I Can't Resist Selena Gomez’s 3-Ingredient Midnight Snack

Lately, I've been curious about what celebrities eat as a midnight snack. It's such an intimate and fun little factoid that helps humanize the people we idolize. Part of this curiosity stems from my work as a food writer and cookbook author. I draw inspiration and ideas from almost anywhere and everywhere.

As a Cantonese person, midnight snacking (or siu yeh, 宵夜) is part of my heritage and culture. So, it’s natural for me to want to build and diversify my midnight snack repertoire. Maybe one day, I’ll write a whole cookbook about midnight snacks. 

Selena Gomez's Midnight Snack

During my extensive research, I discovered music legend and celebrity Selena Gomez’s go-to midnight snack, which she revealed to Vanity Fair. It’s a three-ingredient Ritz cracker sandwich or mini pizza with canned cheese and pepperoni, but it’s so good that Gomez believes you and your friends would pick it over a fancy hors d’oeuvre at a party.

“Tired and/or happy and/or sad… it is my late-night snack,” Gomez said. It’s a snack she had loved ever since her stepdad invented it a few years ago. “When it comes down to it, at the end of the day, this is what you’ll see me eating, probably,” Gomez told Vanity Fair.

Once these morsels came nicely toasted out of my Balmuda toaster oven, I immediately saw why this is Gomez's go-to midnight snack. The cheese was melty, and the pepperoni glistened. I felt like I was eating a mini pizza that took less than eight minutes to make. My husband agreed, and even before I told him what it was, he ate one in a single bite and said, “Is this a mini pizza?”

How To Make Selena Gomez’s 3-Ingredient Midnight Snack

First, lay a few Ritz crackers on a plate or cutting board. If you’re making three sandwiches, you will need six crackers. Ritz crackers are salty, buttery, and perfectly crispy, and Gomez specifies that it must be these crackers because they’re the kind where one is never enough. I don’t want to disagree with Gomez, but in a pinch, if you only have other types of crackers, use those instead. Gomez won’t know, and I won’t judge you.

Then, spray a copious amount of canned cheese atop half the crackers. It’s okay if you use less—the amount is up to you. On top of the cheese, add a slice of pepperoni. The spicier the pepperoni, the better, as the heat adds more depth and a kick. Spray more cheese on top of the pepperoni, and then sandwich the filling with the bare Ritz crackers.

Toast these little sandwiches in a toaster oven or air fryer until the cheese melts (Gomez states, “you want the cheese to get all melty and gross”) and the pepperoni becomes shiny, about five minutes. Out of the oven, the crackers will be warm and crispier, the cheese creamy and gooey, and the pepperoni hot and oily. Pop the little sandwich in your mouth, and if you close your eyes, you can probably make believe you’re in an NYC pizzeria at midnight.

Tips for Making Canned Cheese Ritz Sandwiches 

I drizzled hot honey over the sandwiches to balance this salty late-night snack. The pop of sweetness tempered the saltiness from the canned cheese and pepperoni, and the heat from the hot honey amplified the pepperoni's spice. If you don’t have hot honey, regular honey or even maple syrup would do. 

The Brooklynite in me wanted to try a fishy version of Gomez’s canned cheese Ritz sandwiches. I swapped the canned cheese for cream cheese and the pepperoni for smoked salmon. One warm bite later, I felt as if I was transported in front of a Brooklyn bodega.  

Now, while I personally wouldn't forgo a fancy hors d’oeuvre for Gomez’s go-to midnight snack, I will definitely make more of these whenever I’m short on time and crave a fun and easy late-night snack.