Here's How to Make the Viral Ritz Torte Recipe (2024)

This Appalachian Ritz Torte is a delicious and easy-to-bake dessert recipe calling for Ritz crackers, pecans and Cool Whip.

One of the trendiest desserts of the moment is a humble creation of Ritz crackers, pecans, and Cool Whip. A regional favorite dish in Appalachia called the Ritz Torte, this recipe was shared on TikTok by Justin McElroy (@hoopsmcelroy) and has more than 2 million views.

It’s unclear whether this dessert gets spelled torte or tort, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that this old classic is getting a new life. “I’m preserving Appalachian history!” exclaims McElroy in his video.

What is a Ritz Torte?

Here's How to Make the Viral Ritz Torte Recipe (1)Jason Wilson for Taste of Home

Sounds fancy, right? Well, the Ritz in the name isn’t referring to a luxury hotel, but rather Ritz crackers. Bakers already know that Ritz crackers are fantastic for pie crusts and more. Here, the crackers get smashed into crumbs, combined with pecans, baking powder, and vanilla, then baked.

The coup de grace comes after the torte cools after baking when you spread on a heaping amount of Cool Whip (or other whipped topping). Add grated or shaved chocolate to the top for a quick, easy, crowd-pleasing dessert.

How to Make a Ritz Torte

Ingredients

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 26 Ritz crackers (two small sleeves)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tub of Cool Whip or similar whipped topping
  • Chocolate for grating (optional)

Directions

Step 1: Mix egg whites and sugar

In a mixer, combine the egg whites and beat. You’re just mixing, so don’t whip it into a meringue. Add the sugar and continue to beat until thick and creamy, but no peaks.

Step 2: Make the crackers-and-nuts mixture and add it

Add Ritz crackers to a plastic storage bag and smash them into crumbs. Add the chopped pecans, baking powder and vanilla. Close the bag and shake until combined. Fold the cracker-and-pecan mixture into the beaten egg-whites-and-sugar mixture, until blended evenly.

Step 3: Put in a pan and bake it

Heat oven to 350° F. Spray oil into an 8×8 baking pan. Add the mixture to the baking pan, using a spatula to spread it out evenly and smoothly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges have browned. Allow to fully cool.

Step 4: Spread on the whipped topping

With a spatula, add the whipped topping, spreading it evenly to cover the entire top of the torte. Grate chocolate on top for garnish if liked. Ready to serve immediately, or store in the fridge for later.

Don’t forget to check out our favorite Appalachian apple stack cake recipe.

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Here's How to Make the Viral Ritz Torte Recipe (2)

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Here's How to Make the Viral Ritz Torte Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the Appalachian Ritz torte? ›

This regional dessert from Appalachia features a Ritz cracker and pecan meringue piled high with whipped cream and topped with chocolate shavings. The base is crunchy and chewy like a macaron, but the buttery Ritz crackers and nutty pecans make it sweet and salty.

What is the difference between a layer cake and a torte? ›

Are they the same? No, not really. Tortes are usually iced with whipped cream, while layer cakes traditionally have icing made of fudge or buttercream. Occasionally a bakery will mix things up and offer a torte with fudge or chocolate buttercream icing.

What are the three types of torte? ›

Torts fall into three general categories: intentional torts (e.g., intentionally hitting a person); negligent torts (e.g., causing an accident by failing to obey traffic rules); and strict liability torts (e.g., liability for making and selling defective products - see Products Liability).

Is torte French or Italian? ›

It's a German or Austrian dessert. "Tortes are just classically European, whereas cakes are far more American," Rebecca asserts. The word torte is indeed European: In many Indo-European languages, the word for cake is some variant on "torte": torte (German), or torta (Spanish/Italian).

What makes a torte a torte? ›

While definitions differ, tortes are generally rich and dense cakes due to the fact that they're oftentimes made with ground nuts or bread crumbs instead of flour. Most are multi-layered and sandwiched with jam, frosting, or other flavorful fillings. Tortes come in various sizes and shapes, too.

Why is it called a torte? ›

The roots of torte go back to the Late Latin torta, "flat cake" or "round bread." Avoid confusing torte and tort, which is much less delicious—it's a legal definition of a wrongful act.

What is the cream between cake layers called? ›

Filling: Filling is what goes between the cake layers. Cakes can be filled with frosting (like in this tutorial), mousse, ganache, whipped cream, fruit preserves, custard, and more. Frosting: Aside from being used as a filling, buttercream frosting is used to decorate the outside top and sides of the cake.

What does torte style mean? ›

A torte (/ˈtɔːrt/; from German: Torte (German pronunciation: [ˈtɔrtə]), in turn from Latin via Italian: torta) is a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruit.

Why do Ritz crackers have a jagged edge? ›

The real reason, according to the brand, is to "cut": The video shows a hand rolling the cracker across a slice of Swiss cheese, pizza-cutter-style, perforating it so it can neatly be torn in half and used to make a simple Ritz sandwich. Fans were shocked by the reveal — but many didn't quite believe it.

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