Preheat your oven to 375°F. This helps the fish cook evenly and keeps the topping crisp and golden brown when baked.

Lightly grease a baking dish with butter or oil. This prevents the cod from sticking and makes cleanup easy after the meal.

Pat cod fillets dry using paper towels. Dry fish cooks better and lets toppings stick well, giving perfect texture and flavor always.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and lemon juice over the cod. This adds bright fresh flavor and keeps the fillets juicy while baking in the oven.

Place Ritz crackers in a bag. Gently crush them with your hands or a rolling pin until crumbs form evenly without big chunks.

Add melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and parsley to cracker crumbs. Stir everything until the mixture becomes moist and crumbly.

Spread the cracker topping evenly over each piece of cod. Press gently so it sticks and forms a thick crispy layer when baked.

Bake for 18–20 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork. The topping should look golden and smell buttery and delicious.

Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over each fillet. This brightens flavor and adds a fresh citrus finish everyone loves.

Serve your baked cod hot with your favorite sides. Enjoy the crunchy topping and tender juicy fish together in every bite.