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.
I didn't have high hopes for this, but i had a lot of discard i needed to use, so i figured i'd give it a shot. These turned out so good! I had about 400g of discard & i used all of it with 4 T of butter melted. I just eyeballed the salt and herbs. I used some dill, celery seed, and caraway seed. I spread the mixture on a 11x17" cooking sheet with a sil-pat liner. Probably baked for a total of an hour, checking after the first 20 minutes and every 10 minutes thereafter. I probably could have pulled them earlier, but was concerned since i had doubled the recipe. These are crunchy and tasty and so so easy
Thank you, Julie!
These are so good & so easy!!
I made them with Organic Whole wheat flour as a sub - and they worked so well!
Easy way not to waste discard and also the thinness matters !
Thanks!
Wonderful! And so much easier (and tastier) than some of the more complicated recipes I've found. I did one batch with Herb de Provence, then another with Zaatar. The 2 tsp of HdP was perfect, but next time I'll use a little more Zaatar -- mine is pretty mild. Gonna try a batch with smoked paprika and cheese. Yum!
Perfect use of discard. These were brainless AND delish with some very sour starter. I added rosemary to this batch and will try cheddar or parmesan next time.
OMG! These crackers are amazing! I suggest for a lighter, crispier cracker only put a single recipe on a jelly pan and spread it thin. I didn’t have an offset knife for spreading, so I used an icing knife. And did I mention that your house will smell amazing while cooking them.
Very lovely , I have a question!! I don't always have 200g discard available , sometimes not even 100g I have a small strong starter so what could I do ? I had enough this time because I had 3 starters going at the same time . But don't always... tia
Hi Tia, yes I would just keep doing what you are doing and keep making more. This recipe is designed for leftover discard, so just make more starter.
Amazing!!! I change the dried herbs for Fennel Seed and Basil Seeds.
Such a great use of discarded starter! Used the vegan butter from Trader Joe’s and it worked great. Can’t wait to try different flavors. Added nutritional yeast to this first batch for a cheesy vibe and they were really good. Thinking about replacing a quarter of the butter with sesame oil next and adding sesame seeds on top next! Maybe a batch with a little chili oil too? So fun!
It’s a winner folks! Loved this recipe, made 3 batches with my discard the first time and turned out amazing. Thank you for this one! It’s a definite keeper. I love that it doesn’t call for adding more flour. The crispiness is exactly what I wanted.
super quick and easy and uses a lot of discard so if you have a lot, this is a perfect recipe to use. Did I mention they are delicious too?!
Thank you Lorraine!