Easy Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe (Optional Cheese or Herbs)
Looking for ways to use sourdough starter discard? Come learn how to make delectable, crispy, savory crackers with our easy sourdough discard crackers recipe, including step-by-step photos. You can bake the crackers the same day, let the dough sit overnight, or use active starter if you wish.
This sourdough discard crackers recipe is very flexible so you can easily customize them to your liking. Keep the crackers plain, or add in optional herbs, cheese or other seasonings. I’ve included a list of some of my favorite add-ins, as well as tips on how to make your sourdough discard crackers extra crispy. Have fun experimenting, and happy snacking!
Note: This post was originally published in June 2019.
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RELATED: Looking for more sourdough discard recipes? Don’t miss our delicious chunky sourdough granola! We also have a recipe for gluten-free sourdough discard crackers.
Supplies
- Mixing bowl
- Two cookie sheets (or bake the sourdough discard crackers in two batches)
- Parchment paper and/or silicone baking sheet liner
- Rolling pin
- Pastry roller, pizza cutter, or knife. We love to use this pastry/pasta cutter to get fun wavy edges!
- Basting brush, to lightly brush the top of the crackers with olive oil before baking
Ingredients
- 1 cup of flour. For added nutrition and depth, I personally like to use 1/2 cup unbleached bread flour along with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, though all purpose flour works as well.
- 1 cup of sourdough starter, discard or active. If using discard, it’s best if it was fed within the last week or two. Using extra old, neglected discard will make your sourdough crackers very sour-tasting.
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of coconut oil, butter, or olive oil. I find that coconut oil helps to make the sourdough discard crackers extra crisp!
- Olive oil, for brushing on top
- Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Optional Additions
Here are a few tasty additions we often add to our sourdough discard cracker recipe. Try just one, or combine a couple. I personally love to add fresh herbs from the garden, everything bagel seasoning, and/or sharp cheddar cheese.
- 2 Tbsp dried herbs, or ¼ cup fresh chopped herbs. I love a mix of rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme from the garden.
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of finely grated firm cheese, such as cheddar or parmesan
- 2 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- 1 to 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp onion powder or garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- A sprinkle of paprika over the top, but wait to add until after baking (or near the end)
Instructions
1) Mix Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sourdough starter, salt, and coconut oil or butter. Also add any optional herbs, cheese, or other seasonings at this time.
- The coconut oil or butter should be slightly softened so it can easily mix into the dough. Lightly heat it first as needed, just until it barely starts to melt.
- Thoroughly mix the dough until it forms a uniform ball. I usually start mixing with a fork or spoon, but then finish mixing with my hands. It should not be sticky, especially with the coconut oil.
2) Split, Form, and Cover
- Next, divide the large dough ball into two roughly equal-size smaller balls.
- Using your hands, form each ball into a flattened rectangle. (We’ve been vegetarian for a loooong time, but this reminds me of forming hamburger patties, lol…) Mine generally end up a little larger than my flattened hand, and about half an inch thick. Repeat for the second ball.
- Now cover or wrap each rectangle of sourdough cracker dough to prevent it from drying out. You can use compostable parchment paper, reusable beeswax wrap, plastic wrap or a ziplock bag. If you plan to bake your crackers within the next hour or two, you could simply set the dough on a plate with a lightly dampened towel draped over the top.
3) Cool Dough
Refrigerate the covered cracker dough for at least 30 minutes, up to a couple hours. You can also let the dough sit in the fridge overnight, but be sure it is well-wrapped or even tucked inside an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
TIP: The longer the dough sits in the fridge, the more it will ferment (and become more gut-healthy!) yet it will also become increasingly cold and firm – and more challenging to roll out thin. Therefore, if the dough is refrigerated for more than a couple of hours, I suggest allowing it to warm up at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before rolling it out.
4) Roll Thin
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of a cookie sheet, or use a silicone baking sheet liner. Lightly dust the parchment paper or liner with flour.
- Unwrap one piece of the sourdough cracker dough, place it in the center of the floured parchment paper, and lightly flour the top of the dough too. (I like to do this on a large cutting board, which makes it easy to transfer onto a cookie sheet.)
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is nice and thin. The goal is about 1/16th of an inch thick, or as thin as you can make it. It’s okay if the edges are a bit ragged. Work the rolling pin back and forth and side to side, helping the dough spread as evenly as possible while still maintaining a relatively rectangular shape.
TIP: The thinner you can roll the dough, the more crisp your finished sourdough discard crackers will be!
5) Oil, Slice and Poke
- Once the dough is rolled out, lightly brush the surface with olive oil with a basting brush. Don’t drench it! Just enough for a light coating. Then sprinkle some coarse salt over it as well.
- Next, use a pastry wheel or pizza cutter to cut the dough into rows of square or rectangular crackers. The smaller you cut them, the more sourdough discard crackers you’ll get from this recipe. I usually like mine in about 1.5 to 2 inch squares.
- Finally, poke the top of each cracker section with a fork a couple of times.
- Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for the second piece of dough.
6) Bake
- Slide the parchment paper and cracker dough onto a baking sheet. Each section will need its own baking sheet. We bake two trays at one time, but if you only have one cookie sheet, bake them in batches.
- Bake on 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crackers turn light golden brown. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through.
- Once they’re done baking, immediately transfer the finished sourdough discard crackers on to a cooling rack.
Enjoy!
These sourdough discard crackers are dang good on their own, as a healthier alternative to most other types of crackers or chips. I love eating them with cheese and olives, cream cheese and cowboy candy, dunked in hummus and other dips, or alongside homemade soup.
Sourdough discard crackers have also become one of our go-to’s for holiday or party platters, charcuterie boards, or even as a little edible DIY gift idea. They are a huge hit, and people are always impressed to learn they’re homemade!
RELATED: Looking for more easy, crowd-pleasing healthy snack ideas? Don’t miss this goat cheese stuffed dates recipe or our popular sweet and salty rosemary roasted mixed nuts.
Storage and Shelf Life
Once fully cooled, store sourdough discard crackers in an air-tight container with a lid at room temperature to maintain maximum freshness and crunch. Ours get a tad stale by day 5 or so, but they usually don’t last in the house that long!
Absolutely! After mixing the dough, tightly wrap the formed rectangles of sourdough discard crackers in plastic wrap or other freezer-safe airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours, until soft enough to roll out.
Don’t miss our simple no-knead sourdough bread recipe or easy sourdough focaccia. And if you’re looking for other ways to use discard, see the 15 Best Sourdough Discard Recipes here.
I hope you love these sourdough crackers just as much as we do. Let me know if you have any questions, and please spread the love by sharing this article and leaving a review!
You may also like:
- 20 Best Sourdough Add-Ins and Topping Ideas
- Best Sourdough Starter Names: 60 Punny Ideas
- Is My Sourdough Starter Bad? How to Revive Old Inactive Starter
- 9 Ways to Make Sourdough Starter More Active (Strengthen Starter)
- Delicious Sourdough Zucchini Bread Recipe (Optional Walnuts or Chocolate)
Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe (Optional Cheese or Herbs)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Rolling pin
- Pastry Wheel or Pizza Cutter
- Basting Brush
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (I like 1/2 cup whole wheat + 1/2 cup unbleached bread flour)
- 1 cup sourdough starter, active or discard* (see notes below)
- 1/4 cup softened coconut oil, butter or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- olive oil for brushing
Optional additions (use one or two)
- 1/4 cup Fresh herbs of choice, e.g. rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano (Or 2 Tbsp dried)
- 1/2 cup finely grated firm cheese, such as cheddar or parmesan
- 2 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- 1 to 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp onion powder or garlic powder
- a sprinkle of paprika over the top, but wait to add until after baking (or near the end)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine sourdough starter, flour, salt, and softened coconut oil or butter. Also add optional additions like herbs, cheese or other seasonings at this time. Form into a solid ball.
- Divide the large dough ball into two equal sized balls.
- Next shape and squish each dough ball into a flattened rectangular shape, about the size of your hand and about a half inch.
- Cover or wrap each piece of dough, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight*).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If it was refrigerated for more than a couple hours, allow the dough to warm up slightly (15-30 minutes) before attempting to roll out.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of a cookie sheet, or use a silicone baking sheet liner. Lightly dust the parchment paper or liner with flour.
- Place one piece of dough on the floured parchment paper, lightly dust flour on top of the dough, then use a floured rolling pin to carefully roll it out nice and thin, about 1/16th of an inch thick.
- Use a basting brush to lightly brush the rolled dough with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle coarse salt over the top.
- Cut the dough using a pasta/pastry cutter (or pizza wheel) into 1 to 2 inch squares or other desired size. Next, use a fork to poke each cracker square several times.
- Transfer the parchment paper and the cracker squares to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Rotate the baking sheets halfway through to help the crackers bake evenly.
- Once finished baking, quickly remove the crackers to a cooling rack.
- Once cool, enjoy the crackers immediately or store them in an airtight container to enjoy later.
Notes
Deanna Talerico
Deanna Talerico (aka DeannaCat) is a garden educator and writer with over 15 years experience in organic gardening. She is a retired Senior Environmental Health Specialist, and holds a M.A. in Environmental Studies and B.S. in Sustainability and Natural Resources.
154 Comments
Gina
I absolutely loved using my discard to make these crackers, and getting to use herbs from my garden ALWAYS makes me super joyful 🙂 These are delicious, hassle free crackers. I used discard from after taking it out of the fridge the night before, and topped it off with discard from before my second feeding (soooo not high maintenance is my thing), then stuck the dough in the fridge overnight because I was too tired to make them that day, and they came out perfect the next day. My kids devoured them on the cooling rack, and my husband ate the rest while making dinner, so I know this is a keeper of a recipe. Thank you so much, we loved this recipe as much as your others!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Thanks so much Gina, we’re glad you and your family enjoyed them so much!
Jamie
I plan on making these for the first time tomorrow as I make my first sourdough loaf. I don’t have whole wheat flour (just AP and Bread flour). Are any adjustments needed or will they still turn out fine even with the more delicate flour?
DeannaCat
Hi Jamie! They’ll be just fine. We just happen to like using whole wheat in most of our sourdough recipes for the added nutritional value. Enjoy!
Danielle
These crackers are nothing short of amazing. I was blown away when I tried them, one batch with just salt and the other jazzed up with a bit of parm! I’m planning to make these again along with the sourdough tortilla chips for new years and I had a quick question. Instead of taking the sourdough starter from the fridge, feeding it and then waiting for it to settle to use the discard, can I just take out my starter from the fridge the night before and use the discard once it comes to room temp?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hello Danielle, you can absolutely use the starter without feeding it first. We usually end up feeding our starter first because we don’t usually have enough reserved for a full recipe. Hope that helps and have fun baking!
Tara C
Made these last night – SO YUMMY AND SO EASY!!! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Anastasiya
Can I substitute coconut oil for olive oil? I don’t have any coconut oil on hand 🥴
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Yes, you can use olive oil or even butter if you would like. Enjoy!
Jennifer Visser
Hi! Just wondering how long do you think I could safely leave the prepared dough in the fridge for? I got the dough made up but then had company and didn’t get it made. Thanks for all that you share!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Jennifer, you should be fine to use it within 24 hours, it will just continue to ferment and as long as it is wrapped up properly it won’t dry out. Enjoy those crackers!
Angela
I have made these several times and friends and family rave about them. I would like to try some variations e.g adding parmesan cheese. Not sure how much to add and if I should adjust any other ingredients. Do you have a Parmesan cheese variation recipe?
DeannaCat
Hi Angela, we have added extra sharp cheddar and parmesan on occasion and it is quite delicious. We don’t typically measure the cheese portion, we normally go by the way it looks and how it incorporates into the dough. You should be able to start off with a 1/2 cup cheese and assess the dough once it is mixed through. The crackers are fairly forgiving so feel free to experiment, try new things, and let us know how it worked out. Thanks a bunch and have fun!
Leah
These were amazing! I thought I burnt them a little but they were golden and still very tasty. I’m saving the recipe and will keep my sourdough starter going just to make crackers (the bread making has had varying success). Thank you so much!
Jenn walker
Wow.. delicious! Can’t stop eating these.. trying to save some for my hubby.. barely even cooled. Should have made more with ragged edges.. those ones don’t count!
Kate
OH MY GOODNESS DEANNA! I am not new to making sourdough crackers, but this is the first time I used your recipe and I am never using any other recipe again. Other recipes were fine, although they required long rest times that were hard for me to coordinate in my schedule (the recipe I used to use required six hours from mixing the dough to baking is tough for me to juggle).
These were quick, easy, and so delicious I’m probably going to eat the entire batch before my partner makes it home to try some! I used chives, oregano, parsley, basil, and nasturtium flowers from my garden and added garlic powder and nutritional yeast. They taste like Cheez-its’s sophisticated older brother. THEY ARE SO GOOD.
Nicolle
Earlier this week, I got my sourdough starter going just so I could make these. I just made my first batch and they are absolutely delicious! So much better than any store-bought crackers. Not to mention our house smells amazing now. These are definitely going to be a staple in our kitchen from now on.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us.
Sandrea
This turned out so good! MI was wondering what would happen if I did use the sourdough discard form the fridge when it was cold? Would it not work with this recipe?
DeannaCat
Hi Sandrea – It would technically work, yes! Our starter sometimes sits for two weeks in the fridge without being fed, so it is usually very very sour when it comes out. Your crackers will be more or less sour depending on the flavor and age of the starter. Also, a starter used at peak activity will result in fluffier, flakier crackers while an unfed discard portion of the starter may be less so. Again, you can do either – feel free to experiment!
Celeste
This is by far the best sourdough crackers recipe I have ever tried. My family absolutely loved it, I even tried it with oat flour and it was a success.
Rachel
These are fantastic! I’m so glad I have a good and easy way to keep from wasting all the sourdough starter discards. These are crisp and so easy to adjust what flavors you want in each batch. This recipe is a keeper, for sure!
Jeremy Ladd
I can’t even describe how delicious these are. Very fun and easy to make and so customizable! I will definitely be making lots and lots of these with my sourdough discard!
Riley Grace
Great way to use up sourdough discard and love getting creative with herbs! So good and super simple!