Carolina Firecrackers offer a kick of spice and zest for a great game day munchie that takes less than 5 minutes to throw together. Mix a few seasonings, toss them into a baggie with some crackers and you’ll have an unforgettable snack that everyone will want the recipe for!
This is by far our most requested snacking recipe when we gather with friends and family. We HIGHLY recommend that you use Oyster Crackers, rather than saltines as they’re so much easier to grab a handful and then pass the bag along to the next person.
You’ll Need:
2/3-1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
(2) Pkg Liss Italian Dressing SeasoningMix OR 2 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix (OR 1 pkg Italian Dressing Mix AND 1 pkg Ranch Dressing Mix)
3 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 (16.5 ounce) package saltine crackers Or Oyster Crackers (or 2- 10oz packages)
In a small bowl combine vegetable oil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dressing mix, and crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk until well combined. Empty 2 sleeves of crackers into a 1 gallon ziploc bag, pour half of the firecracker juice over the crackers.
Empty the remaining 2 sleeves of crackers into another 1 gallon bag and add the remaining firecracker juice. Seal the bags, shake gently to coat well with seasoning/spices. Let the bags set for about an hour, shake/turn to coat the crackers and allow them to set for about 8 hours or overnight before serving.
If you’re preparing these on game day, do it early in the morning so they’re ready to serve by gametime! Consider yourself warned, They’ll be salty if they aren’t allowed to set the proper amount of time! If you let them set for at least 8 hours, they’ll be perfect.
I make a faux nacho snack using saltines. (In a reference to our changing neighborhood, I call them Crack-hos) Its basically put the crackers on a microwave safe plate, sprinkle on shredded cheese and your choice of seasonings (I use onion salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper and a tiny dash of chili powder) and mircowave 30 seconds or so till the cheese melts. Its pretty tasty and beats driving someplace to get some!:biggrin:
i just whipped up a batch of these….cant wait to see what the kids think when they get home from school and give em a try! thanks for a quick and easy recipe to use up some left over crackers in the pantry!
So there is no baking with this? It seems they would be soggy. I feel I’m missing something. They look great, but not sure about the oil on the crackers and them still being crisp
You might want to place them in the oven for about 10 minutes @ 250 degrees
NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL. Ruins Them!!!
I have made these. But I *DO*put mine in the oven for @15 min at 250*. Did not run mine . I DO recommend that you go easy on the crushed red pepper until you know your limit of firecracker-ness.
Awesome!:thumbup:
so do you leave them in the bag overnight? thanks!
I just made these and they were delish, and not soggy or greasy
I don’t like Ranch. Do these still taste good without the Ranch dressing mix?
I grind up the red pepper flakes. I could eat the entire box this way so I continually make them hotter in an effort to be able to eat only a handful at a time. I think we’re up to 4-6 Tbsp flakes, ground. I haven’t gone to straight cayenne pepper yet but have added black pepper to my ranch powder and red pepper flakes only recipe. The dog knows when I’m stirring them in my great big tupperware bowl and she comes running (she’s huge).