RITZ Caprese Firecrackers

Name: RITZ Caprese Firecrackers
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: 60 RITZ Crackers; 1 Tbsp. olive oil; 1 tsp. Italian seasoning; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper; 30 ciliegine fresh mozzarella balls in water (about 10 oz.), cut in half; 30 grape tomatoes, cut in half; 60 small fresh basil leaves (about 1/2 cup); 1 Tbsp. aioli

Seasoned crackers are topped with fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes and fresh basil in these Italian appetizers that make the perfect snack bites for your party.

Prep time:

0 min

Total time:

0 min

Servings:

Makes 15 servings, 4 topped crackers each.

Ingredient list

60 RITZ Crackers
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
30 ciliegine fresh mozzarella balls in water (about 10 oz.), cut in half
30 grape tomatoes, cut in half
60 small fresh basil leaves (about 1/2 cup)
1 Tbsp. roasted garlic aioli

Directions

Heat oven to 325°F.

Place crackers in large resealable plastic bag. Add oil; close bag, then shake gently to evenly coat crackers with oil. Add Italian seasoning and crushed pepper to crackers in bag; shake to evenly coat crackers with seasonings.

Place crackers in single layer on parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet.

Bake 3 to 5 min. or until golden brown; cool.

Top crackers with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil just before serving. Drizzle with aioli.

Recipe Tips

Make Ahead
The crackers can be seasoned and baked ahead of time. Cool, then store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Top with remaining ingredients as directed just before serving.
Variation
Place seasoned crackers on prepared baking sheet; top with basil leaves, mozzarella and tomatoes. Drizzle aioli in lines over the tomatoes to resemble laces on footballs.
For a Smaller Gathering
Season and bake crackers as directed. When ready to serve, just add the toppings to the number of crackers you need for the desired number of servings. Any remaining seasoned crackers can be served as is for snacking. Or, you can serve the seasoned crackers with your favorite store-bought spread, such as vegetable cream cheese or a cheddar spread.