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.
Absolutely delicious. I made two batches of these (one with butter and one with olive oil for a dairy-free guest) and served them topped with creme fraiche and smoked salmon on Christmas day. They were so easy to make and went down so well. My slight preference was for the ones made with butter but they were both delicious.
That sounds delicious Caroline! 🙂
I have this recipe on my fridge! No more $6 boxes of crackers, I make these for every gathering. So easy and such a good way to use my starter.
Ok this is the best discard recipe I’ve ever come across! I’ve ordered some white cheddar powder to make these with next time what a delight to come across you and your recipes! Crackers are crunchy light and addictive. Thank you!
I am shocked at how delicious these are. I had to read through the recipe a few times because I thought I missed something about flour being added, as it normally is in other sourdough cracker recipes. But nope! It’s just the sourdough starter that is being baked.These are so light,, crisp and tasty. I used Za’atar as the seasoning. Thanks for this great and simple recipe!
This is “go-to” recipe to use up discard. I love them with Everything Bagel seasoning, Za’atar, Italian herbs and Parmesan or Romano cheese.
I have been making these daily for the last three days. They are delicious. I have modified the recipe slightly I do not put the spices in I just put about 2 teaspoons of grated Parmesan and then sprinkle a little kosher salt over them before I bake. I love these and so does my whole family.
These are so yummy and completely addictive! I make several batches at a time to keep the cracker jar filled in our home, not to mention the many batches shared with neighbors, family, and friends. Truth be told, I make more crackers than anything else sourdough, often feeding my starter specifically for the "discard" to make these. I've added herbs, cheese, and various spices, but everyone just prefers them seasoned with salt so the tang of the sourdough shines through. Delicious! Thank you!
This is the first and only sourdough discard cracker I will need to try. It is so simple to make, and they are the BEST crackers I have ever had. My 4 year old calls them cheese crackers because the tang of the sourdough gave it an incredible cheesy flavour. I used everything bagel spice and they are unbelievably delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Great idea on the everything bagel seasoning. I did a lavender (from my garden) sea salt.
Made these exactly as per recipe - delicious! Made again with finely grated Parmesan stirred in at the start - unbelievably delicious! Now making them every few weeks, discard allowing!!!
These are AMAZING. Like another reviewer, I have to watch the cholesterol, so I used tahini instead of butter, and they turned out great.
I really appreciated that the weights were provided. It helped me to convert the recipe into Baker's Percent. With the Baker's Percent, I will be using this recipe on a regular basis, basing the amounts on whatever amount of discard I have on hand. Baker's Percent is usually based on the weight of the flour, but I based this on the weight of the discard.
I calculated the baker's percent at:
100% sourdough discard,
14% butter,
0.83% dried herbs,
0.5% fine sea salt,
0.5% coarse salt (for sprinkling).
I weighed my discard, then did the math for the other ingredients (Discard weight x ingredient percent) i.e. for butter (discard weight x 0.14) for herbs (discard weight x 0.0083) for salt (discard weight x 0.005).
Formula for Baker's Percent:
(Weight of ingredient "Y" / total weight of flour) x 100
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS RECIPE! I am so excited to use this again and again!!!