavor, but that's not really something I picked up on when I first took a bite. Rather, I was paying more attention to a bold but still relatively subtle garlicky note. The garlic flavor is strong enough to announce itself, but it's not so strong that it overwhelms any other flavors you add to the cracker in the form of toppings. Plus, it's more of a sweet, roasted garlic note instead of a sharp, spicy one.

As a true garlic lover, I think these Ritz crackers are truly delicious. As much as I like some of the other flavors in this lineup, this one's strong flavor and simultaneous versatility (along with its accurate description) make it the winner in my mind.

I selected these Ritz flavors based on availability at my local grocery store. I tried each of the varieties without any toppings. The criteria for this ranking were overall flavor (including flavor balance and potency), along with their description — did the flavor match the description?

The best-ranked varieties in this lineup had distinct and accurate flavors that were strong enough to taste but not so strong that they could compete with the flavor of other toppings.