We made our own Ritz Cracker and Oreo biscuit so we could try the viral new mashup

You no doubt saw the pandemonium last week when one of the most unexpected food collaborations we’ve ever seen was announced.

Oreo and Ritz Crackers confirmed they were releasing a limited edition mash-up cookie – a mixture of sweet and salty, biscuit and cracker, peanut butter and Oreo creme – and we have to admit, we weren’t too enamoured by the idea…

We mean, we’re all for a savoury and sweet combo…but this?! In our eyes, this was a step too far.

Oreo and Ritz Cracker teamed up for a new mashup (Credit: Mondelēz)

However, after the announcement, it appeared we were in the minority. Not only did people love the idea of a Ritz and Oreo mashup, but they were literally scrambling to try it.

Were we missing something?!

The limited edition Oreo Ritz collab was only available small numbers in America, and not only did this sell out almost instantly, but people then flocked to eBay to sell the cookies on at over $100 (£79) a pop.

Determined to work out what the fuss was all about, and with no option to buy them for ourselves, we decided to construct our own version at home.

Recreating the Oreo Ritz collab

We constructed our own Oreo and Ritz Cracker (Credit: Joanna Freedman)

Armed with a box of original Ritz crackers, some peanut butter, Oreo cookies and a healthy dose of trepidation, we set out to construct our own version of the in-demand snack.

The cracker is made from half an Oreo, Oreo cookie creme, peanut butter and a Ritz cracker, stuck together to form a new biscuit-cracker hybrid.

So… that’s what we did, separating Oreos and smothering them with a nutty layer, before giving them a new cracker lid.

It’s at this point we should tell you your DIY Oreo Ritz cracker-cookie stack won’t end up looking like the one you saw on the advert.

Just look at the comparison: 

Same, same, but different… (Credit: Joanna Freedman/ Mondelēz)

The problem is, that when you separate your Oreo halves, you often end up pulling away half the cream with it, and the peanut butter layer won’t sit neatly on top of the Oreo’s white centre, but rather smooshes into it to create a dribbly mishmash of the two fillings.

Still, as long as it tasted good, right? Right???? Let’s just say, we had our doubts.

Tasting the Oreo Ritz collab

This was the part we were dreading. We love Oreos and are commonly found munching on a Ritz cracker or seven… but, together? It had never appealed to us before, and we can only assume that’s for very good reason.

Still, this was a sell-out snack, and it was our duty to try it in the name of journalism. Feebly, with this in mind, we took a bite.

Reader, what followed next is pretty much what you’d expect.

Proof we really did try it… unfortunately (Credit: Joanna Freedman)

The mouthful was what we can only describe as a claggy, confused mixture of textures and flavours. Put bluntly, it didn’t work. Not even a little bit.

The first thing we noticed is that the Oreo stayed firm and crispy as you bit into it, whilst the Ritz cracker awkwardly crumbled into salty particles.

Whilst the smooth and sugary Oreo creme was a welcome addition, it clashed awkwardly with the layer of sticky peanut butter which was smothered on top of it.

The two halves of the hybrid simply didn’t belong together. There was no question about it.

The verdict

Of course, we’ll admit that Oreo and Ritz may have finessed the construction of their mashup a little better than us.

Maybe they used a thicker peanut butter that mirrored the texture of the creme? We’re almost certain they ensured the ratio of both were completely even and complimented each other’s flavours.

However, that still leaves two issues – the cookies and the crackers. Individually, they’re both wonderful things, but together, they just don’t work, and short of altering their recipes so their textures are more similar, we’re just not sure there’s a fix for that.

Would we buy an Oreo Ritz Cracker if they announced another drop? Maybe, but only to see if it’s any better than our abysmal version.

As for whether you should try making your own at home? We’d suggest a hard pass.

Our advice? Just stick to a sweet/savoury combo we know works well, like peanut butter and jam. Sometimes there really is no need to mess with a good thing.