Sourdough Discard Crackers
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.
Amy, this is probably the 5th discard cracker recipe I have used, no more hunting for a better recipe! Very easy and consistent, only slight issue was with the melted butter, discard was so cold the butter was clumpy when trying to spread the first batch. For flavors I did the first batch with Pensey’s Tucson Sunset and a pinch of cayenne the second batch was with TJ’s everything but the bagel and a pinch of cayenne. Both are keepers for us.
Thanks for sharing John 🙂
These are absolutely delicious, endlessly variable, and incredibly easy to make! I like to sprinkle the dough with black sesame or poppy seeds before baking for some visual interest. I might try a sweet version with a cinnamon sugar topping next. Thank you for sharing this recipe; your site is truly inspiring.
Thank you so much Catherine! 🙂
Made these this morning….sooo yummy. Will definitely make these again. Not sure they will last for 7 days 😂😂
That's so nice to hear Maz, glad you are enjoying them as much as we do! 🙂
I didn't have herbs de province, so I used Italian herb seasoning. I didn't have butter, so I used olive oil. Excellent crackers! Thank you.
These are amazing!! I have made my 3rd batch now since I found this recipe. They are very addictive and so much better that getting the crackers at the store. We can have fresh crackers anytime now 😃
I add grated parmesan when mixing the discard mixture along with a couple teaspoon of Italian herbs and they come out perfect each time.
This is definitely a keeper discard recipe 😊
I've tried several discard cracker recipes, and this one is definitely my favorite. I love the crisp texture, and that it actually uses up a lot of discard, not a toke amount. I always make a double batch because they're irresistible. I recently had a houseguest who wanted me to make some to take home to her family, but later she admitted they were gone before she got off the plane.
I’ve used a slightly different approach. I take 200g of discard and add 120g of a mix of bakers flour and whole meal. Add 50g finely shredded Parmesan and dried rosemary. Mix in the KitchenAid and then rest for an hour. I then use the lasagna attachment to rollout sheets of cookies. Place on silicon mat and use a cookie cutter to pattern the crackers. Brush liberally with olive oil, top with quality salt and bake at 160°c for 18-20 minutes. Wonderful!
Ms. littlespoonfarm, Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is everything you described. My second trial brought my creative juices to the forefront by adding 2 t. Bagel Seasonings, a heaping 1/8 t. Cayenne and the recommended 1/4 t. Baking Soda and it is beyond words delicious. Thank you, "Miss Dahlia Designs"
These discard crackers are delicious.
I used a 1-1 ratio of olive oil and butter.
I added 1/2 tsp garlic powder, dried Italian herbs,
and a pinch of black pepper for a kick.
These crackers were gobbled up quickly.
Thanks for the recipe Amy. It’s a keeper.
Thanks for sharing Cheryl 🙂
These are superb, Amy, and finally a great way to use up a decent amount of discard. Your sourdough bagel recipe is also a winner and a doddle (I'm English!) to make, and I've been making daily for the last two weeks.
The only thing that made me smile in the crackers recipe is your calorie count of 98 per randomly shaped cracker serving!
Fortunately I don't count calories!
As I've only recently discovered your Youtube/page, I think there'll be a few more I'll try. I've done muffins many times but not sourdough so I'll be giving them a go soon.
Love your kitchen. Living in Japan with a kitchen the size of a pint pot, very jealous.
Thank you Harv 🙂
Definitely my go to for using discard...in fact sometimes I purposely make extra starter just so I can make these crackers. I just need to invest in a silicone baking sheet so that I don't have to worry about the baking paper wrinkling up.