Ritz Crackers with Whipped Honey Ricotta and Bacon, the Laziest Fancy Midnight Snack of All Time

We’re not ashamed to admit that we’ve had cheese and crackers for a quick dinner or late night snack more times than we can count. But who said it needs to be a sad or boring affair? Instead of settling on stale saltines from the back of your pantry and a block of whatever’s in your fridge, spring for Ritz crackers with whipped honey ricotta and bacon. They’re filling, crispy, creamy, salty and so dangerously poppable that you just might demolish a whole sleeve of crackers in one shot. (No judgement.)

Of course, you don’t need to use Ritz crackers, but we love them for their flaky texture and buttery flavor. Nowadays, there are also a ton of fun renditions to choose from, like Roasted Vegetable or Everything (though we’re big fans of the Garlic Butter variety). As for the cheese spread, it’s truly foolproof. You can totally use a hand or stand mixer to whip the ricotta, but since we’re usually eating this snack when everyone else in our house is asleep, we often opt for the quietest method: whisking it by hand.

Now for the crowning glory: the bacon. Starting with a cold pan not only helps the strips cook evenly, but it also slowly renders out their fat. (The more fat that’s cooked out, the crispier the final product.) You can also pseudo-candy the bacon by whisking a bit of maple syrup and brown sugar together in a small bowl and drizzling or brushing it over the strips while they cook, once at the start and again after you first flip them. (You may also want to lower the heat, so the sugar doesn’t burn.) Look at you, all fancy.