Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf — 🙌🏻😋🎉 This copycat recipe is tender, juicy, made with the restaurant’s secret ingredients, glazed to tangy-sweet perfection, and sure to become a family FAVORITE comfort food dinner recipe! Air fryer AND oven baking options provided.
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I have some family members who want to stop at Cracker Barrel every time we pass one!
I live in California so there aren’t too many here, but if we’re in a part of the country where we pass one, everyone is eager for their good ‘ole fashioned home cooking recipes.
This Cracker Barrel Meatloaf copycat recipe is one of those family favorite dinner recipes that everyone loves.
My recipe is complete with juicy ground beef that’s mixed with diced tomatoes, onions, green peppers, Ritz crackers, and more.
There’s the signature sweet-and-tangy meatloaf glaze made with a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. I layer it on thick because I am always all about the sauce in whatever recipe!
I’ve provided options for either air frying the meatloaf or baking it in the oven. That’s right — two ways to cook this fantastic Ritz cracker meatloaf.
Ingredients in Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
I called a few different Cracker Barrels and asked about the ingredients in their meatloaf. I had to really come up with some creative stories and tall tales and said to one location that I was making this for a special anniversary dinner and next time to another location I said that it was for a very important family reunion meal. But I had some luck!
They all told me that their meatloaf contains diced tomatoes, onion, green peppers, eggs, milk, and crackers.
There is NO cheese and NO oatmeal in their glazed meatloaf recipe based on my conversations.
That being said, it’s impossible to really know what ingredients Cracker Barrel puts in their meatloaf. Here are the ingredients used in this copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe:
For the meatloaf:
- Canned diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions
- Fresh green peppers
- Large eggs
- Milk
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ground beef
- Ritz Crackers
For the glaze:
- Ketchup
- Light brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dried ground mustard
- Dried onion powder
Tip: Scroll to the recipe card section for a more complete list of ingredients with amounts and directions included.
How to Make Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf (2 Options)
Making copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf in your oven is a cinch by following these easy steps:
- Mix together al the ingredients, stirring the Ritz crackers in at the end.
- Press the meatloaf mixture between into a 8×4-inch loaf pan that’s lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking spra
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350F.
- Mix together the glaze ingredients while the meatloaf is baking.
- Spread the glaze over the top and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.
To make a Cracker Barrel copycat meatloaf recipe in your air fryer, follow these straightforward steps:
- Mix together all the ingredients, stirring the Ritz crackers in at the end.
- Divide the meatloaf mixture between two mini loaf pans that are lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking spray.
- Air fry for 30 minutes at 350F.
- Mix together the glaze ingredients while the meatloaf is air frying.
- Spread the glaze over the top and air fry for another 5 to 7 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Meatloaf FAQs
There is not a clearcut “right” or “wrong” way to cook meatloaf but here are a few notable differences that I’ve found:
-With air frying, the meatloaf cooks in half the time, about 35 minutes versus 60 minutes
-The grease or fat from the meatloaf tends to seep out more with an air fryer compared to an oven
-You’ll get slightly crispier edges with air fried meatloaf compared to baked
I always use ground beef but not “lean” ground beef. You need fat in order for the meatloaf to hold together. Therefore, I use 80/20 ground beef.
You can also use half ground beef and half ground pork. This makes for an extra moist meatloaf.
Extra meatloaf will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
When it comes to the raw meatloaf mixture, I urge you not to overwork the mixture because your meatloaf will be tougher. You’ll notice that I actually have you mix everything together first, add the beef at the end, and then finally add the Ritz crackers to help avoid overmixing.
If you want crispier edges, my suggestion is to leave a bit of air space around the meatloaf and the perimeter of the pan so that your loaf is about a centimeter from touching the pan on all sides.
Whether it’s an air fryer or the oven, take care not to overcook your meatloaf or it will be dry. And this is one recipe that no one likes on the dry side!
The best, easiest, and most accurate way of knowing if your meatloaf is done or not, is by using a digital read thermometer. Pull the meatloaf out at 155F and during the 15 minute resting period the temp will continue to rise to about 160F, which is the safe temperature at which to enjoy ground beef.
Side Dishes to Serve with Meatloaf
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Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
Equipment
- 2 5x3x2-inch ceramic pans for air frying, mini metal pans may be substituted
- 1 8×4-inch ceramic loaf pan for oven baking, a metal 8×4-inch pan may be substituted
- 1 XL air fryer or similar not necessary if you're oven baking
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions, drained
- ½ medium green pepper, seeded and diced small
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup milk, 2% or whole recommended
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef*, do NOT use lean ground beef
- 1 cup crushed Ritz Crackers
Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried onion powder
Instructions
Prepare the Meatloaf Mixture:
- To a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients through pepper, and mix to combine.
- Add the ground beef and using either clean hands or a wooden spoon, mix to just incorporate the ingredients. Tip – The beef is added at the end to make sure you get everything else mixed first before adding the beef since you don't want to overmix it at all or your meatloaf will be tougher.
- Add the Ritz crackers and mix lightly to incorporate. If air frying, go to step 4. And if oven baking, go to step 10.
To Air Fry Meatloaf:
- Preheat an XL air fryer to 350F, line two 5x3x2 ceramic loaf pans or similarly sized mini loaf pans (you can use metal, noting meatloaf will cook faster in metal than ceramic) with parchment paper and spray well with cooking spray.
- Divide the meatloaf mixer between the two pans taking care not to hard-pack it in or meatloaf will be denser. For crispier edges, leave about a 1 centimeter perimeter between the meat and all sides of the pan.
- Air fry for 30 minutes.
- Glaze – While waiting, make the glaze by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.
- After 30 minutes, open the basket, and evenly brush and distribute the glaze over the tops of both loaves of meatloaf and return to the air fryer.
- Air fry again for about 5 to 7 minutes, and check for doneness with a digital thermometer that should read 155F, before removing the loaf pans from the air fryer basket and allowing them to rest for 15 minutes. Tips – The resting period is important because it will allow the internal temp to climb to 160F which is when the meatloaf is technically done and safe to consume. Therefore, don't skip the resting step. Jump to step 16.
To Bake Meatloaf in the Oven:
- Preheat oven to 350F, line an 8×4-inch ceramic pan (9×5-inch is also fine but meatloaf will not be as tall and may cook quicker; metal baking pans are also fine noting meatloaf will cook quicker) with , and spray with cooking spray.
- Add the meatloaf mixer to the pan taking care not to hard-pack it in or meatloaf will be denser. For crispier edges, leave about a 1 centimeter perimeter between the meat and all sides of the pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- While waiting, make the glaze by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.
- After 30 minutes, pull out the meatloaf, and evenly brush it all over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven.
- Bake again for 30 minutes, or until done. Check for doneness with a digital thermometer that should read 155F, before removing the loaf pan from the oven and allowing it to rest for 15 minutes. Tip – The resting period is important because it will allow the internal temp to climb to 160F which is when the meatloaf is technically done and safe to consume. Therefore, don't skip the resting step.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was the best meatloaf Iโve ever made. My whole family loved it! I will be making it this way from now on!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Cathy, and I’m glad to hear this was the best meatloaf you’ve ever made and you’ll make it like this from now on!
Made exactly as written, cooked in air fryer and it was a hit! I especially liked the glaze. Of course, the only reason I make meatloaf is so I can have fried meatloaf sandwiches with the leftovers. Delish!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad this was delish and now you’ve got your leftovers ready for meatloaf sandwiches ๐ฅช! Enjoy!
Hi Averie, I checked out your link to Amazon for the ceramic dish and it says: “Product Dimensions 4.53″D x 8.66″W x 2.36” – not 4 x 8? I don’t seem to be able to find a 4 x 8 ceramic dish. Any thoughts? Thanks! : )
You can use the product I linked to. It’s approximately a 8×4-inch pan (or 4×8 if you write it that way). This is meatloaf, not a fussy French pastry which requires extreme precision, so this pan will be just fine or another 8×4 that you have. https://amzn.to/47ImBJ6
If you need mini loaf pan recommendations https://amzn.to/47Cqhfj or https://amzn.to/3zy9zkA are both trustworthy.
Have made meatload in air fryer a LOT over the summer (it’s great for day 2 sandwiches on french bread!)
1. If you crumble up foil in long strips under the ‘sling’ for the meatload, it will give the oil/fat somewhere to run and not have your meatload sitting in it
2. if you dont have a meatloaf pan that fits your air fryer, you can make one up out of foil! We just doubled it and formed around the meatload, making sure to have sides for it to rise up. makes clean up easy too :)
Have made meatload in air fryer a LOT over the summer (it’s great for day 2 sandwiches on french bread!)
1. If you crumble up foil in long strips under the ‘sling’ for the meatload, it will give the oil/fat somewhere to run and not have your meatload sitting in it
2. if you dont have a meatloaf pan that fits your air fryer, you can make one up out of foil! We just doubled it and formed around the meatload, making sure to have sides for it to rise up. makes clean up easy too :)
Thanks for sharing your tips and pointers after making a lot of meatloaf in your air fryer. Always great to hear tricks from others!
In the recipe notes you say โif oven baking go to step 8โ but the oven baking instructions actually start at step 10.
It was a typo but fixed now.
I liked the recipe and did not change anything. Despite this, it came back too wet/liquidy and splattered the oven. My concern now is how to make this a firm 2 lbs piece of meat loaf. What should mix it with to either make patties or a whole meatloaf?
Thanks for all your fine recipes.
jean-guy baribeau a neophyte 77 y/o pseudo-cook still at the 101 level.
I liked the recipe and did not change anything. Despite this, it came back too wet/liquidy and splattered the oven. My concern now is how to make this a firm 2 lbs piece of meat loaf. What should mix it with to either make patties or a whole meatloaf?
Thanks for all your fine recipes.
jean-guy baribeau a neophyte 77 y/o pseudo-cook still at the 101 level.
If you found this too moist/wet, then I would reduce the amount of milk, possibly eliminate it, or just go with 2 tablespoons or much less than called for.
And/or you can increase the amount of Ritz Crackers from 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Or just keep adding until it’s notable that the meat mixture has firmed up.