Sourdough Discard Crackers

Sourdough Discard Crackers are easy to make, delicious, and also extremely customizable. Add your favorite toppings - such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or a sprinkle of sea salt - and shape them however you want! This is a great base recipe to customize to suit your preferences.

If you're looking for more sourdough discard recipes, check out these Sourdough Discard Pretzels, Sourdough Discard Bagels, and Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough. They're delicious ways to use up some of your sourdough discard!

And if you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth guides on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.

Ingredients

As long as you have sourdough discard, there are just a few pantry staples you'll need to make these Sourdough Discard Crackers.

• All-purpose flour: This will be the bulk of your cracker. You can also use a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour if you prefer a wheat cracker.
• Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter with a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
• Olive oil: You will use just a bit of olive oil to help bind the crackers together and give a bit of flavor.
• Toppings: Toppings are optional, but feel free to sprinkle these with toppings such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or sea salt.

See full recipe below for detailed directions.

Substitutions & Variations

This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.

• Use active sourdough starter: If you'd rather use active sourdough starter instead of discard, you can, although it's not necessary (since the dough doesn't need to rise). To do so, replace the sourdough discard with active sourdough starter (1:1 substitute).
• Use different toppings: You can't go wrong with classic sea salt, but try sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, fresh herbs (such as rosemary), cracked black pepper, and parmesan cheese.
• Use different shapes: You can cut these crackers into any shape, so have fun with it! Try bigger, smaller, or even baking the full sheet, and letting your guests break pieces off!

I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!

How to make Sourdough Discard Crackers

You'll have these Sourdough Discard Crackers ready in just a few easy steps!

Combine the ingredients in large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. With the mixer on low, add the water.

Knead until you have a smooth dough. This should not be sticky.

Divide the dough into two pieces, flattening each into a disk on a piece of parchment paper. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Roll the dough out as thinly as possible (about 1/16th of an inch). It should cover nearly the entire piece of parchment paper.

Sprinkle with your chosen toppings. Then use the rolling pin to roll over the dough once, pressing the toppings into the dough.

Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the crackers to size. Then use a fork to prick holes in each cracker to prevent them from puffing up while baking. Transfer the parchment paper (with the crackers) to your baking sheet.

Bake until the edges of the crackers are just starting to brown.

Break the crackers apart, then serve.

What is sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard is what is left over after you feed your sourdough starter. You can either literally discard this (in the trash or compost), or use it in sourdough discard recipes like this one.

This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.

If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.

How to cut Sourdough Discard Crackers

The most important thing is rolling the dough to be thin enough to give you a crispy cracker. If the dough is too thick, they will still be delicious, but the crackers will have less crunch.

Once you have your thinly rolled dough, you can cut these crackers into any size or shape that you like. A few options that work well:

• Use a pizza cutter or a ravioli cutter to roll a grid pattern over the dough in whatever size you'd like the crackers to be.
• Use cookie cutters or biscuit cutters to make crackers in round shapes, or any shape that you like! Make sure to also bake the dough "scraps" from outside the shapes you make - they'll still be delicious!
• Bake the crackers as a full sheet (without cutting at all), and then break off pieces once the cracker is already baked (or let your guests break them!). This is a very fun and interactive way to serve these crackers - great if you're making an appetizer for a crowd!

Storage

Room Temperature Storage: Once fully cooled, store the crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. This will help them keep their "crunch." These crackers should not be refrigerated.

Recipe FAQ