Sourdough Starter Discard Crackers

Sourdough discard crackers are a great way to use up that excess starter and make a fun snack. They take very little time to rest and are easy to roll out, cut, and bake. These flaky crackers are loaded with fresh rosemary and chunky sea salt.

Does this ever happen to you? You feed your starter with all the intention to make sourdough bread and then the next day you realize you forgot and now you have all this starter that is no longer alive and bubbly.

With a busy family like ours, it happens so often. But I don't consider it a waste! Even if that starter isn't active enough for bread we can still make so many different things.

Learn more about what sourdough discard is and how to use it.

One of my (and my kids') favorite things to make with my inactive starter (or sourdough discard) is homemade sourdough crackers. It's a great way to use up all that excess starter.

They are very simple, need little resting time, and offer a healthier alternative to store-bought crackers.

These rosemary and sea salt crackers are flakey and have that tangy sourdough flavor we all love. Perfect to go with a dip or even just eat them on their own. Honestly, most of them don't make it off the sheet pan.

Here is what you will need to make these sourdough discard crackers.

If you prefer cheese over herbs, stay tuned for my cheesy sourdough crackers.

Ingredients

These crackers use simple ingredients but the star is that sourdough starter! Don't have a starter? Learn how to make a sourdough starter.

• Sourdough Starter Discard
• All-purpose flour
• Butter
• Fresh Rosemary
• Flaky sea salt (Maldon)

See the recipe card for full measurements.

Making the Cracker Dough

Using lightly floured hands, knead the ball of dough to incorporate all the butter. Stretch it out and fold it over multiple times. This will help give it that flaky consistency.

It should be a stiff dough and a bit tacky. Add a little more flour as needed to help with handling.

Cover and let rest for one hour at room temperature. Can be covered with a light tea towel or plastic wrap.

Rolling, Cutting and Baking

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Divide the dough into two.

Take out two baking sheets. Cut two pieces of parchment paper to fit the baking pans.

On the parchment paper, roll out the cracker dough until really thin. For crunchy crackers roll out as thin as possible, but for a thicker, flaky cracker roll out to about ⅛".

Tips for rolling:

• If the parchment is sliding on the counter hold the paper with one hand and roll it with the other.
• Using a second piece of parchment over the top of the dough will help the rolling pin from sticking to it. Try to avoid adding very little to no flour at this point.
• When rolling it can be helpful to flip the entire thing over and roll the other side.
• Be sure to roll it out vertically and horizontally to get a nice and even rectangle shape the size of your sheet pan.
• Can also cut the dough into two and bake it in two separate pans.

Once the dough is rolled out thin, transfer the entire paper to a baking sheet.

Using a pastry or pizza wheel, cut the dough into bite-size crackers. They can be whatever size you like. If I'm using for a dip I like to cut bigger crackers but for snacking I keep them smaller.

A small cookie cutter could also be used for different shapes.

Step 9: Using a fork poke holes into each of the crackers. This will allow air to escape and keep them from bubbling up.

Dip the fork in flour before poking holes to help prevent it from sticking too much.

Sprinkle the sea salt on top of the dough making sure to cover all the crackers.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The exact time will depend on how thin they were rolled out. For thicker crackers, it could take closer to 20-25 minutes, and for really thin will be around 15.

Halfway through baking rotate the sheet pan. The back of the oven tends to be a bit hotter so this will help give them a more even bake.

They are done when they turn a nice golden brown color. The darker they are the crunchier they are.

Remove from oven and transfer parchment paper to a wire rack to cool. If left on the baking sheet the bottoms will start to overcook.

Enjoy on their own or with a dip. Serve with my smoked salmon dip.

Substitutions

• Dried Herbs - Dried herbs can be used in place of fresh. Fresh is always best but in a pinch use 2 teaspoons of dried crushed rosemary.
• Italian Seasoning instead of rosemary.

Variations

• Herbs - Experiment with different fresh herbs. Rosemary is a great choice but other herbs such as thyme or parsley could also be used.
• Everything seasoning. Instead of flaky sea salt top the crackers with everything seasoning to give it a very different taste. Just be sure to add about 1 teaspoon of salt when mixing the dough.

Equipment

Danish Bread Whisk - Very helpful in combining the flour and sourdough starter.

Rolling Pin - To roll out the dough.

Pastry Wheel - A fun pastry cutter is how we achieve the decorative edges. If you do not have one a pizza cutter will also work great.

Baking Sheet - Make sure it's at least a 12"x17" baking sheet.

Parchment paper - This makes it easier to roll out and then transfer to the cookie sheet and eventually onto a cooling rack.

Cooling rack

Digital scale: - The most accurate way to bake is with a kitchen scale. Every measurement of flour can vary from cup to cup so having a scale is the best way to ensure the exact same amount is used.

Storage

Sourdough crackers are best eaten right away but can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.

They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for a couple of months.

Other sourdough discard recipes:

Click to see even more sourdough discard recipes.

📋Recipe