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Turn your sourdough discard into crispy, flavorful crackers with this easy recipe, no rolling required! These crackers are great as an appetizer with your favorite dip or cheese, paired with a soup or salad, or enjoyed on their own as a portable snack.
Crackers made from sourdough discard have a unique tangy flavor, crisp texture, and endless customization options. Whether you prefer a classic sea salt version or want to experiment with herbs and spices, you can take this recipe and make it your own.
One of the things I love most about this recipe is that like my sourdough crepes, it only uses sourdough discard – no extra flour needed!
Why You’ll Want These Crackers on Repeat
- No waste! This recipe is a fantastic way to use sourdough discard instead of throwing it away.
- Quick and easy. No extra fermentation time required!
- Versatile flavors. You can season them with your favorite herbs, spices, and toppings.
- Crispy and addictive. Perfect for dipping, snacking, adding to a cheese board, or serving along with your favorite soup.
- Healthy alternative. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, and no preservatives!
Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For oiling the parchment paper on the tray. This adds a little extra richness and helps the crackers crisp beautifully.
- Sourdough discard – For this recipe, you can use unfed sourdough starter (discard) that’s up to 6 days old. We don’t add any extra flour.
- Unsalted butter – Butter adds rich flavor to balance some of the sourdough’s tangy flavor. If you prefer, you can use olive oil for vegan sourdough crackers.
- Coarse kosher salt – We add some salt to the batter, and also sprinkle some on top. If you’re using fine (table) salt, use a bit less.
Topping Tips
During testing, I found that dried minced onion, garlic powder, and onion powder on top of these crackers can burn and turn bitter while baking. However, if you still want the flavor, you could mix in up to 3/4 teaspoon of garlic or onion powder, or up to 1 tablespoon of dried minced onion.
Similarly, I don’t recommend Everything Bagel Seasoning on top. I love the idea of this seasoning on top of these crackers in theory, but in practice it doesn’t work the best. The dried minced onion and garlic bits can burn and turn bitter in the time it takes to bake the crackers until they’re crispy. However, you can mix Everything Bagel seasoning into the dough. Another option for a similar flavor profile is to add various components of this seasoning on top that don’t burn (such as black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flaky sea salt), and mix in dried minced onion and garlic.
Other topping ideas that work well are sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Or try za’atar!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos of the cooking process. For the recipe video, please see the recipe card below.
To prep, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a half-sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Add the sourdough discard, melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a medium-sized bowl.
- Whisk to combine. (If you’re adding any mix-ins, do it now.)
- Brush the parchment paper on the baking tray with olive oil.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking tray and spread it out as thinly and evenly as possible (aim for around 1/16 inch-thickness). It helps to use a thin metal spatula to spread it. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. (If you want any toppings, now is the time to add them.)
- Bake for 10 minutes, and then score the dough into whatever size and shape crackers you want (I usually aim for 1.5-inch squares). (Note that if you don’t score it, you can break it apart later into rustic crackers).
- After scoring, bake until the crackers are crisp and golden, about 25 to 35 minutes. (The crackers along the outside might be done before the crackers in the center; if so, just remove them and continue cooking the crackers in the center.) Let the crackers cool to crisp completely.
Storage
Once the crackers are fully cool, store them in an airtight container (preferably glass) at room temperature for up to 10 days. If they start to get a bit stale or lose their crispness, you can re-crisp them in the oven. To do so, arrange them on a baking tray and bake at 350F for about 5 minutes. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Pro Tips For the Best Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe
- Spread the dough out thin and even. This ensures your crackers will be crispy and cook at the same rate. (But note that you might still have some crackers that cook faster than others; just remove them and continue cooking the ones that aren’t done yet.)
- Experiment with flavors by adding freshly-grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, Everything Bagel Seasoning, or your favorite herbs and/or spices to the dough.
- For extra crunch, bake a little bit longer but watch closely to prevent burning.
Serving Suggestions
These homemade sourdough crackers are perfect for:
- Pairing with cheese or adding to a charcuterie board
- Dipping into hummus, guacamole, or tzatziki
- Spreading with cream cheese or peanut butter
- Enjoying as-is for a crunchy snack on-the-go
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add shredded cheese (aged cheese like parmesan or sharp cheddar work well), chopped fresh herbs, or spices like smoked paprika to the dough for extra flavor. Sprinkling poppy seeds or sesame seeds on top before baking also enhances the taste.
Yes! Just use olive oil instead of butter and ensure your seasonings are plant-based.
First let’s talk about what discard is; it’s unfed sourdough starter. For this recipe, we don’t want active, bubbly starter.
Now, how long ago should your starter have been fed? In this crackers recipe, anywhere from 12 hours to 6 days is fine, with about 3 days being the sweet spot. The longer it’s been since your starter’s last feeding, the “older” your discard is considered. Older discard has a more sour flavor that adds tanginess to the crackers (which some people love). Older discard is also thinner than recently-fed sourdough starter, which makes it a bit easier to spread onto your baking pan.
For this recipe, I don’t recommend using sourdough discard that’s older than about a week because it can become quite acidic and very sour.
Easy Appetizers That Pair Well with Sourdough Crackers
- Grilled or Roasted Red Peppers
- Marinated Mozzarella Balls
- Obatzda (German Beer Cheese Dip)
- Marinated Olives
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
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Easy Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe (No Roll)
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Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for the pan
- 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter; 100% hydration)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt divided into 1/4 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon (use less if using fine salt)
Optional Mix-In Ideas:
- Minced fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, tarragon, etc.
- Spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, etc.
- Grated aged cheese such as parmesan, pecorino, or sharp cheddar
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a half-sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper, and brush the paper with the olive oil.
- Make the batter. Add the sourdough discard, melted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a medium-sized bowl, and whisk to combine. (If you’re adding any mix-ins, do it now.)
- Spread it out. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking tray and spread it out as thinly and evenly as possible (aim for around 1/16 inch-thickness). It helps to use a thin metal spatula to spread it. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. (If you want any toppings, now is the time to add them.)
- Bake briefly and then score. Bake for 10 minutes, and then score the dough into whatever size and shape crackers you want (I usually aim for 1.5-inch squares). (Note that if you don’t score it, you can break it apart later into rustic crackers).
- Finish baking. After scoring, bake until the crackers are crisp and golden, about 25 to 35 minutes. (The crackers along the outside might be done before the crackers in the center; if so, just remove them and continue cooking the crackers in the center.)
- Cool. Let the crackers cool to crisp completely.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated for the base recipe without the optional mix-ins or toppings.
- Storage: Once the crackers are fully cool, store them in an airtight container (preferably glass) at room temperature for up to 10 days. If they start to get a bit stale or lose their crispness, you can re-crisp them in the oven. To do so, arrange them on a baking tray and bake at 350F for about 5 minutes. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
- What I Don’t Recommend on Top: During testing, I found that dried minced onion, garlic powder, and onion powder on top of these crackers can burn and turn bitter while baking. However, if you still want the flavor, you could mix in up to 3/4 teaspoon of garlic or onion powder, or up to 1 tablespoon of dried minced onion.
- Everything But the Bagel Seasoning: I love the idea of this seasoning on top of these crackers in theory, but in practice it doesn’t work the best. The dried minced onion and garlic bits can burn and turn bitter in the time it takes to bake the crackers until they’re crispy. However, you can mix Everything Bagel seasoning into the dough. Another option for a similar flavor profile is to add various components of this seasoning on top that don’t burn (such as black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flaky sea salt), and mix in dried minced onion and garlic.
- How Much to Top With: With toppings like sesame seeds and poppy seeds, I add about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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