There’s no prep ahead, refrigeration, or rolling out the dough – and you end up with a crunchy cracker that keeps well and is perfect for dipping. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy this tasty snack is to make. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy. We love sourdough recipes from Sourdough Pancakes to our classic Sourdough Bread. If you are on the Sourdough bus, these crackers are a must-try (and stay tuned for more sourdough discard recipes to come)!
Sourdough Discard Crackers Video
Watch Natasha make these Sourdough Discard Crackers. With just 3 base ingredients, you will be shocked at how easy they are to make and how delicious they taste. With their irresistible crunch and classic sourdough flavor, these homemade crackers are sure to become a staple in your snacking repertoire.
Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe
For those of you who have started your sourdough journey, you will love this sourdough discard idea that my sister Svetlana shared with me (a friend shared it with her, and that is proof that a good recipe travels fast!). This is a brilliant way to use sourdough discard, which is essentially an unfed/stirred starter that is blended with butter and salt, spread thinly, and baked into the tastiest crackers. We have struggled with finding the perfect store-bought crackers for our family. My kids are drawn toward those filled with questionable additives and preservatives, and they don’t like the healthier ones I prefer. I am happy to report that our homemade sourdough crackers have won over every member of our family.
What is Sourdough Discard?
When you feed a starter, you add fresh flour and water to make it grow. To prevent a sourdough starter from becoming too large and maintain it’s health and balance, a portion is discarded before feeding. The portion removed is the sourdough discard. Sourdough discard is essentially an unfed or inactive starter. While it’s typically not strong enough for baking sourdough bread on its own, it still contains beneficial wild yeast and bacteria, along with a tangy sourdough flavor, and can be used in a variety of recipes from baked goods to savory dishes. If you want to feed your starter just to make these crackers, that is perfectly ok (I do this all the time because the crackers are worth it).
Ingredients for Sourdough Crackers
If you’ve started your sourdough journey, chances are you have plenty of sourdough discard – this is a brilliant way to use it up.
Sourdough discard – adds the tanginess of sourdough to the crackers and creates a light and crisp texture. All of the flour needed for this recipe is in the discard which means that the flour is already fermented, making it easier to digest. Butter -helps bind the ingredients together and contributes to the overall texture and moisture of the crackers. Salt – enhances the flavor of the crackers, balancing the tanginess of the sourdough while enhancing the other seasoning flavors. Seasoning – Customize the flavor to your preference with a variety of seasonings on top – sprinkle your favorite herbs, spices, seeds, or other flavorings (see the variations below).
How to Make Sourdough Discard Crackers
Preheat – Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Melt and Combine – Melt the butter in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl and let it cool until just lukewarm. Add the sourdough discard and salt, stirring together with a spatula until well combined. Spread – Pour the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter into an even, thin layer that is almost transparent (my dough rectangle was 13×11 inches). Season – Lightly sprinkle the top with flaky salt or seasonings of choice. Avoid adding too much salt, as the crackers are thin and can quickly become overly salty. Bake and Score – Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a pizza cutter to score the partially baked dough into bite-size squares. Final Bake – Return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the crackers are golden, hardened, and crisp to the tap. If the batter wasn’t spread thin enough, it could take longer to bake. Remove from the oven and let the crackers cool on the baking sheet to fully dry out.
What is the Best Tool to Score Crackers?
Use any of these tools to make clean cuts quickly and efficiently without dragging or tearing the dough. I personally love the pastry wheel because it adds a nice scalloped edge that looks fancy but is equally as simple as using a knife or pizza cutter.
Seeds – sunflower, sesame, chia, flax, or poppy seeds (or go for it all with Everything But the Bagel seasoning) Salt and pepper – sea salt or herbed salt Cheese – try grated parmesan or finely shredded cheddar cheese. You’ll love our Sourdough Cheese Crackers. Dried herbs – rosemary, thyme, basil, or oregano Hemp hearts
Pizza cutter Ravioli cutter or pastry wheel Knife
For a different style, use the back of a spoon to create small smears of batter on the sheet pan, or skip scoring altogether and break the baked rectangle into small pieces. This will give you rustic, artisanal pieces perfect for your spread.
What to Serve with Sourdough Crackers
Our preferred presentation for these sourdough discard crackers involves creating a captivating charcuterie board with a variety of enticing accompaniments:
An assortment of nuts, cheeses, fresh vegetables, olives, and pickles Delectable spreads like olive tapenade, fig jam, honey, or flavored cream cheese. Indulgent herbed or honey butter, adding an extra layer of flavor. Diverse dips such as hummus, veggie dip, 7-layer dip, tzatziki, whipped feta dip, or spinach and artichoke dip.
In addition to perfectly enhancing the savory tang of these crackers, these options create a delightful culinary adventure for every palate to enjoy. Sourdough may seem trendy to some, but its roots stretch back thousands of years. While trends come and go, sourdough’s timeless appeal and cultural significance make it a beloved staple in baking and cuisine. Stay tuned—we’re just getting ‘startered.’
More ‘Made from Scratch’ Recipes
If you love good food but are starting to pay more attention to the ingredients in your store-bought favorites, then you won’t want to miss these delicious DIY swap recipes. You can easily make your favorites at home, knowing exactly what’s in them!
Hamburger Buns Apple Sauce Vanilla Extract Caesar Dressing Homemade Pasta Ranch Dressing
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Good Things
If you’re looking for a good read, this is my favorite book right now. It checks all of the boxes because it makes you want to be a better human. Have you read this one (or should I ask how many times)? 😉 Let me know what’s on your reading list right now.
