A vintage pie with a clever twist, this no apple apple pie brings a bit of baking nostalgia to your table.

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Fresh but wonderfully old fashioned, this pie brings a quirky bit of American baking history right into your kitchen. Ritz Cracker Pie has been around for generations, surprising everyone with how close it comes to the flavor and texture of classic apple pie. It’s an easy, charming dessert that always gets people talking.

A slice of double-layer pie with a crumb topping sits on a white plate, showing layers of filling and crust, with a red checkered cloth underneath.

The flavor is warm, lightly spiced, and surprisingly familiar. The crumb topping is buttery and crumbly, and the filling tastes oddly and delightfully like apple pie even though there are no apples at all. The crackers soften and take on a sweet cinnamon flavor, giving the whole pie a cozy, nostalgic feel. Don’t want to make your own pie crust? No worries, you can use a store bought refrigerated OR frozen crust!

A slice of pie with a crumb topping on a white plate, surrounded by round crackers, cinnamon sticks, utensils, and a red and white checkered cloth.

This pie is perfect for holidays, potlucks, or any time you want to serve something classic with a twist. It’s especially good when apples are expensive or out of season, and it’s a fun baking project that always brings a smile when you reveal the secret ingredient.

Ingredients for a ritz cracker pie are arranged on a countertop, including pie crust, Ritz crackers, butter, sugar, brown sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cream of tartar.

What You Need To Make a Ritz Cracker Pie

Making a quick shopping list helps you stay organized and ensures you don’t miss key ingredients, especially when working with a vintage recipe like this. A few simple pantry items are all you need to pull this pie together.

refrigerated pie crust OR make my fave all-butter crust
water
sugar
cream of tartar
ritz crackers
lemon juice
cinnamon
brown sugar
butter

For best results stick with buttery round crackers like Ritz. But any generic version that mimics Ritz should work just fine.

You can adjust the cinnamon to taste or add a pinch of nutmeg if you want a slightly warmer spice profile, but the classic version is charming on its own. Or use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice, they’re both warm pie spice collections in one easy to use mixture.

Two slices of pie with crumb topping on a white plate, next to round crackers and a glass of milk, set on a red plaid cloth.

To Store This Pie

Once the pie is cooked you may notice that it’s still jiggly or a little runny but that’s normal. The filling firms up beautifully overnight, making the slices even easier to serve the next day. So it’s best to make this Ritz Cracker Pie at least a day ahead.

Let the pie cool completely on the counter or in the cupboard. Once cool it can stay at room temperature for 24 hours. After that refrigerate for up to 4 days.

A close-up of a slice of crumb-topped pie being served, with a glass of milk and cinnamon sticks in the background.

A slice of pie with a crumb topping on a white plate, accompanied by round crackers, with a glass of milk and another pie slice in the background.

Old-Fashioned Ritz Cracker Pie

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A vintage pie with a clever twist, this no apple apple pie brings a bit of baking nostalgia to your table.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Cooling Time: 8

Total Time: 8 40

Servings: Servings

Calories: 404kcal

Author: Laura

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Ingredients

Filling

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsps cream of tartar
35 Ritz Crackers plus a few extra for the center
1 1/2 tbsps lemon juice
2 tsps cinnamon

Topping

1 cup crushed Ritz Crackers
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F
Place the pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan
In a large saucepan add water sugar and cream of tartar
Bring to a boil over medium high heat
Add the crackers then reduce heat and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes stirring gently once or twice
Fill the pie crust with half the mixture then lay a few more crackers on top and add the remaining filling
Sprinkle cinnamon and lemon juice over the top
Make the topping by combining crushed crackers brown sugar cinnamon and melted butter
Sprinkle the topping over the pie
Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F
Reduce oven to 350°F cover the edges of the crust with foil
Bake for 20 more minutes
Remove from oven and let the pie cool to set
Serve
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days