Mini Ritz Freckles are cute sweet and salty holiday bites made with candy melts, sprinkles, and mini Ritz. Quick, festive, and totally viral!

A bowl filled with sandwich cookies, some dipped in chocolate and coated with red, white, and green sprinkles, creating a festive holiday look.

Here’s a fun, festive, snack-and-dash treat that honestly disappears faster than my boys when I say the word “chore”. Mini Ritz Freckles are my homemade twist on the original Jatz version that went viral on TikTok, and they’ve quickly become a holiday favourite in our house.

They’re crunchy, sweet, salty, ridiculously cute and dangerously easy to make on an endless loop during the holidays.

Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!

A festive jar shaped like Santa’s face is filled with round cracker sandwiches dipped in white and green chocolate and coated with red, green, and white sprinkles. A red and white towel and dish are in the background.

Around here, anything mini automatically becomes at least twice as irresistible. My boys love them because they can grab a handful between gaming sessions or while running out the door, and I love them because they require approximately zero effort.

A hand with a red and white peppermint swirl nail design holds a mini sandwich cookie coated with red, white, and green sprinkles. A festive bowl filled with similar cookies is blurred in the background.

This recipe reminds me of the days when the kids were small and we’d decorate cookies together—except now they’re giants who eat like linebackers and I’m basically running a 24/7 snack bar. But hey, moments like this still feel like a win.

Here are the details – you’ve got to try this one!

A bag of Mini Ritz crackers, a container of Wilton sprinkles, a bowl of red candy melts, and a bowl of green candy melts are arranged on a light-colored surface.

Ingredients

Mini Ritz crackers – bite-sized, buttery biscuit crackers that give these freckles their salty crunch.
Red candy melts – festive and melty, forming the perfect base for the sprinkles.
Green candy melts – smooth, sweet, and ideal for that classic Christmas colour combo.
Red, green & white non pareil sprinkles – the cheerful holiday “snow” that gives each candy its freckled finish.

A white dish filled with red, green, and white sprinkles, topped with alternating pink and green candy melts arranged in rows. A red and white striped cloth is partially visible in the corner.

Instructions

1. Spread a thin, even layer of rainbow sprinkles into a baking dish. I used an 8×10 baking dish but a parchment paper lined cookie sheet would work too.
2. Place chocolate wafers on top of the sprinkles, evenly spaced apart and bake for 2–3 minutes at 200 degrees F.

Round sandwich crackers with green and pink filling are scattered on a surface covered in red, green, and white nonpareil sprinkles.

3. Remove the tray from the oven and gently press a mini Ritz cracker onto each melted chocolate wafer.

Small round crackers sandwiched with pink and green filling are placed on a surface covered in red, white, and green sprinkles, creating a festive holiday appearance.

4. Place the tray in the fridge for a few minutes, or in the freezer for even faster setting, until the chocolate is firm. Repeat the process until all of wafers and Ritz are used up.

A festive Santa-themed bowl filled with round sandwich cookies decorated with red, white, and green sprinkles, sitting on a woven placemat with holiday decor in the background.

5. Serve in a festive bowl and enjoy.

Makes about 75 mini Ritz candies.

A bowl filled with mini sandwich cookies coated in red, green, and white sprinkles, decorated for the holidays, sits on a woven placemat and red-and-white patterned surface.

Tips & Tricks

Chocolate melting wafers can be used instead of coloured, that’s what the original version uses.
Work in small batches so the melted candy doesn’t set before you get the cracker on top.
Mix and match colours—use blue and white for winter themes, pink and red for Valentine’s, or rainbow for birthdays.
Extra sprinkles can be saved and reused.

A hand with peppermint nail art holds a round cookie covered in red, white, and green sprinkles, with a bowl of similar cookies blurred in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use candy melts?
Candy melts work best because they melt smoothly, but you can use chocolate chips in a pinch – you’ll want to keep a close eye on the cooking time.

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! They store beautifully in an airtight container for a few weeks.

What if I don’t have mini Ritz?
You can use regular Ritz, pretzels, mini Jatz biscuit crackers, or even small cookies. The technique stays exactly the same, just adjust the number of wafers accordingly.

A red bowl filled with mini Ritz cracker sandwiches, some dipped in white or green chocolate and decorated with red, white, and green sprinkles. Text reads mini ritz sprinkles and SO GOOD at the bottom.

These freckles are the kind of holiday snack that disappear almost instantly—but that just means you get to make another batch. And another.

If you love these mini Ritz pretzels, please give them a five star review and help me share them on Facebook or Pinterest.