Ranch Oyster Crackers

Ranch Oyster Crackers are an easy and delicious snack made with just 5 ingredients. They’re perfect for parties, football games, and more!

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If there’s something you can never have too much of it’s definitely party snacks! These buttery Ranch Oyster Crackers are coated in melted butter, and seasoned with ranch seasoning and a small amount of red pepper flakes for just a little kick. My mom actually makes a similar recipe with regular saltine crackers, but I absolutely LOVE how cute these smaller oyster crackers are, and how easy it is to share and pass around at a party. They’re perfect for family get-togethers, holiday parties and of course game days! But fair warning…you can easily get addicted to these and eat half a pan. Trust me, I know!

Side close up view of ranch oyster crackers in a white serving dish.

What Are Ranch Oyster Crackers?

Ranch Oyster Crackers are a small party snack that’s primarily made with oyster crackers, ranch seasoning, and butter. It’s super delicious and can easily be made in under 30 minutes with just 5 ingredients. We made these in our test kitchen twice and both times they were gone in minutes! So if you want to impress your family and friends at your next event and you don’t want to spend a lot of money or time in the kitchen, then these ranch oyster crackers are sure to be a hit!

Ingredients For Ranch Oyster Crackers

5 simple ingredients are all you need to make this insanely delicious ranch oyster crackers recipe!

  • Oyster Crackers: Oyster crackers come in lots of different sizes depending on which store and brand you purchase. We used a 10 oz. bag for this recipe that we purchased at our local Aldi store.
  • Butter: If butter is a little too costly for you, you can substitute with vegetable or canola oil. We tested both methods (butter and oil) and the butter added a lot more depth of flavor. However, the oil version was still quite tasty in my opinion.
  • Ranch Seasoning: We used a store-bought ranch seasoning packet, but we also have a homemade ranch seasoning mix recipe in case you have a well-stocked pantry and want to whip up your own mix.
  • Garlic Powder & Red Pepper Flakes: Just a little bit of garlic powder and red pepper flakes rounds out the flavor of these tasty party crackers and still keeps this recipe super simple and easy to make!

Storing Leftovers

If you happen to have any ranch oyster crackers left over, and that’s a big IF, you can certainly store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Overhead view of ranch oyster crackers in a white serving bowl.
Overhead view of ranch oyster crackers in a white serving bowl.
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Ranch Oyster Crackers

Ranch Oyster Crackers are an easy and delicious snack made with just 5 ingredients. They're perfect for parties, football games, and more!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Total Cost $4.71 recipe / $0.39 serving
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12 (about 1/2 cup each)
Calories 139kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup salted butter $1.07
  • 1 oz. ranch seasoning packet* $2.19
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes $0.05
  • 10 oz. oyster crackers $1.35

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 250°F. Add the butter to a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Once the butter is melted add the ranch seasoning packet (or 3 Tbsp of homemade ranch seasoning), the garlic powder, and the red pepper flakes to the bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined.
  • In a separate large bowl add the oyster crackers, then pour the butter mixture over the oyster crackers. Mix carefully with a rubber spatula until all the oyster crackers are well coated in the butter and seasoning.
  • Spread the seasoned crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and give the crackers a quick stir. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • After the oyster crackers have finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before transferring them to a serving bowl. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Feel free to substitute with a homemade ranch seasoning mix.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 369mg | Fiber: 1g
Very close macro view of ranch oyster crackers.

How to Make Ranch Oyster Crackers – Step by Step Photos

Melted butter, ranch seasoning and spices in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 250°F. In a small bowl melt 1/2 cup of butter in the microwave. To the melted butter add a 1 oz. ranch seasoning packet (or 3 Tbsp of homemade ranch seasoning), 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined.

Melted butter mixture being poured over oyster crackers in a bowl.

In a separate large bowl add one 10 oz. bag of oyster crackers, then pour the butter mixture over the oyster crackers. Mix carefully with a rubber spatula until all the oyster crackers are well coated in the butter and seasoning.

Ranch oyster crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet prebaked.

Spread the seasoned crackers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and give the crackers a quick stir. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

Baked ranch oyster crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet.

After the oyster crackers have finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before transferring them to a serving bowl.

Ranch oyster crackers in a white serving bowl with a hand grabbing a few out.

Enjoy these super flavorful and buttery Ranch Oyster Crackers at your next family gathering, Super Bowl party, or any holiday event!

Very close up view of ranch oyster crackers in a pile.

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Ranch Chicken Drumsticks

Ranch chicken drumsticks are an easy and flavorful main dish for dinner that you can make with just a few simple ingredients.

The post Ranch Chicken Drumsticks appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks are one of my favorite easy dinner quick fixes because drumsticks are usually pretty inexpensive, they’re mostly hands-off to prepare, and you can make them just about ANY flavor. So this week I dressed mine up with a little melted butter and ranch seasoning mix and O-M-G. Talk about good! Trust me, you want to make these Ranch Chicken Drumsticks tonight.

Overhead view of a bowl full of ranch chicken drumsticks.

What is Ranch Seasoning?

The ranch seasoning mix is the star of the show in this recipe. It’s basically a mix of herbs and spices combined with buttermilk powder that creates the most deliciously tangy and flavorful layer on whatever you add it to. You can use a store-bought packet of ranch seasoning, or make your own using our homemade ranch seasoning recipe.

Why Add the Seasoning After Baking?

Ranch seasoning contains dehydrated buttermilk and those delicate proteins can burn if you coat the chicken in the seasoning before it goes into the oven. Plus, the powder tends to clump once mixed with oil or melted butter, so we found that the best way to coat the drumsticks in ranch flavor is to sprinkle it on after baking. …And to use a little melted butter to help it stick. ;)

Can I use Other Types of Chicken?

Yes, you can definitely make this recipe with other cuts of bone-in, skin-on chicken, like thighs or breasts, just be sure to adjust the baking time for the size of the piece of meat you’re baking. Larger pieces, like breasts, will require more time and a lower temperature to prevent drying out. Check out our Herb Roasted Chicken Breast recipe for a good technique for cooking bone-in, skin-on chicken breast.

I do not suggest using this method for boneless, skinless breasts as they tend to dry out too quickly in the oven and they will not achieve any browning like you get with skin-on chicken.

What to Serve with Ranch Chicken Drumsticks

Ranch is such a classic flavor that it will go with all sorts of simple side dishes. I’ve paired it with our Parmesan beans and roasted broccoli, but it would also go great with mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, three bean salad, lemon pepper zucchini, lemon parsley pasta, or macaroni salad.

Close up view of two ranch chicken drumsticks on a plate with Parmesan beans and roasted broccoli.
Close up overhead view of ranch chicken drumsticks in a bowl.
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Ranch Chicken Drumsticks

Ranch chicken drumsticks are an easy and flavorful main dish for dinner that you can make with just a few simple ingredients.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Total Cost $5.37 recipe / $0.90 each
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 drumsticks
Calories 284kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the chicken drumsticks in a large bowl and drizzle the cooking oil over top. Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then toss until the chicken is evenly coated in oil and seasoning.
  • Place the chicken drumsticks on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175ºF and the drumsticks are browned. Flip the drumsticks once, halfway through baking.
  • After baking, transfer the drumsticks to a clean bowl. Melt the butter and drizzle it over the drumsticks. Gently toss the drumsticks to coat. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over top then toss to coat again. Serve hot!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drumstick | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 419mg | Fiber: 0.02g
Close up side view of ranch chicken drumsticks in a bowl.

How to Make Ranch Chicken Drumsticks – Step by Step Photos

Seasoned drumsticks in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place about 2 lbs. of chicken drumsticks in a bowl. Drizzle 1 Tbsp cooking oil over top and add ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly cracked pepper. Toss the drumsticks until they’re evenly coated in oil and seasoning.

Chicken drumsticks on a prepared baking sheet ready to be cooked.

Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure there is a little space around each one to allow adequate exposure to hot air.

Baked chicken drumsticks on a baking sheet.

Bake the drumsticks for 40-45 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 175ºF and are browned. Flip the drumsticks once about half-way through cooking.

Melted butter being drizzled over the drumsticks in a bowl.

Place the baked drumsticks in a clean bowl and drizzle 1 Tbsp melted butter over top. Gently toss the drumsticks with a large spoon or spatula to coat them in the butter.

Ranch seasoning being sprinkled over the drumsticks.

Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning over the drumsticks and gently toss again until evenly coated.

Close up overhead view of ranch chicken drumsticks in a bowl.

Serve hot and enjoy! (garnished with chopped parsley for color, not flavor).

Overhead view of two ranch chicken drumsticks on a plate with beans and broccoli.

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