Sourdough discard crackers are thin, crispy and have that amazing tang that you can only get with real sourdough!
You'll never want to throw away your sourdough discard after you taste these addictive crunchy crackers!
Consider this your new "no-waste" recipe when it comes to sourdough baking. If you have a sourdough starter and you're tired of throwing out the discard, you'll want to start saving it for sure!
TIP - Keep a separate glass jar in your fridge specifically for sourdough discard. Instead of throwing your discard away after a feeding, add it to the jar until you have enough to make a sourdough discard recipe!
The discarded starter imparts a tangy, almost cheesy flavor into the cracker that is perfect on a charcuterie board with meats and cheeses or paired with dips like hummus.
They are so thin and crispy too. I promise you will become totally addicted!
There's only 4 ingredients; sourdough starter discard, melted butter, dried herbs and salt.
Trust me, this is a sourdough discard recipe that you're going to want to make over and over again!
If you like crackers, make sure to try our sourdough butter crackers too!
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Step by step instructions
This recipe is so easy, let's dive straight into the details!
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and tear a piece of parchment paper big enough to cover a baking sheet. Melt the butter in a mixing bowl.
2. Weigh the sourdough starter discard in the mixing bowl with the melted butter and add the dried herbs and salt.
3. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Use an off-set spatula to spread a very thin, even layer of the mixture onto the parchment paper.
5. Place the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and sprinkle the top of the batter evenly with ½ teaspoon of salt.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and score the crackers with a knife or a pizza cutter into squares. Return to the oven and bake an additional 40-50 minutes, making sure they don't over-bake.
7. Remove the crackers from the oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Tips for success
- Butter definitely gives the sourdough discard crackers the best flavor, but they can be made with other fats. I tested this recipe with olive oil but found that it tasted more oily than tangy. If you decide to use olive oil, I would make sure it is the highest quality you can find in order to get the best flavor.
- Because this is a cracker recipe without added flour, the batter is very thin and spreadable. I use parchment paper to hold the batter while baking but you could also use a silicone baking mat.
- The discard can be mixed with the other ingredients cold, right out of the fridge, or at room temperature.
- The crackers can be scored after they have baked and "set-up" for about 10 minutes if you would like a uniform cracker. If you'd like a more "rustic" cracker, let them bake without scoring and simply break them apart after they have cooled completely.
- Check your crackers around the 30-40 minute mark. Oven temperatures vary, so your crackers may be ready sooner!
- These crackers can be seasoned in so many different ways. Any fresh or dried herbs will work. Think rosemary or thyme! You can also use hard cheeses like parmesan stirred into the mixture or sprinkled on top before baking.
How to store
- Store the crackers in an air-tight container such as a mason jar with a tight lid, or a Weck jar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
Recommended kitchen tools
- silicone baking mat (affiliate link)
- offset spatula (affiliate link)
We've got other recipes that you can make with your discard like sourdough seed crackers, sourdough butter crackers, sourdough pizza crust, sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough cinnamon rolls, sourdough naan and sourdough tortillas, so make sure to check them out too!
And don't forget to pin this recipe for later!
Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup (200 g) discarded sourdough starter (stirred down)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter (melted)
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons dried herbs (Herbs de Provence)
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt for sprinkling on top
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (162°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter in a mixing bowl and let cool.
- Weigh the sourdough discard, dried herbs and salt into the bowl of melted butter and mix thoroughly until well combined. Use an off-set spatula to spread the mixture in a thin, even layer onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with salt.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and score the crackers. Bake for an additional 20-50 minutes or until the crackers are golden brown. Let cool completely before breaking into squares. (Oven temperatures vary, check the crackers after 20 minutes into baking to make sure they do not over bake. See notes.)
NOTES
- Because these crackers are so thin, in some ovens they can brown quite quickly. I recommend checking them at the 20 minute mark the first time you bake them to make sure they do not over bake and burn. Adjust your baking time accordingly!
- The discard can be used either, cold, right out of the fridge or at room temperature.
- Store in an air-tight container for up to one week at room temperature.
- Fresh herbs and grated hard cheeses can be added to create different flavors.
- Scoring the crackers is optional. The sheet can easily be broken into pieces after baking and cooling off.
Jackie says
I’ve looked at so many recipes for discard crackers and this one seemed the simplest and easiest...so I tried it. It’s perfection! So easy! No added extra flour...and no rolling out of a dough. Just smear and go! I’ve made them several times using my Silpat and each time they come out wonderful and tasty...they sometimes even taste like I have added cheese. Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Lorraine says
This is a fabulous recipe and I can hardly believe it is so easy! The first batch made with sesame and Parmesan cheese did not last 24 hours! Absolutely delicious and what a fabulous and tasty way to use up discard!
Cannot recommend highly enough, thank you for this no waste recipe. 😁🇦🇺
Nicole.K says
First time making it with mix mozzarella and cheddar and some paprika! So so easy and good!
Karen says
This recipe is AWESOME!!! I'm beginning to not care if my sourdough ever is ready for making bread. The crackers will NOT last that long because I will devour them. Used Trader Joe's 21 seasoning and the salt for the dough, but kinda forgot to sprinkle any on top before baking. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity, Amy!
Stacey says
How many crackers can you have per serving?
CC says
I made it. My children loves it. Thanks for this no waste recipe
Mary says
I was making an olive oil sourdough crackers that I have come to love, with added mixed flours for flavour and texture, but the downfall of that recipe was the need to refrigerate the dough and roll it out with a pasta maker (which I don't own - I had to borrow from a friend). It was just a whole thing. So when I had to give back the pasta maker, I stopped making them and there was a cracker-shaped-hole in my life. Enter your BRILLIANT and ridiculously EASY recipe!!! And man-oh-man do they taste incredible! Thank you.
So, I make my sourdough starter using kombucha (which I brew) and it gives an extra kick of flavour that I absolutely adore. I also use ghee instead of melted butter only because I'm lazy, but I'm convinced it makes a difference to the taste (for the better).
I was finding that they browned way too much and I didn't like that, as I like them blonde, but when they were blonde, they weren't cooked through. I made a (happy) mistake today in that I turned the oven onto grill+fan instead of just fan at 150C. 35 minutes later, blonde, crispy, freaking delicious crackers.
TL:DR - thank you, you're awesome, these are the best crackers.
Tina says
I made these today. I used everything's bagel seasoning. They are (or should I say we're,) fabulous. Cheap, using the he discard of two days since I keep only a small amount because there are just 2 of us. No waste in our house any more. We love crackers and these were wonderful. They were not sour or tangy. They were great.
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Patti says
What a wonderful recipe!!! Thank you so much! I felt sad every time i poured my dis and into the garbage. Thanks for giving me a great reason to save it!
Catherine says
The first time I made these was yesterday and my family and I loved them! I put rosemary in them, my families favorite herb, and they are delicious!
I also found that using a rolling pizza cutter is the best way to score them.