Sourdough Discard Crackers

If you’re anything like me, your refrigerator has a permanent resident: the sourdough discard jar. You feel guilty tossing it, but there are only so many pancakes a person can eat, right?

These sourdough discard crackers are a delightful, delicious way to use your discard! They are salty, crunchy, and have that addictive tangy flavor that you just can’t get from a box of Wheat Thins. Plus, they take about 10 minutes to prep.

If you love sourdough, make sure to check out these additional sourdough recipes:

• Cinnamon maple sourdough toast
• Bakery style sourdough chocolate chip cookies

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe save your starter from the compost and it’s incredibly customizable. I’m using Herbs de Provence and garlic for a savory vibe, but you can truly go wild with whatever is in your spice cabinet.

Plus, there is something so satisfying about the "snap" of a perfectly thin cracker.

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Sourdough Discard Crackers

• Yield: About 60-70 crackers
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Bake Time: 20-25 minutes
• Total Time: About 35 minutes

What You’ll Need (Supply List)

• Mixing bowl
• Spoon or spatula
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper (I use If you Care brand because it's un-bleached and compostable)
• Baking sheet
• Fork
• Knife or pizza cutter

Just like thin, flimsy pots and pans don't cook as well, junky baking sheets don't bake as well.

I avoid nonstick baking pans and aluminum (unless both of my stainless pans are already dirty or in use!). I highly recommend using a heavy duty stainless baking sheet.

Sourdough discard cracker ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed, 100% hydration.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing on top.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence.  My personal favorite, but see the FAQs for swaps!
• Flaky salt for topping (don’t skip this!).

How to make sourdough discard crackers

Prep your oven. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).

Mix. In a bowl, mix your sourdough discard and olive oil.

Add the flour...

... and the salt, garlic powder, and Herbs de Provence.

Stir it all together until a soft dough forms.

Roll out the cracker dough. This is the secret to a good cracker!

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it as thin as you possibly can. Aim for about 1/16th-inch thick.

Transfer the dough. Peel off the top layer of parchment. Slide the dough (still on the bottom parchment) onto your baking sheet.

Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough (this keeps them from puffing up like little pillows).

Score the dough. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to score the dough into squares or rectangles. You don't have to cut all the way through, just make the lines!

Top the crackers. Lightly brush the surface with a little more olive oil and sprinkle generously with flaky salt.

Bake the crackers. Pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them! You want them golden and crisp.

If the edges start to brown faster than the middle, you can snap those off and let the rest keep cooking.

Cool and snap your crackers. Let the crackers cool completely (they crisp up more as they cool!). Once they’re cold, break them along those lines you scored earlier.

Once the crackers are fully cool, store them in an air tight container.

These crackers are absolutely delicious by themselves, topped with cheese, or to go with a spreadable cheese!

My Top Pro-Tips

• Thin for the win. If your crackers are chewy, they weren't rolled thin enough. Channel your inner pasta maker and get that dough translucent!
• Rotate the pan. Every oven has hot spots. Rotate your pan halfway through for an even, golden bake.
• Fixing "soft" crackers."  If they seem a bit soft after cooling, just toss them back in the oven for 3-5 minutes.
• Dough consistency troubleshooting. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour. If it’s crumbly and won't hold together, add a teaspoon of water (or a bit more discard).

Storage

Keep these in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week.

If they lose their crunch because of humidity, just pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes to crisp them back up.

FAQs

Can I use an active sourdough starter instead of discard? Yep! It works exactly the same. The only difference is the flavor might be a little milder and less tangy than with older discard.

Why did my crackers not come out crispy? It usually comes down to three things: they weren't rolled thin enough, they weren't baked long enough, or you didn't let them cool completely before diving in.

Could these crackers be made gluten-free? You can try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Since this recipe relies on gluten for structure, the texture will be a bit more fragile, but still tasty!

Do I have to use Herbs de Provence? Absolutely not! Get creative. Use Italian seasoning, rosemary and sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, or even smoked paprika.

Can the dough be frozen? Yes! Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Just thaw it in the fridge before rolling it out.

Don't get dough on your phone! Print the recipe using the recipe card below:

Yield: 60

Sourdough Discard Crackers

Print

These tangy, crunchy sourdough discard rackers have a taste that store bought just can't replicate!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed, 100% hydration.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing on top.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence: My personal favorite, but see the FAQs for swaps!
• Flaky salt: For topping (don’t skip this!).

Instructions

Prep your oven. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
Mix. In a bowl, mix your sourdough discard and olive oil.
Add the flour, salt, garlic powder, and Herbs de Provence.
Stir it all together until a soft dough forms.
Roll out the cracker dough. This is the secret to a good cracker!
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it as thin as you possibly can. Aim for about 1/16th-inch thick.
Transfer the dough. Peel off the top layer of parchment. Slide the dough (still on the bottom parchment) onto your baking sheet.
Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough (this keeps them from puffing up like little pillows).
Score the dough. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to score the dough into squares or rectangles. You don't have to cut all the way through, just make the lines!
Top the crackers. Lightly brush the surface with a little more olive oil and sprinkle generously with flaky salt.
Bake the crackers. Pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them! You want them golden and crisp. If the edges start to brown faster than the middle, you can snap those off and let the rest keep cooking.
Cool and snap your crackers. Let the crackers cool completely (they crisp up more as they cool!). Once they’re cold, break them along those lines you scored earlier.