Buttery Ritz Ham Sandwiches

Ingredients You’ll Need

This is a short ingredient list, but the proportions matter because a cracker sandwich can go from crisp to overloaded very quickly.

• Buttery round crackers. Ritz-style crackers are tender, crisp and already rich, so they only need a light coating of seasoned butter. Use intact crackers and discard broken ones.
• Deli ham. Thin slices fold neatly without making the sandwiches bulky. Cut or fold the ham so very little hangs beyond the cracker edge; exposed pieces can dry out in the oven.
• Swiss cheese. Its nutty flavor works especially well with ham, Dijon and Worcestershire. Cut it slightly smaller than the crackers because it spreads as it melts.
• Dijon and Worcestershire. These sharpen the melted butter and keep the appetizer from tasting simply rich and salty.
• Poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic powder. This combination gives the tops the familiar savory character of baked ham-and-cheese party sandwiches without adding wet ingredients that would soften the crackers.

How to Make Ritz Ham Sandwiches

1. Build on the baking sheet.

   Arrange 24 crackers flat-side up on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Working directly on the pan means you do not have to move the delicate assembled sandwiches later.

2. Add ham and Swiss.

   Fold a small piece of ham onto each cracker, then add cheese. Keep both fillings mostly within the cracker circumference. This is deliberately a modest amount of filling: the finished appetizer should still eat as a crisp cracker sandwich rather than a stack of deli meat.

3. Close the sandwiches.

   Top with the remaining crackers and press very gently. Do not squeeze—the crackers are fragile and the cheese will bind everything once it melts.

4. Make the seasoned butter.

   Whisk melted butter with Dijon, Worcestershire, poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic powder. Stir again as you work because the seasonings naturally settle.

5. Brush, don’t drench.

   Brush a thin layer over each top cracker. Pouring the mixture over the pan may sound faster, but excess butter can soak into the cracker before it has time to crisp in the oven.

6. Bake just until melted.

   Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes. The goal is hot ham and fully softened cheese, not deeply browned crackers. Start checking at 8 minutes because cracker edges can darken quickly.

The Trick to Keeping the Crackers Crisp

There are two moisture controls here. First, use ordinary deli ham rather than ham packed in liquid, and blot it if it seems unusually wet. Second, brush the butter onto the top instead of saturating the whole sandwich. The oven only needs enough time to melt the cheese, so the crackers stay pleasantly crisp around the edges.

Party Timing

You can cut the ham and cheese and mix the dry seasonings earlier in the day, but assemble the sandwiches close to baking time. Once filled, crackers gradually pull moisture from the ham. For the best texture, bake them shortly before guests are ready to eat and serve them warm.

If you need to make a second tray, have it assembled while the first is baking rather than baking everything far in advance. The hands-on work is minimal and the fresh tray is noticeably better.

Easy Variations

Cheddar can replace Swiss for a sharper, more familiar ham-and-cheese flavor. For a sweeter contrast, stir 1 teaspoon of honey into the butter mixture. Turkey also works well in place of ham; pair it with cheddar or provolone and keep the same restrained amount of filling.

Serving Ideas

These are rich, salty little bites, so they work well beside something fresh or tangy: grapes, apple slices, cornichons or a vegetable platter. For a larger game-day spread, pair them with a creamy dip and a tray of hot chicken bites rather than adding several more bread-heavy appetizers.