Tangy, crispy, and perfectly salty, these homemade, cheesy, herb-seasoned sourdough crackers are a super fun and delicious way to use up leftover sourdough discard.
As you know, we’re a sourdough household and I’m baking with my starter constantly. That leaves me with a decent amount of discard that I will certainly not throw away. In case you didn’t know, sourdough discard is a highly useful ingredient for many recipes!
If you also consistently find yourself with lots of discard, keep it in a glass jar in the refrigerator and use it in some of our favorite discard recipes. Many of these are recipes that either require no rising agent or utilize commercial yeast, baking soda, or baking powder.
Recipes such as these quick sourdough discard pancakes or sourdough discard cinnamon rolls make for a special breakfast any day of the week. And discard recipes like sourdough naan and soft sourdough discard dinner rolls are just what you need to complete your main course perfectly.
There are endless possibilities for using up sourdough discard, from our favorite pancakes, sourdough waffles, easy pizza crust, blueberry cobbler, and apple pie to chocolate cake, banana bread, sourdough biscuits, and blueberry muffins.
Using discard in recipes means less food waste, but also better nutrition because you’re incorporating long-fermented grains. If you’re new to sourdough, you can read more about how to make your own sourdough starter and how to maintain a starter, but the best benefits of long-fermented grains are their better digestibility and more readily absorbed nutrients because of the fermentation process.
I often find myself turning to these herb-seasoned sourdough discard crackers because the kids love them, they’re easy and quick to prepare, and it’s the perfect way to use up a lot of discard.
These crunchy crackers are fun to make, easy to customize with a variety of herbs and different flavors, require only basic ingredients, and are a feel-good snack to serve on their own or as part of a charcuterie board.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Delicious and easy recipe – Tangy, cheesy, and irresistible, these delicious sourdough crackers are a great snack. They are packed with flavor and simple to mix up and bake.
No preservatives – Who doesn’t love crackers? Unfortunately, most of the ones sold in your local grocery store are full of preservatives and questionable additives. Not when you make your own, though! These homemade crackers are made with simple ingredients that deliver excellent flavor.
Great use for discard – Sourdough adds tangy, sharp flavor to these crackers, easily complementing your favorite seasonings and add-ins. Everything Bagel Seasoning is a very popular choice! Plus, your discard doesn’t go to waste!
Ingredients
Sourdough starter discard – Active starter will work, but sourdough discard gives the tangiest flavor and best nutrition since the grains are fully fermented.
Olive oil – Avocado oil or melted butter are great substitutes.
Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated parmesan for best results.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
Cheese crackers – This version! I add freshly grated parmesan cheese along with salt, sage, and Italian seasoning right into the batter.
Chopped herbs and spices – Add one or more for your favorite combination of rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, basil, dill, garlic powder, etc. You can use fresh or dried.
Seed crackers – Add in pumpkin, poppy, flax, sunflower, or sesame seeds. For larger seeds, chop if needed.
For a sweet version – Add cinnamon and sugar to the batter according to taste, while also sprinkling the top with cinnamon and sugar.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Crackers
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper to prevent the crackers from sticking. In a medium bowl, combine sourdough discard, olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, salt, and seasonings
Step 2: Pour into a thin layer on the parchment-lined sheet pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. The thinner the batter is, the crunchier the crackers will be.
Step 3: Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and pre-cut into squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
Step 4: Continue baking for 20-25 minutes more until the crackers are golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before snapping apart. Enjoy!
Tips
- Parchment paper is a must! It keeps the crackers from sticking, and it’s part of what makes this recipe so easy.
- Take care to spread the batter out thinly and evenly for a consistent bake and crispy crackers.
- Bake time may vary depending on the thickness of the batter and your particular oven.
- Sprinkle the tops of the crackers with additional sea salt or seasonings for added flair.
- Cracker rollers are available, allowing you to pre-cut a standard cracker pattern over the batter after the first baking period. These make more typical-looking crackers, though you can also simply cut and shape with a knife or pierce with fork tines for a similar look.
- You don’t need to waste your discard by throwing it in the trash. Instead, use it in healthy sourdough discard recipes.
- Do you bake by weights? Check out my new baking conversion chart.
Recipe FAQs
Leftover crackers store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Make sure to allow them to cool completely before storing. I usually use a glass mason jar with a swing-top lid.
Homemade kefir ranch dressing, homemade pesto, or homemade cheese sauce.
Sliced cheese, like homemade farmer’s cheese, and deli meat.
Fresh tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, and basil for caprese crackers.
Onion dip, hummus, or seasoned homemade cream cheese.
Goat cheese and honey. Add a little sliced fig to be extra fancy.
Dip in homemade cottage cheese for a tasty, savory snack.
Yes, sourdough discard contains natural yeasts and good bacteria that help break down the anti-nutrients and gluten in flour, making the grains more digestible and the nutrients more readily absorbed. Using discard in crackers means you have a fully fermented grain mixed with other simple ingredients, yielding a wholesome product without added preservatives or artificial flavors or colors.
It is unfed. Discard is the portion of the sourdough starter that is removed before feeding your starter. While this portion may be tossed out, I would always rather put it to use in discard recipes.
Yes, as long as the starter has been fed within the last day or two it is fine to use straight from the fridge.
More Sourdough Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake
- Cinnamon Maple Sourdough Apple Pie
- Sourdough Discard Scones
- Sourdough Crepes Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Double Chocolate Bread
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Sourdough Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough discard, active starter will also work
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper to prevent the crackers from sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine sourdough discard, olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, salt, and seasonings. Pour into a thin layer on the parchment-lined sheet pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. The thinner the batter is, the crunchier the crackers will be.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and pre-cut into squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
- Continue baking for 20-25 minutes more until the crackers are golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before snapping apart. Enjoy!
Notes
- Parchment paper is a must! It keeps the crackers from sticking, and it’s part of what makes this recipe so easy.
- Take care to spread the batter out thinly and evenly for a consistent bake and crispy crackers.
- Bake time may vary depending on the thickness of the batter and your particular oven.
- Sprinkle the tops of the crackers with additional sea salt or seasonings for added flair.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
can I make these crackers with just sourdough discard and no additional flour? if so how would that work?
You can actually. You can mix sourdough starter with a little oil or butter and salt. Spread it out on parchment paper so it’s pretty thin and bake.
Can you add cheese instead of herbs? Or any blend of dry herby kind of flavor?
I’m replying to myself to apologize. I got so excited at the recipe I didn’t read thoroughly.
Hi Lisa, I have made a lot of your recipes and love them. Especially the bagels. One of my favorites. I tried for the first time today to make these crackers. I ended up having to throw it all away because when I went to remove the top side of the parchment paper, it just pulled the dough apart. Should I add more flour. It was a very sticky dough?
I would try adding a little more flour. It shouldn’t do that.
How do you store them correctly! Input them in a jar as pictured but they got stale overnight. My son still ate them ! But I am hoping to keep them longer this time…
Hmmm that’s strange! Were they completely cooled when you put them in the jar?
I stored mine in a ziplock freezer bag and they stayed fresh for a long time. I just made sure they were completely cooled before storing them.
Is the butter melted or do I just cube it up?
Should be in the recipe.
I assumed it has to be soft and or melted to absorb into the dough.
Also 2 Tbsp dried herbs is way too much. Dried are very potent. I cut it in half and it was still too much, and I love all herbs!
She may have meant 2 tsp although I’d go lower with dried and use 1 tsp to start and gauge up after that.
I also put them in the freezer for 10 mins before baking. I used butter and it was warm in my kitchen on baking day.😊
It doesn’t state in the recipe how the butter should be. I melted mine and it made the dough way too wet. Had to add more flour. They are in the oven. Hoping for the best.
The recipe doesn’t state directly if the butter should be melted or not, but it does say somewhere [within the post] that you can substitute olive oil for butter. So I think that the butter should/can be melted. I actually tried this recipe with olive oil and the crackers turned out fine.
Also, do you weigh your ingredients? There’s a US metrics to gram conversion chart somewhere on this website, which was tested by the author herself for her [sourdough discard] recipes. Maybe that can help, too.
Step 4 says brush the top with butter, so I assume there is no oil in the dough and I use melted butter and brush it on top, and that works for me.
Curious as to why this recipe can’t be long fermented? Our family is gluten sensitive. I don’t have Einkorn flour – I’d love to make crackers from my discard. Could I use GF flour instead of AP? Thanks, Lisa!
If you use a one to one gluten free flour, I don’t see why not! I haven’t tried it, though. Let us know if you do!
Could it be long fermented with regular somehow?
Another recipe I use from another gal long ferments her dough using AP flour for 2 days wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge. Then you let come to room temp, roll, & bake
Could I use my pasta machine to flatten the dough out really thin?
I’ve never done that, but it could work! Let us know if you try it and how it turns out!
My husband and I used our pasta attachment to make really thin sourdough crackers. They were really delicious. I didn’t use this recipe that time but I think it will work!
I have to keep my kitchen stocked with these crackers because my family unit loves them! My last batch I made, I incorporated Ranch dressing into it. My husband stated it was the best batch yet. In his words…”They are really good!”
Yum! Great idea! So glad you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Lisa, can I use a different whole grain for these? I mill my own and have hard and soft white, spelt and kamut.
I would think so! you just may have to adjust the amount/amount of liquid a bit.
These are excellent ! Love them with Gouda cheese!So easy to roll out per instructions. I used my food processor to mix up
Thank you Lisa!
So glad you enjoyed them!